Triumph of the Zona Sul escolas

The results for the lower Carnaval escola levels were just announced, and it has become clear that this is a big year for the Zona Sul escolas! The most famous samba escolas are all based in the north zone of Rio, Zona Norte, far from the famous beaches of Zona Sul. But there are plenty of samba escolas in Zona Sul too. This year, not one but THREE escolas of Zona Sul are champions or vice-champions of their respective leagues: Sao Clemente (representing Botafogo) won Grupo A, Alegria da Zona Sul (representing Copacabana/Ipanema) won Grupo 1 (the old "Grupo B"), and Unidos da Villa Rica (also based in Copacabana) came in 2nd place in Grupo 3 (= "Grupo D"). (In the lower divisions, the top 2 or 3 escolas all go up, so coming in 2nd is as good as winning - it earns you a promotion to the next group up.)

Interestingly, all these escolas are based in favelas that have recently been "pacified" by the UPP, which I gather is a division of police aimed at bringing some measure of peace to the favelas (Rio's famously crime-ridden hillside shantytowns). The UPP seems to go into favelas one at a time and occupies them permanently, trying to drive out the drug traffickers. I don't know much about it, so anyone who knows more about the UPP, please comment and tell us what it is all about!

I'm translating an O Globo article below. I especially wanted to put the word out about Alegria da Zona Sul, since I know several international sambistas who have run into Alegria while they were rehearsing along Copacabana beach, and were wondering who they were. Now you know! I played with them couple times and they were very friendly and welcoming. Their quadra is perched on top of the favela that is between Copacabana and Ipanema.


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Carnaval of the UPPs is Champion in Zona Sul
from O Globo, Saturday 20 Feb 2010
by Rafael Galdo
(translated by KH. Link to original article here)

In the favelas of Zona Sul that have UPPs (Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora, or Pacification Police Units), this year's Carnaval was a champion Carnaval, literally. Practially all of the escolas-de-samba in these communities ended up winning and will go up one level in the lower groups of the Rio Carnaval. São Clemente, which is partly composed of members from Botafogo and its favelas, like the Dona Marta favela and the stretch of Tabajaras in the neighborhood, won Grupo de Acesso and will parade in Grupo Especial next year. Likewise, Alegria da Zona Sul, representing the neighborhoods of Pavão-Pavãozinho and Cantagalo [in Copacabana], won the title of the "Rio de Janeiro 1" group (old group B). Unidos da Villa Rica, from the Tabajaras hill in Copacabana, won 2nd place in "Rio de Janeiro III" (old group D).

These escolas now intend to take advantage of the moment, along with the peace and the visibility that have come to these communities with the arrival of the UPPs, to grow and gain more members. Roberto Gomes, director of São Clemente, remembers that in 2003, when the escola moved its rehearsals to its quadra in Centro [downtown Rio, far from Botafago], some members of Botafogo stopped coming. Today, most of its members come Centro and from Zona Norte. But their goal is to continue their recent project to reconnect with the communities of Zona Sul.

"This year, we had alas [parade sections] from Tabajaras and the Dona Marta favela (both "pacified"). The result was much stronger singing in the Avenida on parade day. Pretty soon, we're planning to bring several of our projects, like percussion classes and dance classes, to favelas like Tabajaras," he said.

In the case of Alegria da Zona Sul, the president, Marcus Vinícius de Almeida, pointed out that the benefits of UPP and the works of the "Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento" (PAC) [program for accelerating growth] in Pavão-Pavãozinho and Cantagalo need to also include escolas-de-samba, which are one of the principal leisure opportunities in those communities.

According to him, the escola has social projects which could be started or increased in partnership with these groups. In addition, the members of Alegria da Zona Sul hope for a renovation of their quadra [rehearsal hall], on the top of the Estrada do Cantagalo. A renovation has been promised by PAC.

"The ideal, however, would be to move it lower down the hill. This would facilitate access for "people of the asphalt" [richer people who live in the paved streets in the lower areas] as well as the residents of the hill," said Almeida. "However, the view of the community we have today is quite something. And we are here with open doors for all residents of Copacabana, Ipanema or of any other place."

Antonio Justino da Silva, 82 years old and a member of the "Old Guard" of Alegria, remembers that this union between "the hill and the asphalt" had already existed in the escola before UPP, with the rehearsals that the escola does down on the Avenida Atlantica [on the beach of Copacabana]. But he has noticed that, recently, more residents of the Zona Sul neighborhoods are coming to the escola, including the party to celebrate the title, the day before yesterday. And Armando Fernandes, composer for the escola says as well:

"I believe that these visits from "people of the asphalt" will increase even more soon, because they'll have less fear of coming to our quadra. In Grupo de Acesso, I think that Alegria will have greater visibility and will come into fashion."

The only escola of the "pacified communities" that was not a champion or vice-champion was Mocidade Unida de Santa Marta, which came in 6th place in Grupo Rio de Janeiro 3 (old group D).