Brazi'Man culture represents an ethntc mixture of native Indian, African and Portuguese peoples. Each group has contributed parts of its own unique heritage to créate a South American culture rich in folklore. Like other cultures which hold kinship with Brazil, the South American country each year mounts a carnival rich in color, music and dancing skills which originally had its roots in various religious ceremonies and pageants. Enterprising producers, seeing an "exlravagana" in the making and flashing dollar signs in the ey_es, choreographed and organized the excitement of the Rio De Janeiro cajnival into a slick revue to tour staid North American theatres. Called the Carnaval do Brasil, the show is currently showing at the Fisher Theatre. Carnaval has a lot of the same pomp and flash as a Las Vegas production number. Thccostuming and settings are lavish, including a scène originally adapted from Native Indian folklore which has chorus girls dressed in brief, colorful, billowing silks, chiffons, sequins, gold and silver lamé and feathers- representing the sun, moon, insects, butterflies and peacock birds. The dancing in many of these costumes, including huge voluptuous hoop skirts, is basic but adequate, although better skilied ugglers, acrobats and dancers take many solos. Much of the music is rather pop-ish, like the medley of Hit Parade imports from Brazil ranging from a Latin and English version of "The Girl from Ipanema" to the lively "Morning of the Carnival" (from Black Orpheus). Most of this was sung by an . American zed, Las Vegas-styled Bobby Darinish man and nis equally Charo Ann-Margaret-inspired female partner. Neiihci of these featured soloists (nor the other members of the Carnaval troupe) were credfted n the ■ program. The Carnaval strikes ts best musical notes with the Latin-influenced samba and salsa beats, especially the verslons not watered down for Yankee ears. Arnericans must get a chili down their backbones listening to the beautiful Brazilian lyrics without unders tand ing one iota of what they were singing. For the audience, much of the real fun of the Carnaval do Brasil comes at the end. The finale, featuring the 1940's hit tune "Brasil," feathered headdresses and a swirling-array ol colorful silks, is an audience-partk palion number featuring general hoopla from the scantiloressed and rhythmically-inclined cast and the generally clumsy Americans.' After coming into the audience and dragging its more willing members on stage, the chorus girls attempted to teach the Amercans how to bump and grind, wriggle and gyrate to a Latin beat, with vary ing degrees of success. Opening night featured such noteworthy Detroiters as )oyce Garrett, Charley Manos and Molly Abraham attempting to bump on beat to the pulsating salsa rhythm. The audience participants, flushed and excited from their workout, clung to the Brazilian chorus members and gushed their enjoyment to them in English, never stopping to think that most of the cast could not understand them. In many ways they were lucky they couldn't understand- f they had, ttiey may have been permanently stuck with a tambourinetoting older lady in a polyester knit dress who acted as f she had found Nirvana within the distinct, compelling Latin beat and fervor.