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Julia Lira holds her father's hand as she crosses the finish line at the end of the Rio parade - Source: Reuters -
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A tearful seven-year-old Carnival queen led exuberant drummers
through the Sambadrome stadium, in a distressed state that may add
to controversy over whether a tiny child should perform such a
high-pressure, sexually-charged role.
Julia Lira emerged blinking into the bright lights and deafening
fireworks of the Sambadrome and soon burst into tears as
photographers and reporters scrummed around her before her samba
group started its parade.
Wearing a short purple dress, a sequined halter and a silver tiara,
Lira shyly remained silent in the face of reporters' questions and
then, clearly upset, had to be comforted by her father and other
performers as the tears flowed.
It was unclear to what extent Lira, the youngest drum corps queen
in memory, completed the full parade, although her father said that
he held her hand as she crossed the finish line.
"She cried because there were a lot of people on top of her," said
her father, Marco Lira, who is also president of the Viradouro
samba group, or school.
The selection of a third grader in a role usually occupied by
high-heeled models and sex-symbol soap opera stars has sparked a
heated debate in Brazil and abroad over the role of children in the
annual festival of hedonism.
That debate was still rumbling as Carnival kicked into high gear
with the top samba schools' first parades watched over by thousands
of fans and celebrities including US pop star Madonna.
"I'm against it, she is too young. A seven-year old shouldn't be in
front of the drum corps," said 22-year-old Luiz Paulo, bedecked in
silver and feathers as he prepared to parade.
Lira, was given the green light to parade by a judge last week
after a child protection agency tried to block her because of
concern about a child performing in a sexual role.
Sweaty ecstasy
Drum queens, chosen for their looks and samba skills, dance
non-stop in front of hundreds of drummers, wearing little more than
a tiny bikini, a feathered headdress and high heels.
But many Carnival aficionados say children have traditionally
played a major role in the party and that the sexualisation of drum
corps queens is a recent development.
"The drum queen isn't necessarily a sexual role," said one
Viradouro drummer, 25-year-old Carlos Alberto.
"Every school has the right to innovate and to put the artist of
its choice at the head of the corps, be it a woman with a gorgeous
body or an innocent and marvellous child."
Some might argue that Lira was not the youngest star of the show on
Sunday.
Drum queen Adriane Galisteu danced for the Unidos da Tijuca school
with a four-month-old baby inside her womb after finding out weeks
before Carnival she was pregnant and getting the medical go-ahead
to parade.
"I'm feeling twice as emotional. I always thought I would parade
pregnant and now my turn has come," the TV presenter, who is
rumoured to have a collection of more than 1,000 bikinis, said as
she displayed her toned figure for cameras.
A dazzling spectacle of movement and colour, the annual parades are
also a serious competition for Rio bragging rights that are judged
on their precision, atmosphere, and design.
Sunday's parades, following days of bawdy street parties, included
a float in honor of late pop star Michael Jackson, a giant wooden
horse, hordes of ancient Egyptians, and a tribute to the capital
city of Brasilia.
An oppressive heat-wave blanketing Rio ensured the paraders didn't
have it easy and were constantly clamouring for bottles of
water.
But they still ended the parade in a state of ecstasy that
Sambadrome veterans say has to be felt to be believed.
"It's really crazy and a really strong emotion. I can't explain it,
you just have to do it," said 41-year old Militar Junior de
Oliveira, who finished his parade dripping with sweat.
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