Samba School Rehearsal Schedule

Samba rehearsals, or ensaios, are pretty much the Carnaval experience you'll want to have if you're not planning to head to the Sambodromo to watch the parade during the week of Carnaval in March. At these weekly evening parties, Paulistanos head to their favorite samba schools in all corners of the city and gather inside the quadras to spend hours dancing and singing along to live music and drum corps while working on what will inevitably be a massive hangover the next day at work. Local women dress up in high heels, tight skirts or pants and tops to shake it like a Polaroid picture, while most guys tend to just meet the lower standards of the dress code; i.e. Havaianas, sleeveless shirts, Bermuda shorts (god, can we opine here and say that this is not a proper outfit?). A note to both the intrepid and shy on personal space: These ensaios are notorious meat markets, though the flirting stays relatively innocent—kissing and unleashed groping are fair game.
     If you're planning to also watch the official festivities from the stands in Anhembi, make sure to buy a ticket as soon as possible, because the event always sells out. And, of course, there's always the option of participating in the parade. Find a school to which you'll forever be loyal, and your entrance is guaranteed when you buy one of its fantasias (costumes), which you'll don the day your school is scheduled to show. At the stadium, after gathering with others who have chosen the same costume, you'll all follow your school's parade float as it travels down the route, singing the lyrics you learned during the rehearsals and getting glitter into every pore of your body.
     Here's a list of the samba schools with the days of the week when they hold their ensaios. We've listed admission prices whenever we were able to get them; do check the website of the school before you go to make sure you don't happen to be heading over on an off day.

Acadêmicos do Tatuapé
R. Melo Peixoto, 1513
Tatuapé
11-6191-7383
Saturdays, 8 p.m.

Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi
Av. Mazzei, 722
Tucuruvi
11-2204-7342
Saturdays, 8 p.m.

Águia de Ouro
Av. Francisco Matarazzo, 1986
Pompéia
11-3872-8262
Sundays, 8 p.m.

Camisa Verde e Branco
R. James Holand, 663
Barra Funda
11-3392-1621
Wednesdays and Sundays, 8 p.m.

Dragões da Real
Av. Embaixador Macedo Soares, 1018
Vila Anastácio
11-3311-8914
Saturdays, 7 p.m.

Gaviões da Fiel
R. Cristina Tomaz, 183
Bom Retiro 
11-3221-2066
Fridays, 10 p.m., R$10

Imperador do Ipiranga
Av. Carioca, 99
Ipiranga
11-2219-1053
Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 8 p.m.

Império de Casa Verde
Av. Engenheiro Caetano Álvares, 2042
Casa Verde
11-3858-9398
Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 p.m.

Mancha Verde
Av. Dr. Abrão Ribeiro, 503
Barra Funda
11-3361-2146
Saturdays, 10 p.m.

Moacidade Alegre
Av. Casa Verde, 3498
Limão
11-3857-7525
Fridays, 7:30 p.m., R$5; Sundays: 5 p.m., R$10

Morro da Casa Verde
R. Ernani Salomão Rosas Ribeiro, 137
Parque Peruche
11-3965-8964
Mondays, 8 p.m.

Nenê de Vila Matilde
R. Julio Rinaldi, 1
Vila Salete
11-2013-9757
Wednesdays and Sundays, 7 p.m.

Perola Negra
R. Girassol, 51
Vila Madalena
11-3812-3816
Sundays, 6 p.m.

Sociedade Rosas de Ouro
R. Coronel Euclides Machado, 1066
Freguesia do Ó
11-3931-0608
Wednesdays, 9 p.m., R$10; Sundays, 8 p.m., R$10

Tom Maior
R. Sérgio Tomás, 622
Barra Funda
11-3494-9040
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 p.m.

Unidos da Vila Maria
R. Cabo João Monteiro da Rocha, 447
Jardim Japão
11-2981-3154
Fridays and Sundays, 9 p.m.

Vai Vai
R. São Vicente, 276
Bela Vista
11-3266-2581
Sundays, 7 p.m.

X-9 Paulistana
Av. Luiz Dumont Villares, 324
Parada Inglesa
11-2959-3377
Sundays, 8 p.m., R$10

Main image: By Joao Pina/Redux/Hollandse Hoogte