TDSounds

Not just a big show

Its easy to believe that the Rio de Janeiro samba schools are opulent wealthy organisations concerned with putting on a big show for the television cameras. But only a small proportion of Rio's samba schools are in the Special Group. Thre are six groups altogether, and the three lowest groups parade way out of town, in conditions very different from those you see on television.

I think the work of the schools in the lower leagues has much more relevance to the kind of parades that we non Brazilians aspire to. Street parades, family atmosphere, little money - Read more about them here.

As well as more information, I've posted up some photos and also a link to some community TV footage of one of the samba schools in the lowest group, RJ4, so you can see for yourself.