Carnival is a fun colorful celebration, the characteristic features of which are street processions and masquerade. Without such festivities, it is difficult to imagine any country in the world.
Origin
The carnival has a very long history and it is impossible to say unequivocally about its first mention. The word itself, according to one version, comes from the Latin Carrum navalis. So in ancient times was called a wagon in which they moved around the city during the holidays. For example, in ancient Rome, in honor of the god of fertility of Saturn, a cheerful holiday was held, which lasted several days. At this time, harvesting work was completed, people left their homes, sang, danced. Slaves were dismissed, and men and women in the same wagons drove through the streets.
According to another version, the carnival is a derivative of Carne levare, which in Italian means "refusal of meat." It is about the beginning of fasting and the rejection of the use of meat products. As you can see, one can trace the common with the Russian holiday Maslenitsa.
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
Today, carnivals are at the peak of popularity. Many people travel long distances to take part in such a massive celebration. Perhaps the most famous and colorful is the carnival in Rio de Janeiro. It starts 40 days before Easter.
The carnival in Rio impresses with its scale, bright colors, crazy costumes and dances. Since 1928, it has been a competition of sambo dance schools. This type of dance is very popular in Brazil, and every Brazilian must have a favorite sambo school.
Carnival preparation
A year before the carnival, all the dancers are preparing a special program, with an unusual bright plot on a specific topic. The best choreographers work on the dance program. A huge number of costumes are sewn. They can be dedicated to a certain person, to some event, to reflect a certain era.
In addition, each school prepares a special dance platform and effectively decorates it. The participants dance on this platform, and at the very top, as a rule, the most beautiful and bright girl, the so-called queen of the dance school, rises.
How is the carnival?
Carnival in Rio lasts 4 nights. From 21:00 until the morning 3-4 schools are performing (there are 14 in all in Brazil). Performances are evaluated by a special jury.
Dancers take part in a dance procession along the long Sambodrome street (its length is about 700 meters), which was built specifically for the carnival. There are special stands on both sides, which fit 70,000 people. They all cheer for their favorite school. The procession begins with the performance of a sambo school of the first category. Everything happens like this: they bring a tablet with the name of the school, then its employees, famous people in fancy dress, and then thousands of dancers and musicians pass. Those who want to stand out drive along the street in carriages and carts decorated with feathers and rhinestones.
Compete in dance quality, unusual costumes and beauty. The Brazilian carnival is always a crazy rhythm, inexorable drum sounds, sparkle, chic, fiery dances and dazzling costumes. The dance holiday ends with the performance of the champions - the sambo school, which, according to the results of the jury voting, became the winner.
The carnival is so popular that in its midst thousands of tourists from around the world fly to Brazil every day. The hotels are crowded, and in order to stay somewhere, you need to book a place for several months. Prices for accommodation during the carnival are "soaring", but this does not stop fans of dancing.
How to organize a carnival yourself?
Incendiary and fun carnival you can arrange yourself! Not every person has the opportunity to fly to Brazil, but to organize their own small dance show is quite realistic. Adult party or children's party - the carnival knows no age limits. Consider several scenarios that can be taken as the basis for holding your holiday.
Youth Carnival Scenario
Gathering as a friendly noisy company, you always want to somehow diversify the atmosphere, come up with something special. When banal contests and games are already tired, you can try to hold a party according to a pre-conceived scenario. A great idea is to organize a carnival. Where to start?
Preparatory stage
The preparation should be taken seriously and embarked on it long before the event. A carnival is a holiday where not only the hosts and organizers will have to work hard in advance, but also to all invited guests.
Theme
This is perhaps the most important. What exactly do you want to arrange? Hot Brazilian carnival with incendiary dances? A masquerade ball? Modern fun carnival or social ball of the 80s? Immediately tune in to the fact that a holiday in this style requires a good investment. If you save on something - the effect will be completely different.
Costumes play a very important role. Everyone should carefully consider their image. The outfits of all guests can be in the same style, completely different or be similar to each other with some one bright element.
Accessories
Do not neglect carnival accessories. It can be masks, gloves, wigs, hairpins, umbrellas, fans, canes. In addition, think about how the room will be decorated (which, by the way, should be roomy enough so that there is enough space to sit and relax, and also dance enough).
