8/9/2019 Opening Wing of Brazilian Carnival

1/4

Opening Wing of

Brazilian CarnivalA carnival parade in Rio Brazil is made up of a series of conventions and criteria,which somehow regulate the amazing show watched by millions of people aroundthe globe. Some of the evaluated criteria include the size of floats, parade timing,and harmony within the samba-school members, which are analyzed by a judgingcommission. The opening wing or Comissao de Frente, to use the originalexpression in Portuguese, is also one of these criteria examined by the carnivaljudging panel, to help determine the parade contest winner of each year. Tounderstand why this element became a mandatory element in Brazilian parades, wehave to go back at least 150 years in the history of Brazils Carnaval. Below we

will provide a small summary of the opening wings origins, innovations and presentcharacteristics so readers can enjoy the carnival culture in Brazil with morecomprehension.

Below, the creativity and innovation ofUnidos da Tijuca s opening wing.

Photo Credit: Agencia FOTO BR

In the midst of 1850s, before samba-schools formally existed, street carnival guildscalled carnival societies, or in Portuguese, sociedades carnavalescas used to

march in Rios street Carnivals. These organized clubs and samba associations

http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/festival-history-r-carnival-history-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/festival-history-r-carnival-history-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/festival-history-r-carnival-history-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-wing

8/9/2019 Opening Wing of Brazilian Carnival

2/4

celebrated Carnaval the old way, in a procession, and revelers would wear richEuropeancarnival costumes.

These were the first carnaval groups assembled somehow in a parade. During thesedays, in the beginning of the caravan, men rode horses and wore tailcoat and top

hats ahead of the floats literally opening the parade / procession, and greetingspectators. Later, horses and carriages were substituted by open cars at theprocession, in what would be called Corso de Carnaval. In essence, the samba-schools from today borrowed the idea from the Carnival Societies of the lastquarter of the 1800s in Brazil.

Isnard Arajo and Candeia, two famous samba scholars, wrote in a book calledEscola de Samba - Arvore que Nunca Esqueceu Raiz that the first samba-school to present a formal opening wing during an official parade was Portela.

This fact was confirmed by Hiram Arajo, another renowned samba historian in

Brazil, and by carnaval researcher Amaury Jrio in the book Escolas de Samba emDesfile. From that moment on, other samba-schools started to have a Comissode Frente on carnaval parades.

Brazilian journalist Francisco Duarte, listening to testimonials from Unidos daTijuca Samba-Schoolfounders, said that ahead of parade there was usually a liveanimal: once there was a frog, another time a little she donkey, and finally, in 1936,a school member was there in a dragon costume greeting and opening way through

people. After this live animal, escorted or carried by a samba-school member,there was an opening float, usually a boy carrying a signboard made of paintedcardboard. Preceding the Opening Wing, circus type clowns known as Tico-Ticos

wearing satin suits came up, carrying their big walking sticks and cages.

http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/samba-costumes-in-the-carnival-of-rio-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/samba-costumes-in-the-carnival-of-rio-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/portela-2010-r-portela-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/portela-2010-r-portela-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/gres-unidos-da-tijuca-2010-r-tijuca-unidos-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/portela-2010-r-portela-samba-schoolhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/samba-costumes-in-the-carnival-of-rio-brazil

8/9/2019 Opening Wing of Brazilian Carnival

3/4

First Innovations at Parades

Vizinha Faladeira, the first Samba-School to win a carnaval contest in Brazil, made a

small revolution in the Carnaval of 1935, and their great novelty was exactly theOpening Wing, elegantly composed by 12 limousines. In 1936, Vizinha FaladeiraSamba-School was again innovative and brought the Comisso de Frente on horses,just like the way Great Carnaval Societies (Grandes Sociedades) used to do.

Below, a luxurious Opening Wing by Rocinha Samba-School.

