legend has it that a stunning woman wearing a polka-dot dress was the inspiration behind the block's name.

over the years the group has developed their own song entitled 'marcha do cordão da bola preta' and the many participants and followers can be heard belting out the ballad's words: 'come to the ball dear, come to the ball dear, with infernal happiness, with infernal happiness!'

the flag bearer, who leads the procession, holds the cordão do bola preta symbol aloft for all to see.