Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (The Sambadrome)
I Danced Near the Winning Samba School in Rio
Rio's carnival champion scored a perfect 270. I danced near them, so I'm claiming a tenth of a point.
At Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, the top samba schools parade through the Sambadrome, judged on everything from drums to costumes. The champion, Viradouro, got a perfect score, 270 out of 270. Two other schools tied a tenth of a point behind. I joined the dancing, nearby.
My Samba
The drums go very fast. My feet go at their own speed, which is a more dignified speed.
- Step one: Smile. I’m a natural.
- Step two: Move the feet quickly. Mine moved quickly, in different directions.
- Step three: Wave at the crowd. My best step. I did it the whole night.
My costume had feathers. A lot of feathers. At one point I was mostly feathers, with a little bit of me in the middle.
The Scores
The champions didn’t drop a single tenth of a point anywhere. The two schools behind them dropped exactly one tenth each. So where did those tenths go?
I have a theory. They came to me. I danced very close to the champions, with great spirit, for several hours. I’m claiming one tenth of a point, for enthusiasm, and I’ll share it with the drummers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a samba school?
A big community group that spends the whole year getting ready for one carnival parade. Drums, dancers, floats, everything.
Did the judges score you?
There was no category for me. I've suggested one: Best Waving.