Junior quadrilhas shine in Praça do Povo, at Centur, in six days of programming

The last three junior quadrilhas competing for the title of champion of the State Quadrilhas Contest, in the Arraial de Todos os Santos programming, performed on the night of this Sunday (22), at Praça do Povo, at Centur, headquarters of the Cultural Foundation of Pará (FCP), in Belém. Sixteen groups, representing six municipalities, have already performed over six nights of programming.

The municipality with the highest number of representatives in the junior category was Belém, with six quadrilhas. Soure (in Marajó) and Abaetetuba (Baixo Tocantins) were represented by four and three groups, respectively. Bujaru and Colares (Northeast) and Marituba (Metropolitan Region) compete with one representative from each municipality.

Ten junior quadrilhas will be awarded R$ 10,000. In addition to the quadrilha, the contest also elects in this category the “miss caipira,” “miss negritude,” and “miss simpatia,” as well as the best marker, stylist, and choreographer.

To participate in the junior category, the members of the quadrilhas and the misses must be between 5 and 14 years old by the date of the presentation.

After the junior quadrilhas, only groups formed by adults will perform in the contest, which is part of the FCP's June programming, promoted until next Sunday (29), when the champions will be awarded. Admission is free.

'Shine in their eyes' - The contest promoted by the Cultural Foundation of Pará is the only one to award junior quadrilhas. According to the director of Cultural Interaction at FCP, Cláudia Pinheiro, “it is an immense joy to be able to provide this very special moment for the children. Seeing the shine in their eyes, the dedication in rehearsals, and now the show they are delivering live, and also for those watching on the Foundation's YouTube, is incredibly rewarding.”

Jeisy Pimentel, a member of the junior quadrilha “Flor Junina,” from Belém, emphasized the importance of the contest. “I am very happy to be here again, participating in 'São João' and having this very special opportunity. It is a unique moment that many people wait for all year. We are very happy to be part of this celebration, despite the nervousness, especially for those dancing for the first time. But we are together, excited, and we will continue with joy,” she declared.

Andrei Santana, Jeisy's partner in the quadrilha, defines the performance in the State Contest as the realization of a dream. “Dancing here is the dream of any quadrilheiro. I have already realized this dream, but each year that passes is a new experience. It feels like the first time,” he stated.

Malena Brito, a member of the board of the quadrilha “Raízes da Simpatia,” from Colares, shared that the preparation for the competition began last October. This advance gives the necessary confidence to overcome the nervousness at the time of the presentation. “The expectation is for a good result because we have been working since October to reach this day, and we are sure that our presentation pleased the audience and the jury,” she added.

Service: Arraial de Todos os Santos. Period: June 13 to 29, at 6 PM, at the Cultural Foundation of Pará - Avenida Gentil Bittencourt, No. 650, Nazaré neighborhood. Free admission.

(Collaboration by Angel Duarte)