At Império Serrano’s final street rehearsal, Ana Merhi felt the community’s love and a warm gesture from queen Quitéria Chagas ahead of Feb. 14.
Growing closer to the green-and-white school, the influencer is now in the last stretch of preparations for her Rio Carnival debut. Império Serrano’s official parade is set for February 14 at the Sambadrome, Marquês de Sapucaí.
Ana Merhi’s role: closing the parade
On the avenue, Ana Merhi will close the school’s presentation. She appears as a muse in front of the final float, embodying the Flor de Mulungu, the figure that seals Império Serrano’s story as the parade reaches its finale.
During the rehearsal, she emphasized how welcomed she has felt since joining the community. For Ana, Quitéria Chagas’ affection captured the spirit she has experienced in the lead-up to her first Carnival.
“Quitéria is a real queen. She welcomed me with affection, she’s always available to people, and that makes me very happy because my first Carnival is turning out exactly as I imagined since I was a child.”
From Juiz de Fora to Rio’s Sambadrome
Originally from Juiz de Fora, in Minas Gerais, Ana Merhi is the first citizen of her hometown to take part as a featured highlight in Rio Carnival. To be ready for her debut, she has been taking samba classes and managing a demanding routine, especially because of the travel distance.
She says she approaches the experience with respect and humility, and she wants to give back to the school and its community through dedication and a willingness to keep learning.
“I’ve been organizing myself to live this experience with a lot of respect and humility. Império welcomed me in a way I never expected, and I’ve truly fallen in love with the school and the community. The least I can do is give back at the same level, with dedication and the desire to learn more and more.”
Photo: Divulgação
