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The Bossa Nova was first heard in small clubs and Cafe's in the beach front districts of Rio de Janeiro around 1958. In its home of Brazil, the Bossa-Nova can be translated as "the new beat or new way." Antonio Carlos Jobim is credited as naming the Bossa Nova to describe João Gilberto's new musical style. This was a much softer, smoother and dignified version of the the Samba. Gilberto made a few albums and played Bossa Nova's at out door concerts in Rio de Janeiro. Although prior attempts at changing Brazils music happened before, None ever caught on except Gilberto's. Charlie Byrd credited WMAL Radio Personality Felix Grant for introducing the Bossa Nova over the radio via Paulo Santos (Brazillian DJ).
The roots of the Bossa Nova music were created by young Brazillian musicians looking for a new way on an old theme ... The Samba, they added Jazz to it. All roads point to Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001), all three are musician / |
Composers who wrote the first Bossa Nova "A felicidade" for the 1958 (1959) film "Black Orpheus," Sidney Frey brought the music to the United States while Elvis Presley and songs like the "The Girl From Ipanema" made it a somewhat popular music. The Music is likened to a subtle Jazz-Samba. The term Bossa Nova is slang for the ''New Thing", "New Wave," "New Way", a "New Beat" or ''New Feeling."
"1962 VARIETY Magazine" has suggested that the record industry may be trying to develop a dance to go with bossa nova. One record publisher was quoted as saying that "a new beat has to have an accompaning Dance. Songwriters tried to create a dance for the Bossa Nova like days gone by. Vocalist Edie Gormé recorded the pop tune "Blame It on the Bossa Nova," a song in which the style is depicted as a dance is a good example. The dance was said to be going to replace the Twist, and other dances, however it did not.
The dance originated around 1960 and was somewhat popular by 1963 as people were trying to dance to the Bossa Nova, however the music was much more popular than the dance due to it's hasty commercialism of releasing the music without a dance to go with it. In a Newspaper poll of Teenagers in 1963, they said they liked the music but hated the dance. They explained it was "to fast for slow dancing and to slow for fast dancing". Others said they liked the dance ... but the general consensus is the dance was not very good... People for some reason thought of the Bossa Nova as a listening or concert type music rather than a dancing music overall which may have been the result of the White House and Carnegie Hall concerts shown on TV as well as not having a dance to dance it.
Pacific Stars and Stripes Newspaper wrote: "Dance studios (Fred Astaire) have come up with versions of the Bossa Nova dance step which seems to be modifications and combinations of the Twist, Mambo, Samba, Conga and Rhumba." Some of the pattern names were Knee Rock, the Walk, the Serpentine, Peeling the Banana and other descriptive terms.The dance is basically the opposite steps of the rumba, (Slow-Quick-Quick) with a subtle Samba flair, very similar to today's much slower Nightclub Two-step. The dance can be done in couple or solo form.
Joe Lanza says (but not verified) that he choreographed the first "Bossa Nova Dance" to "Bossa-Nova Music." Lenny Dale is also credited to have created the First Bossa Nova dance in Rio. There are about 20 reported people who have made the claim of inventing the dance from California to New York and over-seas ... However it was most likely created by Fred Astaire Dance Studios as they are the most reported to have worked on the dance in the first year of its musical release and most likely the ones who had the power to deliver the dance nation-wide (In one interviews Arthur Murray studios said it was working on a dance and in the same interview Fred Astaire was already offering lessons in a Samba/Mambo version c.1/1962 they created). |
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Birth Place |
Creation Date |
Creator |
Dance Type |
Los Angeles |
1960 |
Fred Astaire Dance Studios |
Latin/ Samba |
Rio de Janeiro |
1958 |
João Gilberto (the Music) |
Jazz-Samba |
Posters, Lobby Cards |
Sheet Music Covers |
Music Titles |
n/a |
Bossa Nova Baby |
1959 - Black Orpheus [Soundtrack] |
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Girl From Ipanema |
1963 - Bossa Nova Baby [mp3] |
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1969 - Orfeu Negro (Samba) |
Amazon Bossa Nova (the Cals) |
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Balanco No Samba |
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Blame It On The Bossa Nova [mp3] (Gormé) |
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Desafinado [mp3] (Jobim) |
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Dream Bossa Nova |
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Girl From Ipanema [mp3] |
