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Carnival
celebrates 21st anniversary
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Carnival
1999 - A trio near the end of a long tiring march
down the avenidas of Funchal |
Moreover, the carnival
celebrates its 21st anniversary as an event
in Madeira. The maturing and adulthood of the carnival
parades has led to a more sober and calculated organization
by the local authorities this year.
Amongst several measures
taken the organizers have informed the regular troupes
that the standards and quality of performance, dress,
and dance this year will be maintained as high, if
not higher, as before. Each troupe will not be allowed
to exceed 200 - 250 members: a more stringent measure
of control than before - meant to immediately elevate
the best Madeira has to offer in dancing and costumes
forward, and to allow more room to breathe for
the dedicated troupe members, dress designers and
choreographers.
The Samba schools
and troupes will find that previous resources spread
amongst many will now be allocated on a merit or
quality basis to the few - especially those who
have excelled before.
These measures have
raised the level of expectations of the local
and tourist spectators. We should expect something
absolutely marvelous to watch this year! The samba
can be felt almost twitching away this far ahead of
the carnival (February 07th, as we write...).
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