2016 BRAZIL CARNIVAL BAIANAS DANCE: ELDERS AT RIO CARNIVAL PARADE

Brazilian Baianas dancing at the Rio Carnival 2016. Baianas are legendary and play classical role not only at the Rio Carnival but Brazilian Carnival in general. Baianas are one of the most known characters of ton and authenticity, aside with the Flag Bearers. Some of the Baianas, having more than 90 years old, still show plenty of vigor and charisma, as they are reverenced by public and samba-school members themselves.

Baianas wings are exclusively composed of women, and there is a specific regulation for their “parading performance” during the official Rio and São Paulo carnival constests. The Baianas wings are not judged separately, but have mandatory presence at the official contest. Now let us take a look of some of today’s distinguishing attributes and characteristics:

Their movement is made of out of spins, being more constant or with intervals, depending on the stimulus and the choreography rehearsed by them or by the responsible wing director. There are several kinds of choreographs specific for their wing, like: “Zigzag” (constant evolution by the school), “movement in column” by a compact group, as “side movement” by the school, “side change”, with constant spins.