RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Carnival revelers danced until dawn on Tuesday as Rio de Janeiro's samba schools held their annual sequin-drenched parade competitions at the city's iconic Sambadrome.
The all-night-long parade saw six top-tier samba schools deploy powerful percussion sections, larger-than-life floats and battalions of nearly nude samba dancers.
Tens of thousands of people watched the dance parades from the bleachers and swanky VIP stands inside the Sambadrome, while millions more caught the spectacle via television.
Tragedy overshadowed Carnival festivities in Brazil's port city of Santos, where a fire on a float killed four people and injured five others early Tuesday.
Results of the showcase parades in Rio, which saw 12 samba schools compete for this year's Carnival title, will be announced later this week. The winning schools from various categories will hit the Sambadrome again on Saturday for a parade of champions.
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Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A dancer performs during Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade at the Sambadrome during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A dancer performs atop a float during Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade at the Sambadrome during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Dancers perform atop a float during Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade at the Sambadrome during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Dancers perform atop a float during Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade at the Sambadrome during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Musicians from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Drum queen Lucilene Caetano, from Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school, dances during a carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Dancer perform atop a float during Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Dancers perform atop a float during the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parades on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school jumps on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from Academicos do Salgueiro samba school, dances during carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school hold a Brazilian and German flag atop a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school wears clothes with Che Guevara's face during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Academicos do Salgueiro samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade atop a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parades on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school slides down on a water ramp atop a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador school wave Brazilian flags atop a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school participate in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Drum queen Bruna Bruno, from Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school, dances during carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school parades on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school participate during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school sings on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school participates in carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school participate during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school participates in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school participate in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school dances during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school participates in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school participates in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school participate in the carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Drum queen Patricia Nery, from the Portela samba school, parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Portela samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Portela samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Drum queen Bruna Almeida, from Sao Clemente samba school, dances during carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/ Silvia Izquierdo) AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Sao Clemente samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Sao Clemente samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/ Hassan Ammar) AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school embrace during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Sao Clemente samba school is tossed in the air during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Mangueira samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
In this image made with a slow shutter speed, performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
U.S. citizen Paul Leaury, right, and an unidentified fellow foreign member of the Mangueira samba school, dance during a carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Sao Clemente samba school, parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Maria Caren Paz, from Argentina, from the Mangueira samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Brazilian actress Danielle Winits from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parades on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Drum Queen Carla Prata from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Brazilian garbage collector and dancer Renato Sorriso from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Beija Flor samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Drum Queen Cris Vianna from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parade on a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Hassan Ammar
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Silvia Izquierdo
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. AP / Felipe Dana
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. Rio de Janeiro's samba schools vied for the title of the year's best in an over-the-top, all-night-long Carnival parade at the city's iconic Sambadrome. (AP Photo/ Silvia Izquierdo) AP / Silvia Izquierdo
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