Similar to Carnival in New Orleans and Venice, Brazil’s celebrations also occur in the days leading up to Lent. And for many, when we think of Carnival, Rio de Janeiro is the first place that comes to mind with its dancing and dazzling costumes! Initially brought by the Portuguese in the 18th century, the event has shifted over time from masquerade parades and balls to centering Samba. Samba music is spirited Afro-Brazilian music combining African drumming techniques with indigenous folk rhythms, poly rhythms, and is played on Latin American instruments.

The drumming rhythm, the Lundu style, and dance has its origins with the Bantu people from West Africa who where trafficked by Portuguese traders and enslaved in South America. The enslaved people were forced to work on plantations. Following the abolition of slavery in 1888 many Afro-Brazilian decedents migrated to Rio de Janeiro establishing urban neighbourhoods, where Samba music, and dance evolved and flourished.

In 1984 the Sambadrome, an open air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, was built specifically to house the festivities and performances of the top local Samba schools during Carnival. The Sambadrome events have drawn so much recognition and popularity that “Rio receives nearly a million tourists during that time and major TV channels around the globe send their own crew to tape the celebration for the worldwide audience” (from the RioCarnaval site).