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• Betto Almeida is a 36-year-old artist in Rio de Janeiro with an unusual job—he paints naked samba dancers for annual Carnival festivities. The job pays $2,000 a day; he can only paint two women a night.MSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: about 1973, Santa Rosa, BrazilMSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009) Santa Rosa: Santa-rosense Betinho presente na próxima novela das 18 horas da Globo (April 26, 2005)
  2. Moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1998Santa Rosa: Santa-rosense Betinho presente na próxima novela das 18 horas da Globo (April 26, 2005)
  3. Employed: as art director on television soap operasMSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)
  4. Has painted bodies for Carnival since 1997MSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)
  5. The models earn about $250 per nightMSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)
  6. His studio is glass-walled so that people can watch him at workMSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)

• High Art for Carnival

  Carnival in Rio de Janeiro takes place every year just before the Christian Lenten period begins. A wilder and older version of Mardi Gras, Carnival includes riotous parties and lavish parades. And, every Carnival for the past 12 years, artist and art director Betto Almeida has been hired by a modeling agency to paint the a few women. The women are samba dancers hired by the modeling agency to mingle with high rollers in the luxury boxes at festival events. None of the women wear clothing: Almeida paints their bodies in the place of clothes.

  During the year Almeida paints a minimum of 50 women for various events. His studio at the Sambadrome at Carnival is glass-walled so that people can watch him at work, which they do, in droves.MSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)

• Quote

  "I started doing it for theater and one of the samba parade officials asked if I would do it for Carnival models. How could I say no? A lot of guys are jealous of my job."—Betto AlmeidaMSNBC: Brazil's best job? Paint nude Carnival models (February 24, 2009)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Rio de Janeiro Vacation | Angela Bismarchi | Bia And Branca Feres | Mardi Gras | Christmas in Brazil

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