Samba
Samba is not only the dance associated with the biggest
carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
First of all Samba is a music with combination of African, native Indian and
Iberian influences (Afro-Brazilian slave culture started in the 16th Century). It varies from a slow, more relaxed tempo and a melancholic guitar
sound, to a very hot and cheerful character. One thing that joins them all is
the unique rhythm used in African religion – Candobe. From there, most probably
comes the name, after ‘san-ba’ meaning ‘to pray’.
As a dance, Samba travelled
to North America and Europe in the middle 1920’s
as a solo couple dancing in a circle of others clapping to mark the rhythm.
The composite dance evolved several years later with traditional African dance
figures, body rolls and sway, and, of course, carnival steps like ‘Copacabana’.
Later on the closed ballroom hold was added, as well as progressive steps, gaining
attention from European countries in the early 20th Century. Samba
Carioca, or Rocking Samba, was more gentle and standardised form of this dance
popularised by Fred Astaire in ‘Flying down to Rio’.
In current form Samba was formalised in
1956, retaining some truly Brazilian Carnival’s figures with difficult hip
movements on the half of the beats between steps. It is danced with weight
forward, on bend legs, to various rhythms and styles to fit modern music and
changing styles of competitive dances.
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