Plataforma, Rio de Janeiro

On the first day of my first trip to Brazil, I booked a Grey Lines 'nightlife' tour. It included dinner at a mediocre churrascuria and the Plataforma samba show.

Along with hundreds of other tourists, I was packed into the 'orchestra' section. Still, the show made for a good first–night experience.

Because I couldn't take a picture home anyway, I declined to stand alongside one of the buxum mulata beauties who posed with guests for house photographers. I did comment to a travel agent from LIsbon — sitting next to me — that the women were gorgeous. "I prefer white women," he replied. From a Portuguese that choice did not seem racist, but more akin to "I like blondes more than brunettes."

On my third visit I went back to Plataforma, had dinner in its fine rodizio, and sat in a much superior balcony seat for the show. I recommend avoiding the orchestra and getting into the balcony however you might do it.

UPDATE 2008: In mid-June the show had fewer acts, each with many fewer performers. Additionally, part of the music was canned. Because it was a weeknight during the slow season? Perhaps. But the show was vastly inferior to what I had seen ten years earlier.

Further, performers now stand by you, or your table, urging you to pose for a picture; in 1998 bare-breasted mulattas stood by the apron of the stage and let you decide if you wanted a picture.

And because I made the mistake of booking through our hotel, the Rio Internacionale -- instead of directly with Plataforma -- we were seated downstairs, with a poor view.

Yes, of course, it's for tourists.

But the costumes (and performers) are gorgeous; the music, with its pounding drums, is infectious; and the fast–moving show has a variety of 'acts' that range from faux carnaval processesions and condomble ('voodoo') ceremonies to capoeira (shadow kick–boxing) and other acrobatics.

See also UPDATE 2008 (above)
One thing hasn't changed: the warm-up act is a girl bouncing a soccer ball off every part of her body but her hands.

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Plataforma, Rio de Janeiro

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