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Rio de Janeiro’s Cordão da Bola Preta, Brazil’s oldest bloco, drew massive crowds on Saturday as actress Paolla Oliveira, the bloco’s queen, joined the festivities, discarding her shoes to dance with revelers.
Oliveira, 43, arrived before 9:00 a.m. And expressed her joy at being part of the celebration, telling reporters, “I already cried and everything. I can’t handle it,” according to G1. The bloco, celebrating its 107th year, paraded along Rua Primeiro de Março, with a theme this year of “Bola Preta, DNA do Carnaval.”
The actress emphasized the importance of freedom and respect during Carnaval, particularly for women. “Carnaval, for me, speaks of freedom, speaks of joy, but we can only be like this if we have security, if we have respect. I say this especially in relation to women. That we can be as we want, as we desire, happy. Knowing that each of us is in charge of our body and our joy,” she stated, as reported by UOL.
Oliveira’s appearance followed a performance in Salvador on Friday night, where she participated in a trio with Pedro Sampaio, according to CNN Brasil. She was joined on the trio at Cordão da Bola Preta by actresses Leandra Leal and Emanuelle Araújo and singer Maria Rita.
The Cordão da Bola Preta’s president, Pedro Ernesto Marinho, noted the bloco’s long history and acknowledged the significance of the “Preta Gil” circuit name, honoring the late Preta Gil, a prominent figure in Carnaval. “The Bola Preta could have been honored, but the reverence to Preta Gil is more than deserved,” Marinho said, as reported by UOL.
Taissa Marins, the bloco’s muse, also attended the parade, five months pregnant. She described her participation as a tribute to her grandmother, who was also a bloco queen, according to UOL.
