Samba dancers are undergoing a hectic rehearsal schedule ahead of the upcoming Rio Carnival in Brazil.
The colorful mood of the carnival has been somewhat blighted by the country’s underperforming economy.
The opening ceremony of the annual Rio Carnival, acknowledged as one of the biggest in the world is set for February 24.
Local samba dance schools are now engaged in tightly-scheduled rehearsals with the festival just a fortnight away.
The Samba drome Parades is one of the major highlights of the week-long carnival, where 26 samba dance schools will present energetic performances for four consecutive nights and compete for the overall samba championship.
The city’s tourist administration estimates that the forthcoming carnival will attract some one million travelers, who are expected to instill new energy to its economy.
