12 episodesFirst aired 7 February 2016
The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Special Group parades took place between February 7th and 8th, 2016, at the Marquês de Sapucaí, with exclusive broadcast on TV Globo. The schools in the Special Group in 2016 were, in order of presentation: Estácio de Sá, União da Ilha, Beija-Flor, Grande Rio, Mocidade, Unidos da Tijuca, Vila Isabel, Salgueiro, São Clemente, Portela, Imperatriz, and Mangueira. The grand champion was Estação Primeira de Mangueira, with a theme about the singer Maria Bethânia, entitled "Maria Bethânia: The Girl in Oyá's Eyes". The other champion schools were Unidos da Tijuca, Portela, Salgueiro, Beija-Flor, and Imperatriz, and the school relegated to the Série A was Estácio de Sá.
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Estácio de Sá comes with great determination to show strength and power with the religious theme "Salve Jorge! The Warrior of Faith".
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The 2016 Rio Olympics are the inspiration for União da Ilha's theme: "Olympic by nature...Everyone meets in Rio".
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With "Mineirinho Genial! Nova Lima - Cidade Natal. Marquês de Sapucaí - O Poeta Imortal", Beija-Flor pays homage to the nobleman who gives his name to the sambadrome.
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Grande Rio celebrates the city of Santos with the theme "I went to Itororó to drink water, I didn't find any. But I found beautiful Santos, and I fell in love with her..."
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Mocidade presents the theme "The Brazil of La Mancha: I am Miguel, Father Miguel. I am Cervantes, I am Quixote the Knight, Pixote the Brazilian," inspired by the classic of literature.
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The city of Sorriso, the soybean capital of Brazil, is the inspiration for the Unidos da Tijuca samba school's theme: "Sowing Sorriso, Tijuca celebrates the sacred soil."
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Miguel Arraes, former governor of Pernambuco, is being honored by Vila Isabel with "Memories of Pai Arraia - A Pernambuco dream, a Brazilian legacy".
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With the theme "Ópera dos Malandros" (Opera of the Rogues), inspired by Chico Buarque's musical, Salgueiro brings to life the story of these classic carnival characters.
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São Clemente presents a parade that blends fun with social commentary through the theme "More than a thousand clowns in the hall".
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Portela soars on the wings of its symbol to bring to the Sapucaí the theme "In the eagle's flight, a journey without end...".
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Imperatriz Leopoldinense presents a theme honoring the sertanejo music duo Zezé Di Camargo and Luciano.
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Singer Maria Bethânia is the star of the Mangueira parade, with the theme "Maria Bethânia: the Girl in Oyá's Eyes".