This is what the samba school of Vila Isabel has been waiting for! All the carnival costumes are carefully prepared, the carnaval instruments of hundreds of percussion instruments are looked over and the carnival floats are ready to go, it’s time for new Rio de Janeiro brazil carnival once more!

Samba passion from samba dancers!

Entering the avenida for a samba carnival elation is one of the most intense feelings a human can experience! Vanessa is one of the samba dancers in Vila Isabel samba school.

If I can’t go in the samba file I can just as well die!" It’s really the best thing!

Her family has long carnival traditions with a brother and parents also in the Rio samba school:

”How do you like to be a samba dancer?”

Ah it’s my life!

“how long have you been a dancer?”

6 years.

“Describe the feeling of dancing samba in the carnival, in the sambodrome!”

It’s the best sensation in the world! We have a saying which is “ If I can’t go in the samba file I can just as well die!” It’s really the best thing!

“You get allot of adrenaline? “

Allot, the heart races like crazy, seems as though it’s going to stop. It’s a mixture of emotions.

“What’s it like in Brazil, you reherse allot?”

Very much, especially when we are getting closer to carnival. Then we sometimes train three or four times per week.

“Everyone know how to samba in Brazil? When do you start learning?”

The truth is I always danced samba since I was a child. But I started joining the school and the defile 6 years ago. Well, almost all people in Rio Samba.

Flirting with the flag into peoples hearts!

In the disfile Vila Isabel has a batteria of about 300 drummers creating the powerful, inresistable rythms that drives people to sing, to dance and to samba! In front of the batteria the flag carrier and her partner dancer represent the identity of the school with the bandeira (the flag of the school)! It’s majestic to see how the flag dance is mixed with flirtation and respect! The couple whirl around like a tornado, like kings and queens doing their wedding dance!

Ruth Noronha is the primary flag carrier of Vila Isabel!

“How is it to be a samba dancer?”It’s the best thing in the world! The eight wonder of the world is the samba in Rio de Janeiro!

“How long have you been dancing?”

10 years.

“Why did you start dancing, why do you dance?”

Because of my love for samba and dancing! I am the “Porta Bandeira”, the flag bearer of the Vila Isabel samba school. I always dance with the flag, here, back home in Brasil on our training ground. Only time I’m separated from the flag is when they take it in to change the date or the year written on the flag.

Singing for peace and celebration!

In every carnival points are given for the ‘enredo’, the carnaval theme, upon which all carnival fantasy costumes, shoes, floats, and music are based. One of the important events is the elimination and selection of lyrics and carnival songs. It comes down to 20 compositions which are eliminated one by one in the weeks of august through October until the official music of the samba school for the current years carival!

One of the important roles in the brazil carnival are the lead singers uniting the crowds in singing to support their samba school and to celebrate! There are four singers in Vila Isabel. The primary singer leads with the loudest and most powerful voice.

In Vila Isabel his name is Anderson and has been singing for 6 years for the school.

”What do you do in the Samba school of Vila Isabel?”

I am the school primary singer. I sing when the samba school “disfile na avenida” perform in the streets and the Sambodrome. I sing to make the school be able to perform the Carnaval!

There are four singers in the Samba school. My role is also to organize the others. We all have microfones mine the strongest, then gradually decreases in volume down to the fourth.

“Who writes the music? Do you make lyrics?”

Yes, I do. I’m a composer in addition to being the lead singer.

“And now you’ll sing about navigation and naval construction?”

Yes that’s right.

“How is it to sing during Carnival? Describe the feeling for me? Describe the clima!”

It’s a very strong feeling when we enter the avenida to sing! And even more so as we are all in this school with all our hearts.

Because this work is also very professional. You can have your heart in one school and sing in another. But as I am from Vila Isabel, and also work in Vila Isabel, It’s marvellous. When the school enters the avenida to enter the carnival file, its marvellous!

“How long have you sung?”

6 years. For the school officially. 2 years as primary singer.

“Why did you enter the samba school? Why did you choose to be a singer?”

I have always liked to sing. And, you always await your chance. I had a try and stayed until today!

“Tell me about the life in Vila Isabel, the samba school! Do you train much?”

Yes we train every week. As a start we train one day a week then as it gets closer to carnival two times a week.

The community there is very close! I’m really glad for the unison we have. It’s a samba school with a community that participates!

From brazil carnival feelings back to sambacity.info