Rain poured over Rio de Janeiro, but the rhythm never stopped. At 26, this dancer rehearsed for Carnaval 2024, her dedication as unyielding as the samba beat. She is a professional who commands the passarela, a force of nature in sync with the weather.
Her journey spans many anos, beginning as a child in the wings of an escola. Now, she stands as a recognized musa and skilled dançarina for top groups. She performs as a highlight for União da Ilha and embodies the spirit for Viradouro.
This artist is also a mother to one-year-old Mel. She paraded just two months after giving birth, proving passion and family are intertwined. Her story is one of modern womanhood, rooted in cultural tradition.
From ballet student to samba star, her path shows deep discipline. She carries ancestral knowledge forward while creating her own space. Her presence on the stage is a lesson in resilience and joy.
A Dynamic Journey Through Carnival and Dance
Competitive examination opened the door to formal dance education in 2008. At just five years old, she earned her place at Escola Maria Olenewa through rigorous selection. This early start in dança established a foundation that would define her career.
Early Inspirations and Samba Roots
Six anos of classical ballet training at the Theatro Municipal provided technical precision. The discipline learned there translated directly to samba’s demanding footwork. Athletics training during this period built the stamina needed for hours-long carnival parades.
Her love for Carnaval ignited in 2014 when she debuted as a passista at São Clemente. Previous experience in children’s wings of samba schools had prepared her for this moment. The transition marked when training became true vocation.
Transition from Ballet to the Passarela
The shift from ballet to the passarela represented evolution rather than abandonment. Classical technique enhanced her samba expression with unique grace. Each oportunidade to perform built upon her previous experience.
This unique forma combining multiple disciplines created a distinctive movement vocabulary. Judges and audiences recognized her special blend of techniques. The year 2014 became the pivot point where formal education met street tradition.
Bellinha Delfim: A Passionate Force in Carnival
The declaration “I live from the art of samba” is a statement of fact for this dancer. It’s a truth forged in the rain-soaked rehearsals for Carnaval 2024.
Her commitment is literal. Teaching, performing, and creating within this culture is her livelihood. Each desfile is both a performance and an act of preservation for the tradition she holds dear.
Overcoming Challenges with Determination
Returning to the passarela just two months after giving birth was a powerful statement. Motherhood amplified her determination to maintain her place in carnaval.
She recalculated time, prioritizing presence at every rehearsal. Showing up for each dia became a choice to honor commitments and model persistence.
As a musa for major escolas, she carries a weight of representation. Young women from similar backgrounds watch to see if their dreams are possible.
Her amor for the art fuels this responsibility. It’s a deep, motivating force that pushes her to leave a legacy.
This journey proves that talent combined with a relentless work ethic can overcome barriers in Brazilian carnaval. Her story is a blueprint for the next generation of musa.
Capturing the Spirit of Brazil’s Iconic Festivities
When the president handed her flowers and asked her to deliver them to the new musa, she had no idea the honor was meant for her. This surprise moment during a community wing ensaio captured the authentic heart of escola samba culture.
Emotional Moments and Memorable Rehearsals
Bellinha covered her face with her hands and cried when the revelation came. The emotional response showed genuine humility. She understood the musa role carries deep responsibility beyond performance skill.
Each ensaio builds collective rhythm and muscle memory. Dancers synchronize with the bateria’s pulse. Hundreds of components move down the passarela as one unified force.
Embodying the Culture of Escola Samba and Unidos Viradouro
For Carnaval 2024, she represents Amora, the protagonist of União da Ilha’s enredo. She parades on a tripé, embodying the story’s central character. This places her at the narrative core rather than as decoration.
As a musa for Unidos do Viradouro in the Grupo Especial, she showcases different skills. She will parade sambando on the ground at the front of the last float. Closing the desfile means she provides the final impression for judges and audiences.
The arte of escola samba extends beyond individual performance. It becomes collective storytelling where costumes, enredo, music, and movement converge. Working with the rainha de bateria requires respect for hierarchy while maintaining artistic voice.
Behind the Scenes of Samba Workshops and Community Impact
Her influence extends far beyond the glittering passarela of the Sambódromo. As a dedicated professora, she carries the rhythm of samba into studios and communities worldwide.
This work builds a legacy that outlasts any single Carnaval performance.
