Mocidade Alegre is the champion of the 2023 carnival in São Paulo

The samba school Mocidade Alegre was the great champion of the 2023 carnival in São Paulo. In second place was Mancha Verde and, in third, Império de Casa Verde. The result, which secured the 11th title for the school, reverses the definition of last year’s calculation, when Mancha was crowned champion and Mocidade was second.

The tallying of the parade scores took place this Tuesday afternoon (21), at the Anhembi Sambadrome, in the north zone of São Paulo. The representative of the Limão neighborhood enchanted the audience and judges by telling the story of the black samurai Yasuke.

black samurai

Mocidade took the catwalk last Saturday (18) to sing and tell the story of Yasuke, a warrior who reached the rank of samurai under the Sunreign of a powerful 16th century Japanese feudal lord – Oda Nobunaga. It was on the life story of this black warrior that Mocidade Alegre developed its plot.

On the avenue, the school drew a parallel between Japan and Africa. Samba showed the samurai in black armor, to face guerrillas and everyday adversities of the contemporary world, such as racial prejudice. Throughout the parade, Yasuke’s challenges in becoming a samurai were also shown. One of the cars portrayed a samurai temple and Japan’s religious and cultural traditions, stamped on the cars and allegories.

11 titles

The Mocidade Alegre school holds the record for titles in the São Paulo carnival. There are 11 in total. The latter arrived after a nine-year fast. Mocidade was champion of the Special Group in the years 1971, 1972, 1973, 1980, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2023.

Green Spot

Mancha Verde, runner-up school, entered the avenue with the plot Oxente – Sou Xaxado, Sou Nordeste, Sou Brasil. She showed the cultures and traditions of the Pernambuco hinterland in the Passo do xaxado, the commemorative dance of victory in the battles of Lampião and his band. The rhythm was popularized by the King of Baião, Luiz Gonzaga.

Empire of Casa Verde

Império de Casa Verde, in third place, exalted the batuque and drums as expressions of religiosity, tradition, culture and musicality coming from Africa to Casa Verde, stronghold of sambistas.

The samba plot Império Dos Tambores — Um Brasil Afromusical took a trip to African sounds and traditions to the avenue and surprised with the front commission, showing the birth of an almost real baby born from the Baobá flower, and the musical rite that involves this birth.

lowered

The Estrela do Terceira Milênio and Unidos de Vila Maria samba schools, the two with the lowest scores – both with 269.1 points – were relegated to the Access Group in 2024. was in last place by tiebreaker criteria.