What is the opening group in a Rio samba-school parade called?

The opening group in a Rio samba-school parade is called the comissão de frente.

Literally meaning “front commission,” it is the school’s first major group on the parade avenue. Usually numbering about 10 to 15 performers, it introduces the samba school and establishes the visual mood of its enredo, or theme. Its presentation is choreographed and often theatrical, with elaborate costumes, props, illusions, or a short narrative.

The comissão de frente is not the same as the porta-bandeira, who carries the school’s flag with the mestre-sala, or the bateria, the percussion section. The ala das baianas is another important traditional component, but it appears later in the procession. Parade judges assess the front commission as one of the elements that can affect a school’s score.

Historically, this section developed from older parade traditions in which people walked ahead of carnival groups to announce or protect them. Modern Rio schools have turned that practical lead position into a highly produced opening spectacle. The group is therefore the parade’s visual introduction, while the samba and percussion carry the performance through the rest of the school.