The Comparsas Contest, the most vibrant and colorful show of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, began at 8:00 p.m. yesterday. With a nearly full Fairground and an audience completely engrossed in the rhythm and joy, the night of dance kicked off with the children’s groups Tropicana and Joroperos, paving the way for their adult counterparts. The audience was delighted by their stunning designs and spectacular choreographies.
This 2024 edition had a delightful surprise – the return of Valleiros, a historic troupe from Valle de Guerra founded in 1976, which took a sabbatical year in the previous edition due to the passing of Isauro Rivero, the driving force behind the group. However, there was also less favorable news as Río Orinoco opted out of participating in this edition dedicated to La Televisión.
Following the opening acts, the stage was gracefully taken by Helena Sampedro and Wendy Fuentes, two captivating presenters, who introduced Rumberos, the leading troupe of the Carnival. They ignited the contest with overflowing energy, further heightened by the virtually new addition of their choreographer, Kirenia Cantín, who joined just a month before the 2023 contest.
Subsequently, the stage was occupied by the striking Cariocas, who astounded with their daring musical selection and captivating visual effects.
Next came Bahía Bahitiare, a troupe that reinvents itself each year, followed by Danzarines Canarios, another historical name in the contest, Abenaura in its third year of competition, and Tropicana, a troupe that consistently surprises, having come all the way from Candelaria for several editions.
The final performances of the night included Tabajaras from La Salud, Valleiros who made a triumphant return this edition, and Joroperos, the undisputed winners in 2023.
The jury, comprising Verónica Alberto Cámara, a Fine Arts graduate, Aliya Akhunova Akhunova, a costume designer, and Lumai Moreno Capuozzo, a fashion design graduate and jewelry designer, determined the four best costumes at the end of the Presentation section.
Meanwhile, the Interpretation section featured Rayco González, a musician, choir teacher, organist, and singing teacher; Sandra Montes De Oca, a music teacher at the School of Modern Music of the Canary Islands; Patricia Baker, a singer in Tribute to Tina Turner and show producer; Lorenzo Cabeza, a professional lyrical singer, member of the Di Marco Duo; Sobeida Gómez, an international dancer, performer, and choreographer; María Odinokova, a professional dancer for international Classical Ballet companies; Aroa Nisamar Fernández Rodríguez, a choreographer and dancer; and finally, Leila Rodríguez Hernández, a choreographer, dancer, gymnast, dance, and rhythmic gymnastics teacher.
