Samba

After two long years without its frenetic festival of sparkling sequins, sultry samba and towering floats, Rio de Janeiro is holding its famed carnival parades for the first time since COVID-19 hit Brazil.

Brazilian singer and composer Hildemar Diniz, known as Monarco and considered one of the most important figures of samba music, died on Dec. 11 aged 88.

His death was announced by Portela, one of the most famous samba schools in Rio de Janeiro where he served as president.

Rio de Janeiro would normally be kicking off its famed carnival now, but instead of booming drumlines, glittering floats and barely clad dancers, the Brazilian city's "Sambadrome" is hosting a COVID-19 vaccination drive this year.

Carnaval La Land, a special event featuring musical theater, flash mobs, Afro-Brazilian percussion, samba, tango and many more surprises, will be happening in Syntagma Square on Friday, February 28.

The carnival season in Brazil is in full swing, but besides the mood it also brings problems. 400 people were detained during the first weekend of the carnival in Sao Paulo. Many of them are minors.

Aside from the detentions, "45,017 vehicles were inspected, 24 weapons confiscated and 59.9 kilograms of drugs seized," a statement said.

In country as large as Brazil with a population of over 200 million people you would expect to see some very weird things. Here is a quick compilation of some crazy stuff from this football-crazed nation of samba.

Nine people were injured in Brazil on Feb. 28 during the fourth round of samba parades when the platform of a float collapsed under the weight of dancers. 

The incident happened around 3:00 a.m. during the Unidos da Tijuca parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambodromo, a day after a truck carrying a float ran into bystanders late Feb. 26 and injured 20.

The Rio carnival is a celebration of joyful excess but deep recession in Brazil means that samba schools are thinking about their budgets as much as their dance moves.

"Here the key word is austerity," says Luiz Carlos Magalhaes, president of the Portela samba school, which has won the prestigious annual parade contest in the Sambodromo more than any other school.

Refugee children from Syria and other conflict-torn countries will be treated to a place in Rio de Janeiro's exuberant carnival parade on Feb. 9, UN officials said.

Dancers -- some nearly naked, others in elaborate costumes -- strutted into the final round of the Rio Carnival's samba championship Feb. 8, capping a wild party that has helped Brazilians forget about Zika and other worries