You can come up with small fountains, arrange figurines, hang paintings, fans. Be sure to stock up with colorful ribbons, sparkles, pendants. It is necessary to build on the theme of the carnival, its focus. For dancing, organize light music.
How to treat guests?
You also need to think about the menu as early as possible. Food should not be heavy, because you have to dance a lot. The ideal option is to make a buffet with light snacks (snacks), original canapes and invigorating drinks. The theme of the carnival should be traced in the design of the treats. For example, you can beautifully decorate wine glasses, order unusual napkins, decorate a table for refreshments with flowers, figurines.
Contests
Most of the celebration will, of course, be occupied by dances. Therefore, a dance competition is indispensable. You can invite guests to split into several teams and, following the example of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, arrange competitions between them. Which team will perform the dance more original? And which one, guests can find out long before the carnival (and accordingly prepare, rehearse) or just before the start of the dance.
Since the guests were preparing for the carnival, sewed costumes, thought out the image, it is necessary to hold a competition for the best costume. It is more interesting if it is not the jury that decides, but the participants themselves. They can write a name on a piece of paper, and after will be the announcement of the results. If all the guests have masks for the carnival, then you can arrange a contest among them, for example: “Who has the most original mask?” If many guests came without masks, there is another option: offer to decorate ordinary pre-prepared masks for a while and then decide who managed to do it more creatively.
A great end to the evening will be a photo shoot. It is necessary to take a picture of everyone together in a common photo. You can also organize small photo decorations, guests will definitely appreciate it and there will be a lot of people who want to take a beautiful picture!
Children's New Year's carnival
Who else but children will like a bright show with funny dances, unusual costumes, masks, sparkles, fireworks and contests? Arranging a carnival for children is a great idea, especially if the event is timed to some kind of holiday. For example, for the New Year.
Jewelry can be completely standard. If everything takes place in a kindergarten or school, then the hall is decorated with tinsel, multi-colored lights, snowflakes. You can unusually paint windows, make pendants, hang New Year's balls. And of course, dress up a Christmas tree.
Costumes for children are discussed in advance and they depend on what topic the carnival itself will be held in. The holiday may be in the form of a certain fairy tale. In this case, the children need to be dressed as heroes of this same fairy tale. Or, children - inhabitants of the forest, various animals who have fun and dance at the Christmas tree with Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden. As an option - you can do a masquerade. Kids are happy to try on carnival masks and hide behind them. They will not see each other's faces, which means they will be doubly interesting.
It is very opportune for holding such an event the New Year holiday is suitable . Carnival is not only bright costumes, it is also funny songs and bright dances. And children usually enjoy dancing around a Christmas tree, dancing with "forest inhabitants", singing songs to Santa Claus, and participating in competitions. The organizer's task is to direct the course of the event in the right direction so that it is not just a New Year's party, but a carnival, with masks, dances and unusual costumes.
What are the benefits of such events?
Typically, such holidays in kindergartens and elementary schools pursue the following goals:
- to develop musical abilities of children;
- enrich their knowledge in the musical field;
- to develop dancing and playing abilities;
- evoke a response to music of different genres, styles;
- to form the ability to behave independently, to choose the desired line of behavior depending on the situation;
- teach the child not to be afraid of the audience;
- to form the skill of speaking in various images;
- develop creativity, imagination.
Event progress
Leading can completely take on the script, come up with heroes. If possible, the children themselves should be included in the celebration, given roles, and not just made spectators out of them. If age allows you to learn long roles and play, you can give children words for small New Year's scenes in advance. And you can arrange a competition. Which team’s scene was more original? Who was the best actor or dancer?
And of course, at the end of the carnival, you should definitely mention the most beautiful costumes, because the kids tried so hard. You can hold a competition by convening a real jury of parents, educators or teachers. Children can vote for themselves. The main thing, when it comes to kids, you need to reward everyone, because all the costumes will definitely have their own flavor, and children at this age still do not understand the essence of the competition or competition!
Obviously, carnival is not so easy. But then, if everything is carefully thought out and skillfully organized, such a holiday will be remembered for a long time, both for children and adults!