This year however the school may just be able to break this losing streak as, among other things, its dancing ensemble was bolstered by the addition of 25-year old Juliana Titaeva, an extremely talented samba dancer from Russia.
Having fulfilled her dream of dancing at the very heart of the Rio Carnival, Titaeva was also able to offer a unique insider’s perspective on this grand festival, having savored the emotions and experiences that few foreigners are able to partake in.
As Titaeva told Sputnik Brazil, the emotions of samba dancers who take part in the festivities are “off the charts,” as people prepare for the carnival like they’re "going to war."
"Because my passistas ('street dancers', members of a Samba ensemble who perform on the ground rather than on a float) wing is comprised of boys and girls who actually dance samba, you can’t just buy a spot there. They’re all people from the favelas; they’re practically the heart of the school. It’s hard to describe the kind of emotions that I’ve witnessed there among these people. Right before going into the Sambadrome they gather in a circle holding each other’s hands and pray. It’s like they’re going to war," she said.
According to Titaeva, while it may look at first that dancing across the Sambadrome for over an hour in such warm weather is a pretty taxing exercise, the dancers are well prepared for this challenge.
"In 72 minutes the entire samba school crosses the Sambadrome. First the passistas stand at the entrance to the Sambadrome. Several floats move in, several wings of samba dancers march on. Then at a certain point we join in, followed by the Bateria (samba band) and a few more floats. Basically, we don't enter the Sambadrome first and we don't leave it last. All in all, we spend about 40 minutes there in total, and it doesn’t seem that hard to me. First of all, you’re prepared for this thanks to your training, and second, when you go in, your chafed legs and uncomfortable costume no longer matter – you stop feeling them as you enter some kind of trance," the dancer explained.
Yet despite all that, Titaeva pointed out that samba dancing is merely a hobby for her and despite the amazing experience she doesn’t feel like pursuing becoming a professional samba dancer.
"It feels great, and all this publicity helps the school, improving its odds of winning the carnival. But as for the future… I don’t think that I’ll become a professional samba dancer," she mused.
Yet when asked whether she would take part in next year’s Rio Carnival, Titaeva left little room for doubt.
"Next year I’ll be there 100 percent," the Russian dancer firmly stated.