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Goza Goza |
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Hello Dolly |
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Jazza Nova (Allencar 1962) |
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Dizzy Gillespie - Jivin' In Be-Bop (some clips) |
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La Chica de Ipanema |
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Melancolio |
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Samba De Una Nota [mp3] (aka One Note Samba) |
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So Danco Samba [mp3] |
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The Victors |
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Byrd and Getz - "Jazz Samba" Album |
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Night Clubs |
Television |
Locations |
Aaragon Ballroom (Chicago 1962) |
1961 - Carnegie Hall (Lanza) |
Brazil |
Black Hawk Club (San Fran) |
1962 - Phil Shapiro's - At Carnegie Hall |
Chili |
Bossa Nova Inn |
1962 - Bossa Nova At Carnegie Hall |
Portugal |
Club 13 |
1/3/1963 - Perry Como Show (Bonfa) |
Rio de Janeiro |
El Matador (SF) |
11/4/1963 - Andy Williams (Jobim - Nick Castle dncrs) |
Sa Paolo |
El Poche Cafe (Pasadena, CA 1963) |
11/20/1963 - Edie Admas Show |
USA |
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8/13/1964 - Andy Williams Show (BN dance) |
White House (11/19/1962) Paul Winter |
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4/2/1965 - Red Skelton (w/ Ginger Rogers) |
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7/4/1965 - Perry Como Show (Genarro) |
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4/13/1968 - Frank Sinatra - A Man & His Music (Jobim) |
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Bossa Nova Related Films |
Ballets / Stage |
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1959 - Black Orpheus [DVD] (Jobim) |
1968 - Brasiliana (Askanasy) |
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1959 - Pista de Grama (Jobim) |
1970 - Zumbi (Arena Theatre of Sao Palo) |
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1959 - Pistoleiro Bossa Nova |
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1960 - Esse Rio Que Eu Amo (Jobim) |
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1961 - Quiero morir en carnaval |
Newspaper Publications |
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1962 - Copacabana Palace (Bonfá) |
11/11/1962 - Independant Star News (Music needs a dance) |
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1962 - Porto das Caixas (Jobim) |
11/18/1962 - Oakland Tribune (Music Needs New Dance, Major Studio Chain hired by Music studios to create it) |
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1963 - Deadly Affair (BN Music) |
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1963 - Fun In Acapulco [DVD] (Elvis / Dance / Song) |
12/3/1962 - Cedar Rapids Gazette - (Astaire Studios create new dance) |
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1963 - A Ticklish Affair (Buttons / Jones - Dance) |
1/10/1963 - Lima News (Lenny Dale creates Bozza Nova Dance) |
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1964 - Bossa Nova (Documentary) |
2/13/1963 - Press Tribune (Teens like music / hate the dance) |
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1964 - Get Yourself a College Girl (Getz, Astrud Gilberto)....................... |
2/15/1963 Long Beach Independant (Someone created ridiculous dance) |
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1964 - Santo Módico, O (Jobim) |
2/28/1963 - News-Herald (Enoch Light says no one dances during Bossa Nova) |
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1965 - Man Outside (Jobim) |
5/19/1963 - Fresno Bee Republican (Bossa Nova just keeps going) |
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1965 - Pluft, o Fantasminha (Jobim) |
8/9/1963 - Pacific Stars and Stripes (New Music Sweeping Country) |
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1967 - Garota de Ipanema (Jobim, Eca) |
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1970 - Adventurers, The (Jobim) |
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1985 - Um Filme 100% Brasileiro (Luiz Eça) |
Magazine / Publications |
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1996 - Bossa Nova [DVD]: Music & Reminiscences |
1963 - Ebony Magazine |
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1999 - Bossa Nova [DVD] (Amy Irving) |
$ Chega de saudade: a história e as histórias da bossa nova |
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$ 1998 - Stan Getz: Bossa Novas |
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$ 1998 The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa etc. |
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$ 1999 - Bossa Nova, Samba: History, Lyrics... |
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$ 2000 - Best of the Bossa Nova's |
