Samba

(1923 - Present)

The Dance

The Style

Some sources describe a Samba lean, as follows: when you step forward, you lean back, and when you step back, you lean forward. In addition, when you step left, stretch the left side of your ribcage outward, and when you step right, stretch the right side of your ribcage outward [DG56, BW58].

The Steps

Some sources describe the first quick as being longer than the second quick: dotted quarter note, eighth note, half note (1, &, 2) as opposed to quarter note, quarter note, half note (1, and, 2) [DG56].

Forward and Back Basic: A light, bouncy triple step forward (1-and-2) followed by a light bouncy triple step backward (3-and-4). The Lead starts forward left, the Follow back right [TN41, DG56, BW58]. This can turn in place to the left [BW58].
Side Basic: A light, bouncy triple step to Lead's left (1-and-2) followed by a light bouncy triple step to Lead's right (3-and-4). [BW58].
The Caixo: Side, rock step (cross slightly behind, and replace forward) to the left (1-and-2) then the same to the right [DG56]. One source notes that you can repeat one half of this step several times, i.e., side, cross behind, side, cross, behind (1-and, 2-and, etc.) [DG56].
Box Step: A box step in QQS timing (1-and-2, 3-and-4) [DG56].

Turning Box: A left-turning box step in QQS timing (1-and-2, 3-and-4). Turns 90° per half, completing a full rotation (in place) in the space of two basics [DG56].
Half Turn: Similar to the above, but turn more, so the forward of the first half and the back of the are in the same direction. You can either stop after one, making only a half turn in the space of a basic (and perhaps repeating to return to place) [DG56], or you can continue traveling continuously, like a left-turning waltz [DG56].
Full Turn: Similar to the above, but turn even more, so the Lead goes forward left on the first half, and back right to place on the second half [DG56].

Underarm Turns: The Full Turn footwork can be used for underarm turns for either Lead or Follow [DG56].

Copacabana: Like Vis à Vis in Polka: face-to-face, back-to-back [DG56].
Crossover: Drift away to open position, then step side (1), cross in front (and), replace (2), and repeat opposite (3-and-4), mirroring partner [BW58.
Free Step: The partners separate, and the Follow dances a circle around the Lead [TN41]. Perhaps with Samba Hands [TN41].
Hip Bump: Both step out to the right with right foot (1), and bump left hips (2), then step out to the left with left foot (3) and bump right hips (4) [TN41].
Maxixe Steps: One source notes that "any Maxixe step may be danced according to the dancers' fancy." As an example, the source illustrates the classic Maxixe "heel and toe" step, a double hesitation traveling to the side, stepping on the heel when rocking in front, and on the toe when rocking behind [TN41].

Here are some other positions that are described:

Left Hands Overhead: Both hold each other's left shoulders with right hands, and hold left-in-left above heads [TN41].
Heads Together: Similar to closed position, but with foreheads touching [TN41].
Samba Chain: Following the leader, single file, as in a Conga line [TN41].
Samba Hands: Not touching partner: both hold one arm across chest, and the other perpendicularly up from the horizontal hand, with high hand cupped, pointing forward (or upward), and low hand cupped, pointing down. Change the position of the hands on each triple step [TN41, DG56].

Sources

TN41 — The Tennessean. (1941, December 21). "Now the Samba and How to Do It." The Tennessean (Nashville, TN).
DG56 — Dance Guild, Inc. (1956). Samba Made Easy. New York.
BW58 — Betty White. (1958). Betty White's Latin-American Dance Book. New York.

For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.

For full-length teaching videos, visit: University of Dance.

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