All schools have this
ala named
Velha Guarda,
composed of
more experienced men and women from the
community. Marching with the Velha Guarda is a well-deserved honor
for those who devoted their whole lifes to the success of their
school. You cannot buy your way into this group.
Being in the abre-alas group is an honor that only a
selected few will ever experience. This is the first group to
march on the avenue. Their elaborate coreographies play an
important role on how the whole school will be received by the
audience. There are no fixed rules as to who can participate in
the abre-alas, and schools sometimes hire acrobats, performers,
and impersonators.
Men and women march together in most alas,
and many costumes are unisex. A notable exception is the ala
das baianas, strictly for women.
Drummers and other members of the band are always men selected from the
community. They have to attend to the rehearsals on a regular basis, or
they may lose the honor of marching with the school.
Please click on picture to enlarge it. |
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Please click on picture to enlarge it.
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