Articles by Beatrice Labonne

Money and Samba: Welcome to virtual Carnival! 

If one believes the pundits, Rio Carnival is literally going down the drain flushed with money.  Since the construction of the famed “Sambodrome” on the Sapucai Avenida, in the mid 80s, Carnival parades have become bigger, more professionally organized and therefore more expensive. One estimates that Major league Samba Schools like Beija Flor, Mangueira  and Salgueiro need to dish out at least $US 2m to get their dancers (passistas) strut their stuff on the Sapucai. This “Hollywoodian” expansion comes at a price and local newspapers are fast to pull the alarm bell. According to many of them, samba is loosing its soul.  

Carnival never came cheap. However, before the intrusion of internet technology, it was a popular event.  The samba schools paraded and the local fans cheered from the grandstands.  Now, and paradoxically it is probably more economical to march with the samba school than to buy a good ticket for the “Sambodrome” bleachers!  The 2006 reality is that carnival costumes are likely to be cheaper than tickets! 

Now, would be dancers can easily try and purchase their costume online.  Average costumes cost between $US 150 and $US 260.  The samba school websites are very professionally laid out and updated¹.  With prices like these, Carnival is out of reach for the majority of cariocas.  The well heeled Brazilians and foreigners are now replacing the traditional carnival throng.  Few among these newcomers have a sense of rhythm, let alone sing samba, as they hardly speak Portuguese!  Samba schools are falling over themselves to attract international celebrities.  Marching is becoming a vanity parade. To ensure visibility, these clueless celebrities are usually perched on floats.  Rumor has it that this year, Beyoncè will join Noemi Campbell on a Portella float.  No altruism parade here.  Celebrities come with a high price tag!  

In theory, there are grandstands ear marked for the less well off fans. Sorry to say, but it is not prime samba location. The bleachers are over looking the area where the samba schools disband at the end of the parade.  

Commercial sponsoring has come in a big way too. Major multinationals are providing money to the samba schools. Obviously, there are strings attached. Company jingle is neatly intertwined in the theme, and song of the samba school 

To accommodate this increasingly globalized and commercialized carnival, the verses and words of samba songs are made simpler and easier to memorize. For samba purists, it sounds as if shouting was replacing singing. It is a decaying process, a race to the bottom. Is the “Sambodrome” extravaganza  killing the spirit of samba?  

It is not all grim and gloom. Carnival aficionados can still enjoy an old fashion samba parade. The option is the parade of the winners on the Sunday after Fat Tuesday (desfile das campeãs). Folks can cheer the top five samba schools. Floats may not be in mint condition; costume may looked a bit tired, but the parade, the beat and singing will be stress free and fun, like in the old days.