The Samba (or Mesemba) which means 'to Pray' is an Afro-Brazilian dance from Bahia, Brazil. It is said to have been derived from a dance called the Lundu, (adding a ballroom hold), The West African-Slaves, Portuguese Songs and Indian rituals. When different body motions and carnival steps were added to the dance, it would be called the "Zemba Queca ", which was described as "a graceful Brazilian dance" way back in 1885 and later became known as the Mesemba and finally mixing with the Maxixe during the 1900's became known as

the Samba but didn't gain any real recognition in the USA till 1940, replacing the Boomps-A-Daisy dance from England.

There are different versions done today such as:
~ Samba de umbigada (most authentic),
~ Samba no Pé (main carnival type),
~ Samba de Gafieira which is a type of 'Brazillian Tango' or Maxixe done to Samba music,
~ The Pagode (partner) and
~ Samba Rock (uses modern music). In 1976 during his tour of Brazil, Bill Haley met a rock group called Lee Jackson. This group mixed rock and roll with samba music, creating "rock samba" [Format: 12" LP, Label: Copacabana, Catalog #: COLP12037 (Promo)].
~ Carioca Samba, Hollywoods version.
~ Baion or a Batucado = (AKA).

The Samba was nicknamed 'The South American Waltz' and the Bossa Nova is a variant of the Samba.

    The Maxixe (bresilien tango) was the first Brazilian folk dance to hit the states in the 1910s. Then came the Samba and by 1924 found Europe. The Carioca Samba (Ballroom version) named after a small river in Rio de Janeiro became popular in the United States in 1933, although it was a Hollywood creation, based on another dance in Rio it was choreographed by Fred Astaire for the movie "Flying Down to Rio".

    The ballroom Samba was introduced to the States about 1917 and most early Samba's were written as Two-Steps . It has been reported that Virginia Goletz, (Pasadena, CA), brought the "authentic Brazilian Samba" from Rio to the U.S. However, she probably more of "reintroduced it" to a few Californians.

    The samba is the main dance done at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil since 1935 (Carnival is held Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday) , however, its roots go way back with the Saturnalias and Baccanals (see Bacchus) of ancient times. Today during Carnival it is no longer danced as a couple dance in Brazil. The dance usually consists of a "Long Quick-Short Quick-Slow" rhythm ("one_and-ah-two") done in 2/4, 4/4, 6/8 time with 2/4 being the main signature, done around 100+ bpms and was said to be the bridge between the dignified forms of ballroom dances and Jitterbug (Chujoy - 1940s).

The Batuque:
during the Afro-Brazilian jam sessions the Batuque dancers form a circle around one performer. This solo dancer chooses his successor for the exhibition spot while shouting the word "sama." This dance is said to be connected to the Samba.

Films / Movies

Television

Ballets / Stage

1927 - Samba (may not be dance related)

Street Carnival (1920s) 

1929 - Samba (may not be dance related)

1932 - Truc du brésilien, Le

$1933 - Flying Down To Rio

1941 - That Night In Rio

$1942 - Springtime In The Rockies

Instructional Videos

Publications

1948 - Samba Mania (Paramount Short)

$ Samba Funky Moves (Kunitz)

8/24/1940 - Port Arthur News (Samba w/ Romero & Ryan)

1948 - Samba Rhythm

$1950 - Nancy Goes To Rio

1950s - Copa Cabana Review (w/ 6 Samba Sirens)

1959 - Quem Roubou Meu Samba

1960 - Black Orpheus

1965 - Samba

$1977 - Beat of the Heart: Samba of Brazil

1979 - Bye Bye Brasil (Salome)

1979 - Maxixe, a Dança Proibida

$1980 - Brazil

$ 1982 - Spirit of Samba: Black Music of Brazil DVD

1999 - Samba Master

2001 - Samba Riachão

2004 - Samba in Mettmann

Other Related Dances of the time...

Bambuco

Carioca

danzon'

Mambo

Rhumba

Batugue (sama)

Cateretês

Embolada

Maxixe

Salsa (See Mambo)

Bolero

Cha-Cha

Lambada

Merengue

The Son

Bossa Nova

Chorro

Latin Dance

Masemba

Tango

Capoeira

Conga

Lundu

Night Club Two Step

Two-Step

Carimba

Contradanse

Macarena

Paso Doble

Zemba Queca

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

1914 - Del Rio and Luis

Delores Del Rio

1950s - Princess Margaret

1928 - Paul Boucher

Hermes Pan

Manuel I

1933 - Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

Lamar & Rosita

Marge and Gower Champion

1950s - Pierre Levelle (he formalized it)

Vernon & Irene Castle (Maxixe)

1950's - Six Samba Sirens, the

Betty Hannon

Carmen Miranda

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

unknown dance title (My Cover Missing)

Boucher, Paul

1928

in France

Dance Encyclopedia

Chujoy, Anatole

1949

A.S. Barnes & Co.

Let's Dance (The Champions)

Taylor, Bob

1954

Grosett & Dunlap

History Of Ballroom Dancing

Stepenson

1980

Doubleday

$ Samba

Guillermoprieto, Alma

1991

Vintage

$ The Brazilian Sound

Pessanha, McGowen

1998

Temple Univ. Press

$ Social History of Brazilian Samba

Shaw, Lisa

1999

Ashgate Publishing

$ Samba y Lambada - Bailes de Salon

Bottomer, Paul

2000

Susaeta

Musicians/ Composers etc.

Singers

Poets / Writers

Alfredo da Rocha Vianna (Pixinguinha) 1920s

Ary Barroso

Donga

Garito (Anibal Augusto Sardinha)

João Gilberto

John Phillip Sousa

Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches

Baccanalia

Carioca (White Houses)

mangue beat

Tupi Indian Tribe

Batuque

Carnival

Masemba

Candomble

Bloco

Entrudo

Portuguese

Bota Fogo (dance step)

Kazumba (Pray)

Sambodromos

bresilien'

Lambada

Tamoyo tribe

Carnival History Link

Other...

Basic Step
(Leader starts with left foot, Follower does opposite feet / motion in opposite direction).
Timing: (6/8) or (2/4) Count: 1ah2--3ah4
Position: (Closed Ballroom Hold)

1) Move forward with left foot on count 1,
2) Step together with right foot on count "ah",
3) Step inplace with left foot on count 2,
4) Repeat above going opposite direction, starting with opposite foot, can also go sideways and angles.

Note:
dance is done with a slight rocking motion back and forth. Clasped hands held high.