A dancer of Portela samba school performs atop a float during the Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20 February 2012. The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, considered the biggest carnival in the world, is a colorful, four day celebration, taking place every year forty days before Easter. The Samba school parades, featuring thousands of dancers, imaginative costumes and elaborate floats, are held on the Sambadrome, a purpose-built stadium in downtown Rio. According to...
more »

A dancer of Portela samba school performs atop a float during the Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20 February 2012. The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, considered the biggest carnival in the world, is a colorful, four day celebration, taking place every year forty days before Easter. The Samba school parades, featuring thousands of dancers, imaginative costumes and elaborate floats, are held on the Sambadrome, a purpose-built stadium in downtown Rio. According to costumes, flow, theme, band music quality and performance, a single school is declared the winner of the competition.
« less