COMMANDOpera’s Sunday Matinee which has nothing to do with opera, is taken from a rather curious uproar going on in Brazil at this moment. It all has to do with the spectacular annual event in Rio de Janeiro known as Carnaval. The honour of being one of the Carnaval drum queens, the nimble-footed women who lead the deafening samba troupes along Rio’s Sambadrome, is normally reserved for immaculately tanned and half-naked soap opera stars keen to keep their faces – and bottoms – in the Brazilian media. The role of the drum queen is to motivate the drummers who are behind her to play more intensely through sexually charged dancing. A decision by one of Rio’s top samba schools to let a seven-year-old girl lead its 2010 carnival procession has caused this uproar on the eve of what Brazilians call the greatest party on Earth. One of the concerns being how is it possible for a seven year old girl dance aggressively for the required 80 minutes, not too mention the perceived inappropriateness. Here is a MUST watch video for those who are unfamiliar with Carnaval:
Part 1
Part 2
Samba schools are very large groups of performers, financed by respected organizations (as well as illegal gambling groups), who work year round in preparation for Carnaval. Samba Schools perform in the Sambadrome, which runs four entire nights. They are part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single school is declared the winner, according to costume, flow, theme, and band music quality and performance. Some samba schools also hold street parties in their neighborhoods, through which they parade along with their followers. Here now are some well known Drum Queens:
Sunday Matinee The Drum Queen
Photo Credit: Alexandre Vidal
COMMANDOpera’s Sunday Matinee which has nothing to do with opera, is taken from a rather curious uproar going on in Brazil at this moment. It all has to do with the spectacular annual event in Rio de Janeiro known as Carnaval. The honour of being one of the Carnaval drum queens, the nimble-footed women who lead the deafening samba troupes along Rio’s Sambadrome, is normally reserved for immaculately tanned and half-naked soap opera stars keen to keep their faces – and bottoms – in the Brazilian media. The role of the drum queen is to motivate the drummers who are behind her to play more intensely through sexually charged dancing. A decision by one of Rio’s top samba schools to let a seven-year-old girl lead its 2010 carnival procession has caused this uproar on the eve of what Brazilians call the greatest party on Earth. One of the concerns being how is it possible for a seven year old girl dance aggressively for the required 80 minutes, not too mention the perceived inappropriateness. Here is a MUST watch video for those who are unfamiliar with Carnaval:
Part 1
Part 2
Samba schools are very large groups of performers, financed by respected organizations (as well as illegal gambling groups), who work year round in preparation for Carnaval. Samba Schools perform in the Sambadrome, which runs four entire nights. They are part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single school is declared the winner, according to costume, flow, theme, and band music quality and performance. Some samba schools also hold street parties in their neighborhoods, through which they parade along with their followers. Here now are some well known Drum Queens:
Raissa
Maisa Duke
Fabia Borges
Adriana BomBom