What is one of the first things that often comes to mind when a person thinks about Brazil? Samba. Samba is an exciting and sensual dance that has roots in Africa and Europe but has always been recognized as a symbol of Brazil. Samba is the most popular form of expression in Brazil and is an icon for Brazilian identity.
The modern samba has a 2/4 tempo, and is traditionally played by strings and more varied percussion instruments like the tambourine. Nowadays you'll often see some brass and woodwind instruments thrown in: trombones and trumpets and chor, flute and clarinet.
Samba is more than a dance. It is a people. It is a culture. It is a cuisine, a style, a dress, and a party. National Samba Day is on December 2 when the whole country of Brazil celebrates their national pastime. During Rio Carnival, arguably the biggest and most important party of the year, thousands and thousands of people dance the Samba in the Sambadromo, Samba schools spending small fortunes to prepare unique and fantastic performances to the crowds in Rio.
With the evolution of music in the 20th century, Samba has stayed in step with the times, fusing with different beats, crossing genres, etc. In the 1960's Samba music expanded to create Samba-funk, which fused traditional Samba with an American funk group recently arrived in Brazil. In the 1980's when Brazilian rock and disco were gaining popularity over the Samba a fresher, underground Samba emerged in the Rio suburbs, which incorporated Samba with the banjo and the tan-tan changing the language of the music to meet the needs of communities changing tastes.
Samba has merged with Caribbean beats to create samba-rap, samba-reggae and samba-rock. It seems that whatever music flows into Brazil, soon enough it emerges with a samba twist. The national beats have been laid down, and the people are proud and ready to show the world, who the best Samba dancers are every year during Carnival. No one else is really a contender.
No Brazil vacation would be complete without a visit to a Samba school to see high quality dancing or perhaps to even go out for an evening of Samba dancing yourself. The locals would be happy to teach you. So put your dancing shoes on and book your Brazil vacation.
While you're in Rio, you can tour Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer, at night you'll dance some samba, and experience the pulsing Rio nightlife. In Brazil you don't want to miss Iguazu Falls, the most amazing waterfalls in the world which you can tour from both the Brazil side and the Argentina side. And since you're on the border, and you're already dancing samba so well, why not learn to dance the Tango in Argentina.
Buenos Aires is just a short flight away, where you will be able to experience the rich impact that Tango has had on Argentinean culture in a similar way that the Samba has become the symbol of Brazil. This Brazil/Argentina package will shine some light on the vibrant South America culture.
The modern samba has a 2/4 tempo, and is traditionally played by strings and more varied percussion instruments like the tambourine. Nowadays you'll often see some brass and woodwind instruments thrown in: trombones and trumpets and chor, flute and clarinet.
Samba is more than a dance. It is a people. It is a culture. It is a cuisine, a style, a dress, and a party. National Samba Day is on December 2 when the whole country of Brazil celebrates their national pastime. During Rio Carnival, arguably the biggest and most important party of the year, thousands and thousands of people dance the Samba in the Sambadromo, Samba schools spending small fortunes to prepare unique and fantastic performances to the crowds in Rio.
With the evolution of music in the 20th century, Samba has stayed in step with the times, fusing with different beats, crossing genres, etc. In the 1960's Samba music expanded to create Samba-funk, which fused traditional Samba with an American funk group recently arrived in Brazil. In the 1980's when Brazilian rock and disco were gaining popularity over the Samba a fresher, underground Samba emerged in the Rio suburbs, which incorporated Samba with the banjo and the tan-tan changing the language of the music to meet the needs of communities changing tastes.
Samba has merged with Caribbean beats to create samba-rap, samba-reggae and samba-rock. It seems that whatever music flows into Brazil, soon enough it emerges with a samba twist. The national beats have been laid down, and the people are proud and ready to show the world, who the best Samba dancers are every year during Carnival. No one else is really a contender.
No Brazil vacation would be complete without a visit to a Samba school to see high quality dancing or perhaps to even go out for an evening of Samba dancing yourself. The locals would be happy to teach you. So put your dancing shoes on and book your Brazil vacation.
While you're in Rio, you can tour Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer, at night you'll dance some samba, and experience the pulsing Rio nightlife. In Brazil you don't want to miss Iguazu Falls, the most amazing waterfalls in the world which you can tour from both the Brazil side and the Argentina side. And since you're on the border, and you're already dancing samba so well, why not learn to dance the Tango in Argentina.
Buenos Aires is just a short flight away, where you will be able to experience the rich impact that Tango has had on Argentinean culture in a similar way that the Samba has become the symbol of Brazil. This Brazil/Argentina package will shine some light on the vibrant South America culture.
By Matthew Barker