Nilma Duarte’s body size never prevented her from dancing samba in public. But now, the “plus size” model wants to put the spotlight on large women, who, like herself, dance samba as a way to improve their self-esteem.

“There have always been overweight people in samba schools, but they were always hidden—in the middle of the group, or the baianas section,” said the 47-year-old model who has led Plus no Samba project since 2017. The project helps large women to participate in Rio’s carnival parades. She says that when she dances samba, she never worries who is looking at her.[…]