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Samba: A Brazilian Folk Dance

The history of the Samba is marked by the work and suffering of African slaves from the Congo, Sudan, and Angola. In their new home, Brazil, people had to toil hard every day and endure the torment of their owners. Brazilian Samba is based on a drummed rhythm. African slaves wanted to express the dance of their original history and culture. The Samba was always danced by two people in a circle, with those around supporting the drummed rhythm through hand clapping or clashing of utensils. Even today, Samba remains the main dance of the Rio Carnival.

Samba is classified as a Latin dance and has little in common today with the original dance style of African musicians. Striking hip movements and a forward and backward motion of the lower body are features of the dance. Samba dancers need a lot of space to execute the flowing movements and fast steps properly. It has also proven itself as a competitive dance.

Since When Have People Been Dancing?

People have been dancing for several thousand years. The first indications of dances were discovered in Indian cave paintings, dating from 5000 to 2000 BC. Drawings and images found in ancient Egypt also suggest that ritual dances were performed. These dances must have been technically demanding, leading historians to believe that there were already professional dancers at that time. The earliest dances likely belonged to the so-called round dances. Several dancers perform the same dance ste...