Photo Credit: Agencia FOTO BR

From 1938 on, the Opening Wing became part of the official regulation for theparades. It was then formed by distinguished samba-school members, like directorsfrom the board, patrons, elder samba players, or important people fromcommunity. This group had the mission to present the school to the jury to the

carnaval crowd and authorities, while receiving applause from samba enthusiasts. They would go marching by foot.

Throughout the years, the Opening Wing always found a way to evolve andpresent a different look throughout its outfits, posture, in the presentation, andmembers / components. In 1965, in the Carnaval of the IV Centenary, SalgueiroSamba-School presented little donkeys as Opening Wing (typical from thefolguedos - typical popular festivals from several regions of Brazil). The first timethough women came on a Comissao de Frente was in 1969 by Samba-SchoolImperatriz Leopoldinense. They represented the Africans and the theme was

Brazil, lovely flower of three races.

http://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/imperatriz-leopoldinense-imperatriz-samba-r-gres-imperatriz-leopoldinensehttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/imperatriz-leopoldinense-imperatriz-samba-r-gres-imperatriz-leopoldinensehttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/imperatriz-leopoldinense-imperatriz-samba-r-gres-imperatriz-leopoldinensehttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/

8/9/2019 Opening Wing of Brazilian Carnival

4/4

In 1978, another historical curiosity: Estao Primeira de Mangueira Samba-School presented two Opening Wings during their parade. The first, which wouldbe analyzed by the jury, was formed by women, and the second, formed by theelders from the samba-school likeCartola, Nelson Cavaquinho, Grande Otelo, andothers. Today, Comisso de Frente may be formed by men, women, or even

children. They are fancy dressed, they come in white tie, black tie, suits, orcostumes, whatever the parade-theme requires.

Photo Credit: Agencia FOTO BR

In case the samba-school chooses costumes according to the theme, the Comissaode Frente may go on parade developing choreography, dancing the samba, orsimply walking slowly. There are regular and specific rehearsals for their members.Comissao de Frente has its performance ahead the school or after abre-alas (opening float) and has a maximum and a minimum number of members, which isdetermined by the parade contest regulation.

Since the Opening Wing became a requirement for the contest judgment, samba-schools always give it special attention today, hiring choreography specialists,teachers and dancers, so as to avoid losing points in this contest criterion. In 1990,the Liga Independente reduced the score value in its judgment criteria, same asoccurred to Mestre-Sala and Porta-Bandeira ( Flag-Bearer ) but, in 1991, thescores values became just like the other requirements. Whatever the sambascholars might think of in terms ofcriteria, keep an eye at this interesting portionof the parade. Just like in movies, the Opening Wing maybe a film preview,providing us small hints as to what the parade show will demonstrate us ahead!

http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/estacao-primeira-mangueira-profile-samba-mangueirahttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/estacao-primeira-mangueira-profile-samba-mangueirahttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#who-was-cartola-brazil-carnival-frequently-asked-questionshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#who-was-cartola-brazil-carnival-frequently-asked-questionshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#who-was-cartola-brazil-carnival-frequently-asked-questionshttp://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#ballroom-samba-dance-in-rio-where-how-to-do-dance-e-practice-locationshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#ballroom-samba-dance-in-rio-where-how-to-do-dance-e-practice-locationshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#ballroom-samba-dance-in-rio-where-how-to-do-dance-e-practice-locationshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/mestre-sala-in-samba-escolas-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/mestre-sala-in-samba-escolas-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/porta-bandeira-de-escolas-de-samba-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/porta-bandeira-de-escolas-de-samba-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/photos/category/opening-winghttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/porta-bandeira-de-escolas-de-samba-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/culture/mestre-sala-in-samba-escolas-carnaval-of-brazilhttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#ballroom-samba-dance-in-rio-where-how-to-do-dance-e-practice-locationshttp://www.fotobr.com.br/fotobr/http://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/faq#who-was-cartola-brazil-carnival-frequently-asked-questionshttp://www.brazilcarnival.com.br/samba_schools/estacao-primeira-mangueira-profile-samba-mangueira