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$ 2000 - Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian
Music That Seduced the World |
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$ 2000 - Jobim: the Art of the Bossa Nova w/ CD |
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$ 2000 - Jobim: The Best of Bossa Nova |
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$ 2003 - The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots |
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Dancers, Choreographers etc. |
Political |
Albert and Josephine Butler (1963 Pageant Mag) |
"Killer Joe" Piro |
n/a |
Ann Sothern & Andy Williams |
Lenny Dale |
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Ann Margaret |
Peter Genarro |
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Elvis Presley |
Peter Konstantinou (1963 Instructor) |
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Gene Navarre ( 1962 Instructor) |
Racquel Welch |
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Ginger Rogers (Red Skelton Show) |
Red Buttons & Carolyn Jones (Tickilish Affair) |
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Grace V. Hansen (1963 Instructor) |
Vera Marchette (1963 Instructor) |
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Joe Lanza (Instructor) |
Vonda Urban (1962- Aaragon Instructor) |
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Jose Mejia and Janice (El Poche) |
Walt Medicis (1963 Instructor) |
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Books, Magazine Articles on the dance... |
Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Pageant Magazine |
~ |
1963 |
~ |
Dancing Step by Step |
Coles |
1978 |
n/a |
Ballroom Dance Rhythms |
Heaton, Alma |
1971 |
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Original Musicians / Singers / Composer |
Singers |
Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim [CD] (1927-1994) |
Agostino Dos Santos |
Cal Tjader |
Astrud Gilberto [b.1940] (Wife of Joao. with Getz) |
Cannonball Adderley [CD] (1928-1975) |
Carmen Costa (1962) |
Charlie Byrd [CD] (1925-1999) |
Elvis Presley (1935-1977) |
Dick Farney (E Seu Quarteto de Jazz Jam-1956) |
Edie Gormé (b.1931) |
Enoch Light Orchestra (1962) |
Maria Toledo |
Herbie Mann |
Paul Anka |
João Gilberto [CD] (b.1931) |
Peggy Lee |
Joao Tabajara |
Vic Damone |
Lalo Schifrin |
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Laurindo Almeida quartet (1962) |
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Luiz Bonfá [CD] (1922-2001) |
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Luizinho Eça [CD] (1936-1992) |
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Mario Reis [CD] (1907-1981) |
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Os Gatos [CD] |
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Oscar Castro- Neves Quartet (1962 - San Fran) |
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Paulo Alencar and his Brazilian All Stars |
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Paul Winter Jazz Sextet (1962 at the White House) |
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Ramsey Louis Trio (1962) |
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Roberto Baden Powell de Aquino (8/6/1937-9/26/2000) |
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Roy Eldridge (1911-1989) |
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$ Si Zentner |
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$ Stan Getz (1927-1991) |
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Vince Guaraldi Trio |
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Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches |
Bailes |
Jazz Samba |
Garota de Ipanema |
Beatniks |
Counter-Rhythm |
samba-canção |
Jovem Guarda |
Bop / Jazz |
Desafinado |
Tamba |
the Clave |
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Mulatto |
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Basic Step: |
- Can be couples or as solo. If Solo, one hand on stomach, other hand held up, slight side sway with hip motion
(can use Samba and Rumba patterns as well) .... basic steps are as follows:
Forward on left foot (Follower opposite foot),
Close right foot to left foot without changing weight to that foot. (Follower opposite foot),
Right foot back, (Follower opposite foot),
Close left foot to right foot changing weight to that foot. (Follower opposite foot),
Repeat Starting with Opposite Foot.
(Basically: Step-Touch-Step-Step or Slow-Quick-Quick). Some dance pattern names:
Rhythm Basic... The Bridge... Bossa Nova Box... Copacabana Promenade... The Maxixe... Rio Rock and Arc Turn... Merry-Go-Round... Fallaway... Brazilian Spot Turn, Knee Rock, the Walk, the Serpentine, Peeling the Banana |
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Other... |
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1998 Bossa Nova |
Fun In Acapulco |
Black Orpheus - VHS |
Black Orpheus CD |
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