A comparsa is a group of singers, musicians and dancers that take part in

carnivals Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

and other festivities in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

. Its precise meaning depends on the specific regional celebration. The most famous comparsas are those that participate in the Carnival of Santiago de Cuba and Carnaval de Barranquilla in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

. In Brazil, comparsas are called

carnival block Carnival blocks, carnaval blocos or blocos de rua are street bands that mobilize crowds on the streets and are the main popular expression of Brazilian Carnival. These parades fall under the term "street carnival", and happen during a period of ab ...

s, as those seen in the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro and other

Brazilian carnival The Carnival of Brazil (, ) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally ...

s. In the US, especially at the

New Orleans Mardi Gras The holiday of Mardi Gras is celebrated in southern Louisiana, including the city of New Orleans. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (the start of lent in the West ...

, comparsas are called

krewe A krewe ( ) is a social organization that stages parades and/or balls for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations throughout ...

s, which include floats.

Spain

Carnaval de Malaga 1925 comparsa Pescadores Calabreses Bonitos Tangos

In Spain, the term comparsa can have different meanings depending on the celebration.

Cádiz

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

and other parts of

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

, comparsas are groups of singers that take part in carnivals, especially the

Carnival of Cádiz The Carnival of Cádiz () is one of the best-known carnivals in Spain. Its main characteristic is humor. Through sarcasm, mockery and irony, the main groups and the people of the street "purge" the most pressing problems of today. The whole cit ...

. They sing comedy routines and the best comparsa is chosen in a contest. Other ensembles can also be found at the carnival, such as

chirigota ''Chirigota'' is a genre of Spanish choral folksong originating in the Province of Cádiz. The songs are satirical in nature and are performed predominantly in the streets by costumed performers during the annual two week carnival. It has been descr ...

s, coros de carnaval, and cuartetos carnavalescos.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

In the

Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife () is held each February–March –depending on the year– in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the largest island of the Canary Islands, Spain and attracts people from all over the world. It is con ...

, comparsas are similar to Brazilian carnival blocks.

Caribbean

Cuba

Cuban comparsas originate in the eastern part of the island, specifically in the streets of

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains t ...

. Comparsas are groups of singers, musicians and dancers. The singers and musicians form part of the

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

, the ensemble that specifically plays the carnival music (a genre also called conga). The rest of the comparsa is formed by dancers with defined costumes and choreographies. Apart from the large Carnival of Santiago de Cuba, there is a carnival in Havana with slightly different customs. Famous comparsas from Santiago include Los Hoyos, Paso Franco, Guayabito, San Agustín, San Pedrito and Alto Pino. Famous comparsas from Havana include La Sultana, El Alacrán and Guaracheros de Regla. The unique thing about most Cuban comparsas is that the dancers, musicians, floats, etc. follow one after the other the agreed route through the streets of the cities where they are held.

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic comparsas or troupes are dance groups choosing a traditionally festive or allegorical subject to typical Dominican things, organizing a presentation with costumes and mask. Diablo Cojuelo is the most popular character in the Dominican carnival and each province has unique elements.

Belize

Throughout the country, particularly in

Corozal Town Corozal is a town in Belize, capital of Corozal District. Corozal is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population of Corozal, according to the main results of the 2010 census, is 9,871. Co ...

and

San Pedro Town San Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye in the Belize District of the nation of Belize, in Central America. According to the 2024 mid-year estimates, the town has a population of about 20,000. It is the second-la ...

, comparsas are groups of street dancers which perform carnival season. The dancers dress up in traditional Mayan clothes.

South America

Argentina

In Argentina, comparsas are very similar to the Brazilian

s, being followed by carriages.

Uruguay

In Uruguay, a comparsa makes reference to a group of

candombe ''Candombe'' is a style of music and dance that originated in Uruguay among the descendants of liberated African slaves. In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed ''candombe'' in its Rep ...

dancers and drummers.

References

{{Music of Spain Afro–Latin American culture Afro-Argentine culture Afro-Cuban culture Afro-Uruguayan culture Dance in Cuba Culture of Spain