What is the name of the Rio Carnival judging group that opens a samba school’s parade?

The Rio Carnival judging group that opens a samba school’s parade is the comissão de frente, or front commission.

The comissão de frente is the school’s opening presentation. It traditionally introduces the school to spectators and judges through choreography, costumes, theatrical scenes, and a visual interpretation of the year’s enredo. The group’s performance is judged as part of the competitive parade.

Its role has changed over time. Earlier front commissions were often more formal and procession-like, while modern presentations may use elaborate choreography, scenic effects, and costume transformations. Even so, the central function remains the same: establish the school’s identity and theme at the beginning of the parade.

The comissão de frente is not the same as the bateria, which is the percussion section, or the mestre-sala, who dances with the porta-bandeira. Those elements appear elsewhere in the school’s presentation.