The Carnival parade in the Sambadrome is by far the biggest, most celebrated and decorated aspect of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Spanning over a kilometer long, the purpose-built Sambadrome houses over 50,000 revelers on either side of the long avenue on which the parade takes place. But it is the samba schools that really bring the life and flare to what Cariocas (those from Rio) call the worlds greatest show.

Samba Schools (Portuguese: Escolas de samba)  are at the very heart of Carnival. They are popular social clubs and dancing schools in local neighborhoods, towns, and shanty-towns. They have a history and culture all of their own, and huge square compounds devoted to developing, practicing and teaching samba. They work throughout the year to create their music, floats, costumes and dances to be paraded through the world-famous Sambadrome at Carnival each year.

Each school picks a theme and builds a story, music and design around it. Brazilians have their favorite Ssamba schools, and the competition can be fierce. This is Carnival!

In the Sambadrome, the top 12 schools in the Grupo Especial sing, play, dance, and smile it out over two nights. Judges vote on many different aspects of their performance and every year one school is declared champion for the year.

Stay tuned in the coming days to learn more about the Top 12 Samba Schools and have your first listen of their 2011 song.

Which school will be your favorite?