History of the dance - How samba started
In the 17th and 18th Centuries, two rhythms were the pillars of Brazilian music. The Lundu of African origin with a base of Batuque, and Modinha from Portugal. Samba was not seen favourably, due to the moral attitude of the day. Samba at this time was danced in gafieiras and cabarets, places where men of high status went looking for fun with prostitutes. It was choreographed difficult to dance and dancers had to be physically fit, as the moves were designed to impress foreigners with sensuality. Samba became a dance in the early 1930s but as music it emerged before. At this time, Rio de Janeiro was the political and fashion capital of Brazil. Migrants from other states and countries emigrated to Rio, a large population from Bahia influenced the samba Carnaval.

Samba de Gafieira became a popular dance in the 1940s as a Brazilian ballroom dance, but has been developing until now, absorbing influences from many other dances, such as Tango, Forro and Bolero.

Samba de Gafieira’s roots can be traced back to 1930s Rio de Janeiro, where Argentine traders mixed with locals to create a dazzling combination of Tango and Samba no pe but how much Tango has influenced Gafieira is not known, the opposite also occurs, with Tango adopting Gafieira steps . It continues to develop today as a captivating and very popular dance style for couples, absorbing the influences of many Latin American dances.

History of the dance
Lambada evolved as a way to dance to Carimbó, an African rhythm from the Amazon. Because of the Amazon’s closeness to the Caribbean, the music was influenced by rhythms such as cumbia and merengue.

Many old reports from Pará indicate that at this time, a radio station existed that played many popular and vibrant songs and called them ‘Lambadas’.  This word then transformed from an adjective to a noun, ‘Lambada’ which baptized the name of the rhythm.

The success of the dance in this area brought it to the northeast of Brazil, where it was influenced by Forro. It came to Porto Seguro in the south of Bahia with the name “Lambada”, and was danced by couples very close to each other.

During the Carnaval of the early 1980s Bahia had the opportunity to show Lambada to the rest of Brazil, where it spread very quickly.

Two French businessmen are responsible for the new and now popular phase of Lambada. They took the band “Kaoma” to Europe and the dance exploded internationally from there, reaching as far as Japan. The dance returned to Brazil in 1989 with variations including many turns and new aerial steps. Due to the success of Kaoma, many more bands took advantage of the opportunity to play Lambada music.

After intensive success, Lambada music all but disappeared in Brazil, with the remaining enthusiasts seeking new music that would allow them to continue to practice Lambada.

Zouk in Brazil
Zouk, meaning “party” in a French Creole dialect, came about as a new way for Brazilians to dance Lambada. Zouk music originated in the French Caribbean islands such as Guadalupe and Martinica. The dance there is very different from that of Brazil where it is a modern interpretation of Lambada.

In Brazil the dance has evolved using the French Caribbean music, absorbing smoother movements. Some people even call this French Lambada.

The dance survives in Brazil in the form of Zouk, as Lambada carries a negative public perception. Zouk is considered to be a more refined dance and music style than Lambada.

History of the dance
“Forró” is said to have derived from the English phrase “for all”, which was originally written on dance hall doors to signify that all were welcome to enter. where dance parties were held by English people living in Pernambuco in Northeast Brazil in the early 1900s. In these parities they played all sorts of music as well as the rhythm that was a precursor to Forro. Other sources suggest that it came from the African term “forrobodo” which means party.

Originating in Brazil’s northeast, Forró is one of Brazil’s most popular dances for couples, with easy to learn steps for beginners, and many variations that can enhance and personalise the dance. Its upbeat dance movements are a fusion of African and European influences including the baiao, xote and xaxado dances.

History of the dance
The dance originates from Cuba, although it too has African influences. It originated from the danzon, a dance similar to a medieval dance. It is a mix of Spanish and African elements, very popular in Cuba in the 19th century.
In the 1960’s there was a salsa boom when this rhythm started to be played and danced in different parts of the world. In the late 1970s, salsa changed the lyrics from the realities of the Latin suburbs to romantic lyrics. With this change came a change in style, resulting in Miami, Puerto Rican and LA styles. In Cuba, due to the political situation, the rhythm stagnated, or stayed the same.

With so many variations of salsa, it is important to learn the basic principles so that you can adapt to other styles.

“Salsa” is a Spanish word meaning sauce, or in this case flavour or style.

Bolero is danced to soft romantic music, where couples seemingly float on air.
The dance has been influenced by Tango. Its turns, walks and crosses have created a sensual dance rich in emotion, where dancers glide on the dance floor.

History of the dance
Known to many as the Cuban dance of love, its origins are unclear. Some believe that the dance was popularised by English travellers passing through France and Spain; while others believe it was popularised by Mexican travellers to Cuba. Bolero has influenced Salsa, Mambo and Cha-Cha-Cha dances.

“Bolero” may have evolved from the Spanish “volero”, meaning “to fly”; and is possibly a reference to the small balls (‘boleras’) decorating the dresses of Spanish Gipsy dancers, which seemed to fly as they danced.

A brief history of Samba
The roots of samba came from a mix between African and European influences. Many agree that batuque was the dance and the rhythm in which Africans showed their culture. Batuque was the main body of popular Brazilian music, from it came many branches and trends, which spread through the nation, including urban and rural areas.

Batuque was a group folk dance, not a ballroom dance. The word ‘samba’ came from the African word ‘semba’, meaning belly button in the Luanda dialect. The word first appeared at the beginning of the 19th Century, appearing in a North East of Brazil publication by a priest called Lopes Gama.

The first samba song recorded was in 1917, called Pelo Telefone, from the duet Donga and Mauro de Almeida. There are also unconfirmed reports of samba recordings dating back to 1912 and 1914.

An interesting aspect is that the Soltinho is not a rhythm, but a dance that can be danced to almost any ballad.

Also called Brazilian Swing and Brazilian Rock, Sotinho’s popularity expanded rapidly in the 1980s.
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Axe' (solo)
This dance requires a lot of energy, is very good exercise and is so much fun. It mixes steps from Samba, Forró, Merengue and others, and is usually a group dance, somewhat like an aerobics workout.

Its Afro-Brazilian music has a fast tempo, with lyrics describing the various actions of the dance. Pronounced “ashay”, the dance originates from Bahia in the north-east of Brazil.
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Samba Pagode
This traditional Brazilian couple dance is particularly popular in Sao Paulo. Its style features some steps from Gafieira, but it has a faster, stronger rhythm and is danced more on the spot. Samba Pagode has origins in the pubs of Sao Paulo, and in big Samba parties (Rodas de Samba) where people met to play and dance Samba. It evolved from the need to dance between tables and in confined spaces. Samba Pagode’s steps were originally very simple, but generous dance floors have enabled this to grow into a beautiful dance.
“Samba Pagode” means "party of Samba".
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Samba Rock
Description of the dance
Samba Rock is a fusion of Samba and American rhythms such as jazz, soul and blues. Rock and swing dancing from the 50s and 60s influenced this dance style, although it has smoother movements, many turns, and no aerial steps.

The dance and movements started in the suburbs of Sao Paulo, where dancers would display wonderful turns and dance style. It is now very popular and is danced at all Brazilian parties, creating a new generation of Samba Rock fans.

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