Things you should know about...Samba Dancing

It is widely thought that the Samba dance originated in Bahia, where enslaved Africans would gather after long days of labour to perform their religious rituals of Candomblé, Capoeira and Samba dancing in a circle (Samba de Roda). With the abolition of slavery, black women who migrated to Rio brought the dance with them. One of them, Tia Ciata, became famous for hosting events at her house. The dance grew in popularity and over the years became the mesmerizing spectacle that we know today.

by By Foteini Foteinaki

1. Samba is the official music of Brazil, recognized by UNESCO as the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.’ The Brazilian composer and researcher Nei Lopes described it as “the most impressive phenomenon of the twentieth century. In 100 years, it went from being a persecuted culture to the symbol of a nation.”

2. There are many different expressions of Samba styles according to geographic location and social trends. To name a few, the traditional Samba de Roda from the heart of Bahia, Jongo from South East, Samba no Pé and Samba Enredo from the schools of samba, the choreographed ballroom Samba de Gafieira, Chorinho from Rio de Janeiro, Samba Rock, a fusion of Samba and Soul that developed in the 60’s, and Samba-reggae and Pagode, which are very popular nowadays.

3. Samba schools are cultural but also economic and social institutions, providing for families and communities, who dedicate their lives to them. Putting a Carnival parade together means employing dancers, choreographers, musicians, dressmakers, carpenters, and painters for a year. A traditional Samba school has on an average 4000 members.

4. Each of Brazil’s states has its own Carnival Parade that lasts one week, during a national holiday. The event is so big that 14 cities across Brazil have their purpose-build Sambadrome.

5. Each year, each Samba school dances to its unique Samba Enredo - themed Samba song written on a specific theme that characterizes their parade. The song is sung by the followers of the school and danced only by the dancers called passistas and the queen of the drums (Rainha de Bateria). The parade is also a competition, and each school strives to get the highest points for its music, appearance, floats, and harmony of processions.

6. When in Rio, visit the Samba Museum and Samba Matrix Memorial project in the Cartola Cultural Centre, full of testimonies of the people responsible for maintaining this tradition. Also, watch the film Black Orpheus that won the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival and was written by the famous Brazilian poet and diplomat Vinicius de Moraes. The film plot is about the Brazilian Carnival and the social struggles of the black community in Rio de Janeiro.

7. In London you can find authentic private classes and well-established Samba schools; The London School of Samba (G.R.E.S. Unidos de Londres), founded in 1984, is a traditional community school, and G.R.E.S. Paraiso School of Samba, a newer school established in 2002, both registered charities. Both schools offer dance and drumming classes weekly and provide opportunities for costume making.