Above, the Juliana Alves, Carnaval Queen as Perola Negra Samba-School Drum Queen from Sao Paulo

Juliana is a passionate samba fan and has been literally to all samba-schools ‘quadras’ in Rio, where she practices her samba routines. (The Brazilian Muse actually lives two blocks away from Unidos da Vila Samba-School premises. ) Some of these quadras include Unidos da Tijuca, Portela, Mocidade Independente, Império da Tijuca, and Salgueiro. Important not to forget Juliana started her professional life as a true dancer, so she naturally has rhythm, specially samba, running thorough her veins.

Below, a special photo shoot made by Yuri Garnero of Tudo de Samba / Sambarazzo team:

In 2004, Alves, Juliana was invited to parade as Carnival Muse for traditional samba-school Salgueiro.

Also during that year, she enjoyed great success as full Queen of Drums for Império da Tijuca Samba-School, a coveted position in Brazil Carnaval.

Finally last year, in 2008, Juliana had a chance to present herself in two other samba-schools:

Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel and Renascer de Jacarepagua.

Even though the Carnaval Diva has rehearsed her samba routines in many samba-schools and joined the parade in at least 6 different samba-schools, when asked which one she supports, Unidos de Vila Isabel is the answer!

Congratulations for supporting the Carnaval in Brazil and making sure its culture is spread all over the world.

If you want to see Juliana, try one of the Samba practices in Rio…

Alves Juliana Short Life Biography:

Juliana Alves is a Brazilian actress & model, born May 3rd 1982. Juliana started her professional life as a dancer.

Later, she gained famed after participating in a reality show in 2003. She was then invited to join a Globo Network as contract actress. She participated in a many TV series and soap operas.

• “Chocolate com Pimenta” – 2003.
• ” Mano a Mano”. – 2004
• ” Prova de Amor” – 2006
• ” Amazônia, de Galvez a Chico Mendes” & “Duas Caras” – 2007
• ” Faça sua História”, ” Casos e Acasos” “A Grande Família” – 2008
• ” Caminho das Ìndias” – 2009

Beautiful picture of Alves Juliana by Leila Fiolino

We would like to thank Alice & Tudo de Samba/ Sambarazzo, and Yuri Garnero, which provided photos and text inspiration.

The beautiful Brazilian Muse in samba rehearsal in Sao Paulo, above

As dates change every year, one of the questions we get all the time is what exactly are the Carnival days in a specific year. It may be sometime in the past – I know what you did last Carnival! But most times it’s people trying to plan ahead, like, a decade ahead!

If this is the question you had in mind, skip the dull explanations, and jump to our Carnival Date Finder! If you are trying to figure out the mystery, linger on. To find the correct dates, first you have to know when Easter happens. Then just count back the weeks. Seven weeks to be precise. Carnival Sunday is 49 days before Easter Sunday. Seems easy, right?

Not really. Easter changes dates every year, so we are basically back to square one… Now we are giving you a second chance to jump to the Carnival Date Finder, as the details are even duller. Easter happens on the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or after the Spring Equinox. The Spring Equinox is the first day of Spring of the Northern Hemisphere.

This is the way things were defined by the Council of Nicaea in AD325, so who are we to question. In AD590 Gregorius I, the Great, set a date named dominica ad carne levandas, that supposedly was eventually shortened into the term Carnaval we use today in the Portuguese language.

There are more complications. From circa 46 BC to 1582 most countries used the Julian calendar. The first records of Carnival in Brazil date back to around the 1720’s, though, with the arrival of Portuguese immigrants coming from the islands of Azores and Cabo Verde. We will thus keep things simple (as if), and stick to the Gregorian Calendar, the most widely used in the world today.

Now let’s cut to the chase: we developed a Carnival Date Finder that is good for any year from 1583 to 9999! We hope to see you in Rio before that, of course. For tips on things to do and see next Carnival try our Carnival Party Planner!

2004 March 4, 5, 6, 7
2005 February 5, 6, 7, 8
2006 February 25, 26, 27, 28
2007 February 17, 18, 19, 20
2008 February 2, 3, 4, 5
2009 February 21, 22, 23, 24
2010 February 13, 14, 15, 16
2011 March 5, 6, 7, 8
2012 February 18-21
2013 February 9, 10, 11, 12
2014 March 1, 2, 3, 4

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Quadra Mangueira 2008 – Brincando com Gracyanne Barbosa

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Third place winner, Grande Rio, during Carnival 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, stars the “Queen of the drummers,” Grazielli Massafero, recorded with my photography camera (sorry about the quality).

Carnival 2008 -Grande Rio Samba School

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Salgueiro Samba Passistas take to the floor at the Salgueiro Samba School Rehearsal!

Salgueiro Samba School Rehearsal

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Samba Show dancers Oba Oba School of samba
Oba Oba International: Located in Los Angeles California, Samba Dancers. Dancers from all continents perform choreography of Sydney Maria from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil

The Rio-style carnival was a truly exciting event, with irresistible rhythms, extravagant costumes and floats. In true Brasilian Samba style there was plenty of glitz and glamour.

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Liverpool Samba School Carnival – part b

Samba show van dansschool Marcos Coelho uit Amsterdam. De lessen bestaan uit Samba, Axe, Zouk en Forro.

Marcos geeft ook diverse shows en workshops tijdens bedrijfsfeesten/-evenementen, vrijgezellenfeesten, bruiloften, etc.Samba show Marcos Coelho – Escola de Samba, Axe, Zouk, Forro

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Click here to view the embedded video.

HERNAN CAIRE BAILANDO EN EL CARNAVAL DE RIO DE JANEIRO ADENTRO DEL SAMBODROMO , IMPERDIBLE LAS GAROTAS !!!