In the spirit of Fat Tuesday, I thought I would dedicate this post to my experience in Rio de Janeiro for Carnival.
Currently, I have friends who live and are visiting Rio for Carnival. Let’s just say I’m insanely jealous.
But on the plus side, I had my time in Rio for Carnival in 2009.
This is the story of how we got to dance in the actual parade. (And win the competition)
Dancing in the Sambadrome
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I visited Rio de Janeiro in 2009 to visit a friend and experience Carnival first hand. I had an amazing host, Mariana, who got us into places that we would’ve never been able to on our own.
One such place was the Sambadrome to dance in the actual Carnival parade.
If you’re not familiar, the Sambadrome is a mile long parade avenue that floats and people alike walk down during the celebration. It’s lined with huge stands full of thousands of people (more than 60,000).
I’ve never had an experience like dancing in front of thousands of onlookers before.
In fact, the most people I’ve ever danced in front to that point was a few hundred when I did a strip tease in a competition, but that’s a story for another time.
So Mariana, being the good host that she was, got my buddy Sean from Location180 and I costumes and entrance into Carnival.
The costumes were insane. The best way I can describe it as is a fairy caveman warrior cheetah outfit.
Yup, you read that right.
We had black afro’s, golden spears, gigantic green wings, and cheetah pants and top. I’m not sure how it was all suppose to work together, but I was in no place to ask questions.
Our fairy caveman warrior cheetah costume
We arrived hours before hitting the “runway” and began to prepare for the event.
The first thing in order was to pound a few beers. There was no way I was going to be able to dance in front of thousands dead sober. Plus, my dancing gets better the more I drink. Or at least that’s what I think. It sorta compares to my karoake skills in that regard.
What I call liquid courage
Mariana previously tried teaching me a few Samba moves, but let’s just say this Gringo has two left feet.
Anyways, Sean and I pounded a few beers, ate a bit of street food and then started getting dressed in our costume. I felt completely ridiculous in my costume, BUT everyone else looked exactly the same so I felt better.
Plus, how many times in your life are you going to be able to dance in the ACTUAL Carnival parade?
When our time came to enter the Sambadrome at 2:30 AM, the float started blaring our themed song.
Over and over and over.
By the end, I think I could actually recite the verses in Portuguese!
As we neared the starting line, I guy nearby asked, “A long way from home aren’t ya sailor?” I turned to the gringo next to me and we both laughed. Somehow this guy from Connecticut got involved in the parade as well. Crazy how small the world gets sometimes.
Once we hit the starting line, we danced to the same music with the same moves for longest mile walk of my life. It took us nearly an hour to get to the end!
Most of the time I had no clue what I was doing. I basically just gyrated to whatever felt right. Amongst the masses, I think I blended in pretty well.
It also helped that I was continually distracted by scantily clad Brazilian women in costume.
That’s one thing I absolutely love about Brazil. Butt floss is completely acceptable in public as well as being topless. I’m definitely not one to complain and had to be reminded that I was in the middle of a parade and needed to keep moving.
A little glimpse of what being in the parade was like
I wouldn’t trade that hour for anything in the world. Being a part of the electric atmosphere, getting out of my comfort zone, and being in the actual Carnival parade was an experience I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.
Later, we learned that our Samba school won the competition for best dance and costumes that night. I didn’t even know we were in competition, but it’s good to know we didn’t ruin the whole thing.
What an incredible experience I had the opportunity to enjoy. Thank you Mariana for showing me such an amazing and unique time in Rio. It’s something I’ll never forget 
.
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HAHAHA
I love how, in the beginning of the video, when I’m talking to my mother, I’m like “OMG, I lost the gringos!”
And we didn’t walk for an hour.. It was maybe a 20-30 min walk!
Love reading about your time in Brazil!
xoxo
Haha, I’m sitting next to Sean and he confirms it was much closer to an hour
yeah, cause you gringos know so much more about the parade than the local
this sounds like fabulous fun!
as far as this is concerned:
“In fact, the most people I’ve ever danced in front to that point was a few hundred when I did a strip tease in a competition, but that’s a story for another time.”
I do believe it is indeed time, sir.
Haha, in due time. I’m not sure if I’m prepared for full transparency on my blog yet