Bate-bola is one of the most powerful traditions of Rio de Janeiro’s carnival! It was born in the suburbs of Rio around the 1940s and 1950s, when the old “Clóvis” — masked figures inspired by European carnivals — got a new street style.
With their colorful costumes, mysterious masks, loud horns, and balls that pop when they hit, the groups turned the game into a true popular spectacle
Today, bate-bola represents art, culture, and resistance. Each costume tells a story, every street becomes a runway, and every hit echoes the joy and identity of the Rio communities.
More than a tradition, bate-bola is the soul of the suburbs in motion
