The first night of the parades of the samba schools of the Special Group of São Paulo, this Friday night (17) will present a great diversity of themes in the plots. The Anhembi Sambódromo will receive seven associations that will go in search of the title in a dispute that promises to be balanced.
To get an idea of competitiveness, in the last five disputes, the carnival in São Paulo had three new champions. In 2017, Academicos do Tatuapé was the great champion for the first time, and repeated the feat in 2018. In 2019 it was Mancha Verde’s turn to win the first title. In 2020, the Golden Eagle won the unprecedented trophy. After the parades were suspended in 2021 due to the pandemic, Mancha Verde won again in 2022.
What’s next
Independent Tricolor
Runner-up in the Access Group in 2022, Independente Tricolor returns to the Special Group this year dreaming of its first achievement. The school, linked to an organized fan base of the São Paulo Futebol Clube, will open the parades of the special group and is expected to enter the avenue at 23:15. The plot will talk about one of the most told war stories of all time: the Trojan War, and promises to please both Greeks and Trojans. “Without fear comes the Greek present, within it a secret: the arrow that takes time, is sure, does not miss”, says an excerpt from the samba.
Academics of Tatuapé
The second school of the night is Acadêmicos do Tatuapé. The association from the east zone of São Paulo will honor the city of Paraty, on the coast of Rio de Janeiro. “São Paulo’s carnival, in recent years, has become very ‘naughty’ for those who try to choose favoritism. We had many schools being champions for the first time, this since Acadêmicos do Tatuapé when it won and was considered an underdog”, said the journalist Thiago Calil, who has acted as a commentator on parades, remembering the achievements of 2017 and 2018, which the school is now trying to repeat.
Baroque South Zone
The Barroca Zona Sul, known as “Faculdade do Samba”, will be the third to perform and will tell the story of the Guaicurus indigenous people, originally from the Pantanal region and who faced Spanish and Portuguese invaders in defense of their lands. “There is a place for reconnection with these historical plots, the black population, the African diaspora, religions of African roots, indigenous peoples. The Barroca Zona Sul will talk about the Guaicurus, which also this connection with the indigenous peoples, that the schools always had,” says writer, samba dancer and sociologist Tadeu Kaçula. The school goes in search of the first title.
United of Vila Maria
Also dreaming of an achievement that would be unprecedented, Unidos de Vila Maria will be the fourth school to perform this Friday, and will talk about its own history with the theme “Vila Maria, Minha Origin, Minha Essência, Minha História! Far Beyond Carnival “. Founded in 1954, the association is close to completing 70 years. “My place plays first class samba, it’s the cadence that makes the village samba. A love, it’s a passion for a lifetime, that’s where I learned to drum”, says the samba-enredo.
golden roses
One of the biggest winners of the São Paulo carnival, with seven titles, Rosas de Ouro wants to bring home a trophy that it hasn’t won since 2010. yesterday under a new name”. When it presented the theme, the school stated that “it will exalt the struggle, strength and achievements of black people through the ages, from their enslaved ancestors to the present day, with the incessant search for equality and respect”.
major tone
Next, another theme linked to the black population: Tom Maior brings to the avenue the plot “A cult to black ancestral mothers”. The school in the west zone of São Paulo has never been a champion in its 50-year history, and is trying to break that record. “I think that Rosas de Ouro, Tom Maior, Mocidade, Império de Casa Verde, are schools that have everything to bring a parade that will make an impact, that will move people, that will go beyond plastic, that will touch the hearts of the people there “, points out journalist Thiago Calil. Youth and Empire parade on Saturday (18).
Gavião da Fiel
Closing the first night of the parade, Gaviões da Fiel, linked to an organized supporter of Corinthians, will talk about religious tolerance. Four-time champion of the São Paulo carnival, the school has not won the title since 2003, and, to try to break the fast, takes to the avenue a plot about religious tolerance: “In the Name of the Father, of the Sons, of the Spirits and of the Saints… Amen!”. The idea is to present, on the avenue, the idea that all religions seek God, even if this search happens in different ways.
Order of the São Paulo carnival parades – Special Group – Friday, February 17th
11:15 p.m. – Tricolor Independents
00:20 – Academicos do Tatuapé
01:25 – Baroque Zona Sul
02:30 – United of Vila Maria
03:35 – Roses of Gold
04h40 – Major Tom
05:45 – Gaviões da Fiel
Editing: Rodrigo Durão Coelho
