PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Image: A reveller from Grande Rio samba school participates during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12
Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

With samba school parades and wild parties taking place all across Brazil, the carnival reached its crescendo late on Monday night. Like every year, it was spectacle that left the world in awe.

Tens of thousands of people thronged the streets; they danced and sang as they joined the biggest street party on earth.

A look at the four-day non-stop celebrations in Brazil.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Drum queen Cris Vianna from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participates during the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome on Tuesday.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

A reveller from the Beija Flor samba school participates during the annual carnival parade in Sambadrome.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

A reveller from the Mangueira samba school participates during the annual carnival parade in Sambadrome.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

Revellers from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participate during the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Revellers from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participate on the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Revellers from the Beija Flor samba school participate during the annual carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

A reveller from the Beija Flor samba school participates during the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Revellers of Sao Clemente samba school participate on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome on Monday.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Drum Queen Bruna Almeida of Sao Clemente samba school participates on the second night of the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

A reveller prepares her costume before the start of the second night of the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Revellers of Portela samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Sambadrome.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

A reveller of Portela samba school participates in the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Revellers of Mocidade Independente samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

Revellers of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school participate in the carnival on Sunday.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

A reveller of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school participates in the annual carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Revellers of the Salgueiro samba school participate on the first night of the annual carnival parade.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

A reveller dances on a float of the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school on the first night of the annual carnival parade on Sunday.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Lunae Parracho/Reuters

Revellers parade as part of the Afros de Salvador block, during the Carnival celebrations in Salvador da Bahia.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Lunae Parracho/Reuters

A reveller from the Ile Aye block smokes a pipe during Carnival celebrations in Salvador da Bahia.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Nacho Doce/Reuters

Afro-Brazilian women perform using drums during the annual block party known as "Afro Ilu Oba De Min", one of the carnival parties in Sao Paulo. The Ilu Oba de Min is an Afro group formed and coordinated by women. It comprises 160 people, 93 of whom are female percussionists. Their goal is to promote musical traditions, and their dances choreographed by African and Afro-Brazilian precursors.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Sergio Moraes/Reuters

Revellers perform in the annual block party known as the "Ceu na Terra", one of the many carnival parties to take place in the neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Nacho Doce/Reuters

A reveller from the Mocidade Alegre Samba School takes part in a carnival at Anhembi Sambadrome in Sao Paulo.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Drum queen Gracyanne Barbosa from the Jacarezinho samba school prepares to dance during the first night of the A Group annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. The Samba school which wins the A Group will parade with the top samba groups at the Special Group performance in 2014.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Nacho Doce/Reuters

A reveller from the Imperio de Casa verde Samba School takes part in a carnival at Anhembi Sambadrome in Sao Paulo.

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PHOTOS: At Brazil's crackling carnival, anybody can dance!

Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

A reveller takes pictures during the performance of the Jacarezinho samba school on the first night of the A Group annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome.

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Tags: PHOTOS , Rio de Janeiro , Carnival , Brazil