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Brazil's Carnival parades got off to a majestic start on Sunday night as dancers dressed as monarchs, courtiers and even roast pheasants at a royal feast shimmied their way through Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome.
Although the 24-hour street parties, where revellers drink and dance, are the heart of Rio's Carnival, the two-day extravaganza in the Sambadrome stadium is the highlight of the celebrations. Twelve samba groups march for about 75 minutes, vying for the champions' crown.
Authorities expect more than 700,000 tourists for the five days of Carnival, which ends tomorrow.
