Rio de Janeiro's Carnival celebrations kick off with a explosion of color and wild pageantry

A reveller from Uniao de Jacarepagua samba school dances atop a float during the second night of the A Group annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 9, 2013. The samba school which wins the A Group will parade with the top samba groups at the Special Group performance in 2014. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares (BRAZIL - Tags: SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)