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Steelpan (steel drum), the only musical instrument created in the 21st century, is the main percussion instrument in the annual carnival festivities. Though created in the 1930s, steel pan history can be traced back to the enslaved Africans who were brought to the Caribbean during the 1700s.
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The best way to immerse yourself in Carnival culture is by...
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Carnival is a colourful and eclectic celebration of culture,...
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Jul 10, 2022 · With UP Express affordable fares, the whole family saves and get in on the Caribbean Carnival fun! We’ve got your guide to the weekend highlights so you can celebrate the Caribbean community with food, fun, and more at Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival Festival.
In 2022 we celebrated our Emerald Anniversary, 55 years of providing a platform for Caribbean Arts, people, and culture. The Toronto Caribbean Carnival continues to celebrate the Carnival Arts, including Mas Bands, Steelpan players, Calypso artists, Stick fighting, and Stilt walkers.
Trinidad Carnival is the annual two-day festival held before the observance of Lent. It features street processions of costumed masqueraders as well as showcasing highlights of calypso and steelband music.
- Carnival Parade in A Nutshell
- Key Elements in Samba Schools
- Key Instruments
- Repique
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To those unfamiliar with how the Samba School parade contest works, I’m going to summarize real quick so you can have a better idea. Every year, the Samba Schools in Rio de Janeiro develop a different theme (referred to as the Samba Plot – or Samba Enredo in Portuguese), which is presented on a big runway known as Marquês de Sapucaí Avenueor Sambód...
Before we jump straight into the instruments that make Carnaval what it is, there are just a few elements that need to be discussed. There are many parts involved in the making of a Carnival parade, from the interpreter to the dancers, to the song theme all the way to the band itself. I’m going to give you a quick rundown on the main elements invol...
8 major instruments takepart in the making of a Samba School marching band. We’ve briefly discussed a few of them in our article called What Instruments Are (actually) Played in Brazil, but here we’re going to go just a little more in-depth on the ones relevant for Carnival in Rio.
Also know known as Repinique in Brazil, this instrument was created by the Samba Schools to conduct and help to keep the song in synch, frequently used to give out “cues” to other sections of the band, almost like they are conversating, as you’ll be able to see in the video below. It visually looks like a smaller snare drum, being carried with one ...
How many Samba Schools are there in Rio de Janeiro?
There are over 70 Samba Schools in Rio, and they all parade in the course of the 4 days of Carnival. The best 12 are called the Special Group (Grupo Especial),and the remaining ones are split into minor leagues. Each year, the Special Group’s worst performer is demoted, and the best performer from the Access Group (Grupo de Acesso) is promoted to the main league.
How long does a Samba school parade last?
Each Samba School has a time limit of 75 minutes to cross the Avenida from start to finish. Going over this time causes the School to lose scores. In the Special Group, there are two days of parades, with 6 Samba Schools parading each evening. If each of them takes 75 minutes to pass, that is already 7.5 hours! However, it is not uncommon for some of them to face delays. Since the first Samba school usually starts their show at 9:30 PM, expect the parade to last until dawn.
What are the categories evaluated by the judging panel?
There are 9 categories which the judges keep score: 1. Costumes 2. Samba Plot 3. Front Commission 4. Storytelling 5. Floats and Props 6. Marching Band / Bateria 7. Mestre-Sala & Porta-Bandeira (traditional dancers) 8. Progression 9. Harmony The main league (Special Group) results of the Rio Carnival parade are always revealed on Ashes Wednesday morning when the carnival is over. On the following Saturday, the five winning schools will parade again on what is called “Desfile das campeãs” (Carn...
Jul 29, 2022 · From morning till evening, music will be playing along Lakeshore Boulevard as thousands of masqueraders show off their spectacular finery. And amid all the sounds of celebration, you can bet on...
Sep 29, 2021 · Keep reading to get dates for Caribbean Carnival 2022 dates. Carnival showcases some of the best aspects of Caribbean culture. The music, dance, history, and vibrancy of West Indians are all evident during the Carnival season.
