2009 Carnival in Rio is already a reality. Wandering through the city´s night, samba school rehearsals courts, and “botecos”, Cariocas feel the energizing magic of the world´s largest popular festival. Following this vibrant wave, LIESA, the Official Carnival Association in Rio de Janeiro, announced last week this year´s schedule of the technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome.

"Special" and "Access Group" samba-schools from Rio use these samba technical rehearsals to make adjustments to their parades. Some of the areas that are practiced and reviewed by the samba schools include comissão de frente – opening wing choreography, drum section movements , floats distances, singing of the samba theme lyrics and overall harmony of the samba parade. RIOTUR, the Rio de Janeiro official tourism body and LIESA all take the opportunity to make the last sound, lights, and broadcasting adjustments to the grand parade.




The samba-schools that go through these parades rehearsals are part of two groups, the so-called “Special Group”, which is the elite team, and the “Access Group”, the second tier group, but also very large and traditional. Many samba celebrities and drum queens also use the technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome to test their samba dance routines and popularity too.

At these dry runs, costumes are not used, but each school must take minimally 800 “paraders” to this official rehearsal. Samba school components sing the samba school theme lyrics to practice the samba melody, attunement, and arrangement. Another good reason to check out the official technical parade rehearsals at the Sambadrome is that they are free! Don’t miss out this event!


Please see below the Rio Carnival Technical Rehearsals Schedules:



December 2008 Samba Carnival Technical Rehearsals:

Friday, December 5th:

- Beija-Flor Samba-School, 9:00 PM

Sunday, December 7th:

- Império Serrano Samba-School, 8:00 PM
- Mangueira Samba-School, 10:00 PM

Friday , December 12th:
- Vila Isabel Samba-School – 9:00 PM

Sunday, December 14th:
- Unidos da Tijuca Samba-School - 8:00 PM ----> Great!!
- Mocidade Samba-School, 10:00 PM


See above the first couple Rogerinho and Lucinha Nobre practicing at Unidos da Tijuca court.

Friday, December 19th:
- Salgueiro Technical Rehearsal, 9:00 PM

Saturday, December 20th:
- Renascer Samba-School, 6:30 PM
- Portela Samba-School , 8:00 PM
- Imperatriz Samba-School, 10:00 PM

Sunday, December 21st:
- São Clemente, 6:30 PM
- Grande Rio, 8:00 PM




January 2009 Samba Carnival Technical Rehearsals:

Friday, January 9th:
- Mangueira Technical Rehearsal, 9:00 PM

Saturday, January 10th:
- Tuiuti, 7:00 PM
- Império Serrano , 9:00 PM

Sunday, January 11th:
- Caprichosos, 6:30 PM
- Grande Rio, 7:00 PM
- Beija-Flor, 9:00 PM

Sexta, January 16th:
- Unidos da Tijuca, 9:00 PM
- Império Serrano, 11:00 PM

Saturday, January 17th:
- Porto da Pedra Technical Rehearsal - 8:00 PM
- Portela Technical Rehearsal, 10:00 PM

Sunday, January 18th:
- Império da Tijuca, 6:30 PM
- Vila Isabel - 8:00 PM
- Salgueiro, 10:00 PM

Friday, January 23rd:
- Mocidade, 9:00 PM
- Imperatriz, 11:00 PM

Saturday, January 24th:
- Porto da Pedra - 8:00 PM

Sunday, January 25th:
- Rocinha, 6:30 PM
- Mangueira , 8:00 PM
- Viradouro, 10:00 PM

Friday, January 30th:
- Império Serrano, 9:00 PM

Saturday, January 31st:
- Estácio de Sá, 7:00 PM
- Portela, 9:00 PM ----> Great!!

February 2009 Samba Carnival Technical Rehearsals:


Sunday, February 1st:
- Santa Cruz, 6:30 PM
- Grande Rio Samba Carnival Rehearsal - 8:00 PM
- Vila Isabel Samba Carnival Rehearsal 10:00 PM

Sexta, February 6th:
- Mocidade, 9:00 PM

Saturday, February 7th:
- Inocentes, 6:30 PM
- Porto da Pedra - 8:00 PM

Sunday, February 8th:
- União da Ilha Samba Carnival Rehearsal 6:30 PM
- Unidos da Tijuca Technical Rehearsal , 8:00 PM
- Salgueiro Technical Rehearsal 10:00 PM ----> Great!!

Saturday, February 14th:
- Imperatriz Technical Rehearsal - 9:00 PM

Sunday, February 15th:
Beija-Flor Samba Carnival Rehearsal- 9:00 PM

Dont miss the chance of see the Rio´s Technical Rehearsals!

Unidos da Tijuca Samba School is already in the “full power rehearsal “mode, for the 2009 Rio de Janeiro Carnival. The traditional Samba School from the Tijuca district was founded in 1931 by Bento Vasconcelos, Leandro Chagas, and Alcides de Moraes and is Brazil´s third oldest major Samba School. The school that has as its main colors the gold yellow and the blue, is practicing for the 2009 Rio de Janeiro Samba parade, and will have the space odyssey as its carnival theme. The official title for Unidos da Tijuca Carnival Parade Theme for 2009 will be “Uma odisséia sobre o espaço” or “One Space Odyssey”, having Luis Carlos Bruno as the schools Carnival Art Director.




The traditional samba school already chose its samba theme lyrics, composed by Julio Alves and Totonho, which describes a possible intersection between moon, stars, comets and the magical journey of carnival. The beauty and joy of Unidos da Tijuca is rehearsing for the 2009 carnival parade at the “Clube dos Portuários”. The club is very large and is conveniently located closed to the Rio Bus Station. Everyone is invited to visit the samba rehearsals which happen every Saturday from October 2008 to the beginning of the 2009 Rio Carnival.

The official date for the 2009 Rio de Janeiro Carnival is February 21st through 24th.

The Unidos da Tijuca Samba rehearsal starts generally at 11:00 PM, every Saturday and ends at 5:00 AM. The samba rehearsal is an excellent way to start getting acquainted with the Brazilian Carnival. At the rehearsals, you can listen the impressive power of the drum section, with more than 40 percussionists.



You will also be able to watch the beautiful choreography of the samba school flag bearer and mater of ceremony, swiftly dancing through the samba court, presenting the school´s flag and tradition.

Another interesting activity is the samba dance itself, performed by community dancers. During these dry runs, community members and invitees take the opportunity to practice the samba routine steps. Finally, all members at the rehearsal practice the singing of the samba parade theme lyrics, so everyone is in tune with the official interpreter and drum section.

Please see below map to the Tijuca´s samba rehearsal facilities:

The address for UNIDOS DA TIJUCA`S SAMBA REHEARSAL is:

Quadra: Clube dos Portuários – Av. Francisco Bicalho, 47 – Santo Cristo.




So don´t miss this great opportunity to join the true Rio de Janeiro samba world. Visit Unidos da Tijuca samba´s practice sessions. We are sure you will have loads of fun. Carnival in Rio is magical cultural and healthy. Visit Rio, visit Brazil!