Cariocas support their favorite school like they support their soccer team - with a lot of passion. In Portuguese you do not say you root for Mangueira or Flamengo. You say what would translate simply to I am Mangueira or I am Flamengo. The 5 best schools earn the coveted honor of marching again the following weekend at the Winners Parade on Saturday. Together they try to illustrate and bring to life the school's chosen theme.
Floats are a real feast to the eyes.
Many have special effects - a bird with flapping wings, a dragon spitting smoke, etc. The size is limited by the narrow tree-lined streets that give access to the Sambodrome. Bigger cars sometimes lose part of their decoration even before entering the runway. Cars are pushed by men from the community, either in white T-shirts, or wearing costumes designed to blend in . Before ideas of slave work and indignities start popping in your mind, try to understand that everybody is happy to contribute in whichever way they can.