Thousands of individuals gathered to witness the Arena of the carnival International of The Christians on an afternoon characterised by summertime and occasional excessive heat for the participants of the event.
The procession commenced with the Guajeiros comparsa, the winner of the inaugural Interpretation prize in the local contest, followed by the children’s troupe, South Kiliquitacas.
However, a noticeable delay occurred. The float of the queen of the carnival, Kiara María Comellas Mereb, took longer than expected to arrive. As the float reached the vicinity of Princess Dácil, Kiara was noticeably without her headdress. What had transpired?
The queen explained that after travelling a mere 200 metres in the float, she began to feel unwell, experiencing blurred and somewhat dizzy vision. After alerting the organisational team, the float halted, and she was assisted out of her costume.
Her headdress was removed, and she was helped to regain her composure. Ultimately, Kiara recovered after consuming an isotonic drink, allowing her to return to her position to greet the audience and receive accolades. She donned her headdress once more at the conclusion of the parade.
Artist
Kiara is involved in a Singing and Dance Academy run by her parents in The Christians, where she resides. She is an artist who performs at hotels and local festivals throughout the south of the island. Notably, the song that encouraged her to take to the stage during the gala where she was crowned was also recorded.
Due to the heat, first lady Gabriela Domínguez Pais and second lady Sofia Naranjo Domí also stepped down from their respective floats.
First time
Among the spectators were María and her daughter Elena. The mother shared that she has been living in Tenerife for two years and this was the first opportunity she had to witness the Coso, having worked on previous occasions. This Sunday, she took the chance to attend the event with her daughter.
Maria noted that she is Uruguayan and that in her homeland, carnival is also celebrated, lasting for a month in some regions.
Among the participants were forty children from the Children’s Murga Twisting in their motorcycle costumes, along with numerous parents.
The group spokesperson, Francisco Javier Conde, recalled that they are based in the area of El Salto, in Granadilla.
To be part of an event like this Sunday’s, which was scheduled for four in the afternoon, the children began their makeup process at 12:00 noon.
Conde takes pride in the fact that, after 15 years, they are well accustomed to the event and have garnered 12 awards at the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Comparseras
The sisters Maryuri and Jocelyn Vera Navarro, members of the Knadum comparsa, expressed that they were feeling “superb,” noting that this is “a very lively Coso, filled with people, including tourists, who cheer, applaud, record, and take photographs; and that energises us.
Knadum rehearses at the Pavilion of the Ichaasagua Institute, in The Christians. Even after the carnival festivities conclude, they continue to perform at hotels and shopping centres.
Moreover, there are individuals dedicated to turning the visions of designers into reality. Conchi de la Cruz, a resident of Taco, is among the 15 individuals involved in assembling and disassembling the queen’s costume, crafted by Antonio Santos.
After six months of effort in the Valle Tabares workshop to create the costume, achieving a first prize “is beyond words; it brings immense joy; time passes, yet it remains unforgettable. Participating in the Coso is a distinct way to relish the prize.
The delegation also featured the second-place winners from the Santa Cruz costume contest: David Medina, Ángeles Afonso (both from the San Lorenzo Valley), and Nadia Sabastro (Buzanada).
Their staggering creation, Anger and Envy, Monarchs of the Underworld, draws inspiration from video games, deadly sins, illustrations, and demons. The trio takes immense pride in being part of the Coso in their municipality with an accolade achieved in the capital of Tenerife.
Yéssica González, from Joroperos, acknowledged that she feels the “enthusiasm of the international audience; for them, I believe it’s a novelty, and they enjoy it”.
This member of the Lagunera Comparsa noted that the event felt “shorter than she had anticipated”. Melissa Rodríguez, from the Wild Dance choreographic group in La Cruz, directed by her brother Arián Rodríguez, confessed that “for me, this Coso is the finest”, due to the public’s reception and the support the participants receive from the organisation.
Melissa began her makeup preparations at 9:30 am before joining her fellow performers.
Patri23 of Tropicana, after working the morning shift on Sunday and having only four hours of sleep, danced gracefully until the conclusion of the parade. She explained that the pavement was “scorching,” but it was the final event of the season, and she had to give it her all.
