2. Samba Samba is lively and rhythmical. It has three steps to every bar. Samba no pe is a single person dance, moving the knees to the beat. Some sambas are fast while others are slower. Men use there whole foot to touch the floor. Women, normally wearing heels, will dance on the balls of their feet. Different regions have slightly different forms. For example, girls in Bahia will dance with their knees outward, while other regions will dance with their knees closer together. This dance can be seen in the famous Rio Carnival. Samba de Gafieira is a partner dance, and originated in the Rio de Janeiro nightclubs. One of the elements is the intertwined leg movements that originate in the Argentine Tango. It has Maxixie elements and is part waltz. Samba Pagode is more intimate and started in Sao Paulo. Samba Axe is more energetic and solo. The Axe rhythm replaced the Lambada and the movements tend to follow the lyrics. Samba originated in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro This is an example of Samba de Gafieira. Notice the intertwined legs.
3. Capoeira: An African Fighting Dance This dance originated among the African slaves of Pernambuco. A circle is formed and everyone takes turns playing instruments or pairing up and entering the circle. The dance is like a spar, where they kick, headbutt, and other acrobatic play. The name means “chicken coop” and the word came around from slave owners. It’s elements include forms of martial arts. For a while this dance was prohibited in Brazil, until Manuel dos Ries Machado created “Capoeira Regional.” It ended the ban in 1930’s and he created the first Capoeira School in 1932. “Roda” is the name of the circle created around the performers. This emphasizes focus on the dancers.
4. The Bossa Nova Beat Bossa Nova had its jazz boom but it didn’t last very long. Its run ended in the 1960’s mainly because it was better for listening than dancing, because of its slower rhythm. It is danced with soft knees and sways of the hip from side to side. Some place their hand on the belly, waving their other arm at waist height in the direction of the sway. The two step can be derived from this dance because of its simplicity.
5. Tropicalismo Tropicalismo was an art and music movement in 1960s Brazil. It originated in Rio and Sao Paulo. The artistic leaders were Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. Tropicalia was introduced to modernize the conservative traditional music of Samba and Bossa Nova. It empodied political themes as well. Fuzz guitars and metallic drums give the scene a distinct sound.