Mentoring Celebrities and Emerging Passistas
Bellinha Delfim’s expertise attracts students at every level. She coached Thelma Assis, who sought to refine her samba after her BBB experience.
This showed her skill in deepening understanding for those already familiar with the culture.
Working with Lore Improta, an incredible dancer, highlighted a key truth. True samba mastery demands specific knowledge beyond general dance training.
Her workshops create a unique oportunidade for cultural exchange. She has taught across Europe, Africa, and South America.
Each session represents Rio’s entire samba tradition to global audiences.
Her philosophy embraces todas as idades, from small children to seniors. She believes samba belongs to the entire comunidade, without age restrictions.
This inclusive approach strengthens the art form’s roots while letting it grow.
Beyond teaching, her atelier business keeps her connected to Carnaval’s visual craft. Traveling throughout Brazil for workshops, she strengthens national samba networks.
Bellinha Delfim ensures Rio’s traditions both influence and learn from other communities.
Striking a Balance: Motherhood, Art, and Unyielding Dedication
Motherhood reshaped her understanding of time, turning every minute into a carefully calculated resource. Becoming a mãe to one-year-old Mel transformed her relationship with carnaval from personal passion to intergenerational legacy.
Dedication on Rainy Rehearsal Days and Emotional Triumphs
Every ensaio required logistical choreography beyond dance steps. Arranging childcare and managing recovery became part of the routine. The decision to desfile just two months after childbirth proved mãe and performer aren’t contradictory identities.
Those minutos spent rehearsing in the rain represented compressed time available to women juggling motherhood. Each dia brought new challenges, but her dedication never wavered. She maintained her forma through disciplined nutrition and rest practices.
Nurturing a Legacy for the Next Generation
Her amor for samba now carries deeper meaning. She models for Mel that women can pursue artistic vocations without abandoning maternal responsibilities. Constant carnaval preparation means there’s no off-season.
Each ano brings new intensity as the next desfile approaches. Bellinha Delfim builds pathways for other young mães from similar communities. Her legacy transcends personal achievement, creating visible possibilities for the next generation.
Expanding Horizons: International Workshops and Modeling Success
Her career extends beyond the Sambódromo, building a global presence for Brazilian culture. This expansion into international workshops and modeling creates a sustainable artistic life.
Sharing the Art of Samba Abroad
As a dedicated professora, she has taken her expertise across continents. Her workshops in countries like Poland, Nigeria, and Sweden are more than just dance lessons.
Each session is a cultural exchange. She represents the authentic spirit of arte samba with rigor and respect.
This international projeto allows her to be an ambassador. It also provides economic stability that supports her work in Brazil each ano.
From Nike Campaigns to Global Stage Appearances
Her work as a modelo complements her identity as a dançarina. A major Nike campaign highlighted this connection.
Nike selected her for athletic performance, not just beleza. Her background in long-distance running built the endurance vital for the passarela samba.
In 2019, her skill was formally recognized. She won the Estandarte de Ouro for Best Passista while parading for Salgueiro.
This award validated her technical mastery. It confirmed her status among Brazil’s top professionals.
Bellinha Delfim shows that these roles are intertwined. The discipline of dance creates the powerful presence that shines on camera and on the global stage.
Final Reflections: Celebrating a Legacy of Dance, Passion, and Culture
Stepping onto the sacred ground of a samba school requires more than just performance skill—it demands ancestral respect. Bellinha Delfim emphasizes that every quadra represents a connection to generations of cultural tradition.
Her admiration for Evelyn Bastos and other Black women in carnaval acknowledges the lineage she belongs to. These rainha de bateria figures created space for her generation to thrive.
As the third musa viradouro alongside Luana Bandeira and Lore Improta, she joins a powerful trio in the Grupo Especial. The upcoming enredo “Não há tristeza que possa suportar tanta alegria” resonates with her personal story of joy as resistance.
Each desfile represents years of dedication compressed into powerful minutos on the passarela. Her forma combines multiple disciplines into a singular artistic voice that honors tradition while pushing it forward.
This artista creates oportunidade for young dancers through workshops and performances. Her amor for samba manifests in showing up for rehearsals and treating every ensaio as sacred practice.
The legacy she builds proves women can embody multiple roles without choosing single identities. Bellinha Delfim’s journey demonstrates that recognition follows sustained excellence and genuine commitment to the comunidade.
