On Saturday 12 November, the 684th Lord Mayor of London will follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and embark on a procession from Mansion House to the Royal Courts of Justice via St Paul’s Cathedral, and this year, Paraiso is creating one of the leading floats.

Paraiso’s contribution to this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show parade will be an ‘Amazon’ themed float. The team is constructing a multiple-level float featuring samba dancers and musicians clad in traditional costumes designed by their very own Brazilian artists right here in North London. The music will be specially commissioned by top level Brazilian composers and will include singers, drummers and cavaquinho (ukulele) players.

Marcos da Silva, designer and director of Paraiso, said: "I’m counting down the days till the start of the Show. We have been working really hard to get ready for this event and we’ve all had a ball painting the decorations for the float. "

Richard Galbraith, Trustee at Paraiso, said: “It’s great to be a part of such a big event. Our students all have a background in dance, but unfortunately some of them are at risk of social exclusion. We give them the opportunity to learn and develop their carnival-style samba routines, as well as training in parading and performance skills. The Lord Mayor’s Show is the perfect place to showcase their efforts and we’ll be sure to give it 100% on the day.”

Paraiso School of Samba is a Camden based community charity modelled on the samba schools that create the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. They use samba percussion, dance and carnival activities to bring together people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to work as a team. As the UK’s largest provider of public access samba dance and percussion workshops, the School is committed to showcasing samba dance as a great way to promote health and fitness.