A Rio de Janeiro court has given permission for a seven-year-old girl to lead a parade in the city s upcoming famed Carnival, despite protests from child rights groups, media reported Wednesday.
Julia Lira will thus be allowed to be the dancing queen for the Viradouro samba school when it struts its stuff Sunday night.
Lira s father, who heads the school, had rejected criticism that the dancing queen role – traditionally taken on by near-naked adult women – was too erotic for his daughter.
Viradouro has promised she would not be as provocatively undressed as the other schools dancing queens.
According to television reports, the judge handling child welfare matters in Rio found no objection to Julia Lira becoming the youngest dancing queen ever to appear in the parades. A rival school successfully entered a 12-year-old girl as its leader six years ago.
Julia is a charismatic girl with a marvelous presence in front of the drummers, Viradouro s artistic director Edson Pereira told reporters.
There was no question of transforming her into a woman, and she would be dressed in an appropriate costume that highlights the innocence of this little girl, he said.-AFP
