THE CHILDREN’S SAMBA SCHOOLS OF RIO DE JANEIRO

What is a Childrens samba school?

The children’s samba schools (Escolas mirim) of Rio de Janeiro were started in the early 80’s. Their parade opens the Rio de Janeiro carnival on the Friday night of carnival, when entry to the sambodromo is free.

Each childrens school parades with all of the elements of the big samba schools - floats, costumes, song, theme, baianas, flag bearer etc. The songs are written by children. The drum section comprises of children. The floats and costumes are made by the children - but all with the help (and under the very careful supervision) of grown ups.

Last time I counted there were 12 Escolas de samba Mirins in the Association of children’s samba schools in Rio de Janeiro. Each school parades with between 1000 and 2000 children, well supervised by grown ups. The parade is slightly shorter than the main parade, but it still hapens in the same place; the sambodromo.

The work of the Rio Childrens samba schools

Behind the show of the parade, the childrens' samba schools have a serious purpose. They are educational and social projects designed to complement a formal school education, particularly for young people of 14 – 21 years of age, and to train them up to professional standards in the crafts practiced in a samba school.

This task is urgent, as the children’s samba schools are situated in areas of high social risk and exclusion. The work of an Escola Mirim results in a samba school parade. And it also gives  training in design, costume making, metalwork, carpentry, lighting, sound, music, dance, people management and administration, and many ancillary skills. The aim is to provide a pathway out of the marginalisation and violence found in the favelas and slums of this most beautiful city.

The president of one of the newer children’s samba schools said in 2000 that the objective of his project was partly to train future samba players. But much more important was to take the children off the streets. “We have a rule – you can only parade in this bateria if you come to the rehearsals.”

The organising body is the Association of childrens' samba schools, which took over from the old League of children’s samba schools in 2002. They are currently funded by the Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro as part of the city wide project O Projeto Célula Cultural, (although each is also backed by a samba school, some of which are richer than others).



The Association has a website where you can find out more: http://www.aesmrio.com/

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