Carnival: Rio de Janeiro's Samba Schools

The parade by the Portela samba school, which came fourth at the 1968 carnival with its samba theme The Trunk of the Ipê Tree (O Tronco do Ipê). Portela is Rio's most successful school, having won 22 times.

Viviane Araújo, an actor and queen of the drums section for the Acadêmicos do Salgueiro samba school. The group finished runner up with its theme Gaia: Life in Our Hands (Gaia - A Vida em Nossas Mãos).

The São Clemente samba school, which opened the second and final night of parades with Captains of the Asphalt (Capitães do Asfalto), a theme that centered on social criticism of the country's neglect of poor children.

A member of the Império Serrano samba school, the second group to parade on the first day of carnival. The school's theme dealt with diversity, and was called Being Different is Normal: The Serrano Empire Makes a Difference at Carnival (Ser Diferente é Normal: o Império Serrano Faz a Diferença no Carnaval).

Women work at making transparent flowers for one of the allegorical floats for the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school.

The Portela samba school's allegorical float. With its theme Adelaide: The Dove of Peace (Adelaide, A Pomba da Paz)—a tribute to the poet Walmir Ayala—Portela finished joint third with Império Serrano.

Acrobats in wheelchairs during the parade by the União da Ilha do Governador samba school. This was the second group to take to the Professor Darcy Ribeiro Runway and its theme, Olympic by Nature: The Whole World Is in Rio! (Olímpico por Natureza. Todo Mundo se Encontra no Rio!), was about the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Members of the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school. Its samba theme, Elis: A Train Called Emotion (Elis, Um Trem Chamado Emoção), was a tribute to the Brazilian popular music star Elis Regina, who died in 1982.

Actor and queen of the drums section, Cris Vianna, during a performance by the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school. The group finished sixth with the samba theme Axé-Nkenda: A Ritual of Freedom, And May the Voice of Freedom Always Be Our Voice (Axé-Nkenda - Um Ritual de Liberdade - E que a Voz da Liberdade Seja Sempre a Nossa Voz).

The parade by the Samba Unidos da Tijuca samba school with the theme Dreaming Creation and Creating the Dream: The Art of Science in the Impossible Age (O Sonho da Criação e a Criação do Sonho: a Arte da Ciência no Tempo do Impossível). One of its allegorical floats featured painted dancers representing a DNA chain.

Members of the drumming section of the Estação Primeira de Mangueira samba school, which finished runner-up with its samba theme Carnival of Carnivals (Carnaval dos Carnavais).

The model Joyce poses on the allegorical float of the Acadêmicos do Salgueiro samba school. The group's 1996 theme was entitled Anarchists Yes, But Not All (Anarquistas Sim, Mas Nem Todos) and dealt with Italian immigration in Brazil.

A percussionist from the Império Serrano samba school shows off with tambourines during the group's parade. The group made its entrance with the theme And Where There Is Darkness Let There Be Light (E Onde Houver Trevas que Se Faça a Luz), and went on to finish 12th.

A member of the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school's opening group of performers, known as the comissão de frente. The school finished sixth with its theme I Am From the Lira, I can't Deny It (Eu Sou da Lira, Não Posso Negar), a tribute to the Brazilian conductor, composer, and instrumentalist Chiquinha Gonzaga.

An allegorical float belonging to the Portela samba school. Portela finished eighth with its theme Cinelândia Yesterday, Today, and Always: Samba Enters the Scene on Brazilian Broadway (Ontem, Hoje e Sempre Cinelândia - O Samba Entra em Cena na Broadway Brasileira), about the Cinelândia area in Rio de Janeiro's old town.

The Baianas section—made up of traditional Bahian dancers with their round dresses—from the São Clemente samba school. The group paraded with its theme More Than a Thousand Clowns in the Hall (Mais de Mil Palhaços no Salão).