58 dances and ballads will be roaming Terceira’s community and concert halls this Carnaval.

João Costa, from Foto Íris, which is preparing a Carnnval edition distributed around the island, already has all the figures close to 2024.

“The total number of elements in the traditional Carnival is 1,450, 1,837 minutes, 31 hours,” he says.

There are 45 dances, four comedies, one monologue, seven tambourine dances, and two sword dances. The sword dances are from Lajes and Sé.

“Last year, there were one or two more groups, but the average has been close to 60 in recent years,” he says.

João Costa believes that Terceira Carnival has fully recovered from the pandemic, despite all the fears raised then. “I don’t think there’s a virus that can kill Carnaval. Even in terms of the seamstresses, everything is full,” he explains.

He says the themes revolve around the usual, and what might break the routine more is the “suitcase of São Miguel.”

“From what you hear, it’s political criticism and, of course, the suitcase is in politics and it’s going to get beaten up everywhere. Otherwise, it’s always social and political criticism,” he sums up.

Despite initial difficulties in some places, the halls are all opening their doors again. “There’s a lot of talk before Carnival that there’s no management here or there, but everything is open,” says João Costa.

13 groups participated in the Senior Carnival, which closes this weekend. One of them was from the East Coast of the United States (Clube dos Amigos da Ilha Terceira).

There were 400 participants. “A total of 450 minutes,” says the photographer.

The Foto Íris Carnival magazine starts being distributed tomorrow. According to João Costa, “there are 10,000 magazines, which will be placed in societies and places that host dances, including the Casa da Saúde de São Rafael, Lar D. Pedro V and Santa Casa”.

In Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director

We thank the Luso-American Education Foundation for their support.