for each samba school the 'old guard', a group of elderly parading with the same school for decades, shows smiles and energy despite the age, and does parade to the very end at the sound of samba.

samba played for the schools and for the spectators by a single orchestra for all schools in the parade, differently from the schools in the sambódromo where each school has its own orchestra (bateria).

similarly, there is only one queen for all samba schools, and she marches ahead of each parade accompanied by two more muses.