COMPARSAS appeared in Tenerife in 1965. This new type of ensemble was formed by men and women, groups of musicians and dancers who, wearing Caribbean style costumes, with a choreography influenced by the Samba Schools of the Brazilian Carnival, Rhythm, color and joy give live to the Santa Cruz party during these parades, especially at their annual contest on the stage, where the comparsas compete to perform the best parade choreographies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEcHNeQAMk&feature=share&list=UUtkjEzU3SOsSK1cJzHUXk_A&index=9
Yesterday COMPARSA JOROPEROS was elected the best comparsa Tenerife Carnival 2014 and we are specially happy for this: Santi Castro was the de designer of their amazing and elegant costumes:
http://blogs.diariodeavisos.com/loscarnavales/2014/02/23/los-joroperos-reyes-del-ritmo/
It was a great show and I was surrounded by my students on training from Ireland and Sweden working with the designer Santi Castro and also with Santi Castro’s crew, experts from Tenerife Carnival with more than 15 years experience working to create unique carnival, something very special.
It was funny to be seated between those two groups, on my left, the experts and on my right the newcomers students. On my left, critical and, attentive, sometimes like football supporters shouting and clapping like crazy. On my right, the students facing for the first time a show that last more than 7 hours, with performances that take into the stage more than 103 people dancing at the same time, with a music that cannot keep you seated still in your chair, you want to dance with them on the stage, you want to be there.
I learn a lot with this experience, watching carnival from the inside is something very special. I learn from the experts and I also learn from the students, how they discover one of our most special cultural traditions, with new eyes, with amazed looks, something that I am sure they will never forget. This is the post of Robin, one of the students, at the school blog:
http://gtieurope2014.weebly.com/8/post/2014/02/carnaval-de-santa-cruz-comparsa-by-robin-mcgonigle.html
I want to thank 2014 carnival training students: Shane, Sorcha, Saskia, Sarah-Jane, Sinead, Robin from Galway Technical Institute in Ireland, and Karin and Pauline from Liljaskolan in Sweden for your help to Santi’s team to build the amazing costumes, for your support to Juan last night on the performance of comparsa Los Joroperos and to be part of a great team. Santi, his team and me are really proud of your hard work and enthusiasm.
And I want to thank Santi Castro and his team: Santi, Lucy Juan and Juan, Pedro, Loli, Trini for taking our students as part of their carnival family working team and take care of them.
If you want to learn more about Tenerife Carnival check this web page and enjoy our carnival:
wwww.carnavaldetenerife.com
tenerifejobtraining.com 
