(Couples Dance)
Even though dança de salão is translated into English as Ballroom dance, the Brazilian version is a little different. Dança de salão is a variety of dance used in Brazil in nightclubs designed for couples to dance. The most popular style is Samba de Gafieira, which got its name from the gafieira, a specific club environment. Other dances include bolero, forró, salsa, and much more. The music is usually played by a big band with at least three types of wind instruments, not to mention the drum set and everything else.
In this class, we will focus on samba de gafieira and forró because they are becoming very popular in the US, mainly in the Bay Area. The initial idea is to make you comfortable dancing with your partner while having a good time and building confidence. It’s not about flashy movements that people usually see in performances.
Samba de Gafieira
Some of the Brazilian couples dance are becoming more and more popular in the US, mainly Forró, Bolero, and Samba de Gafieira. So, where to dance? The ideal place to start is to dance at parties; in Brazil, it is very common for friends and couples to go out to dance not only in clubs but also at house parties. This is also a great opportunity for showcasing outfits. The picture below shows two of my students who took Samba de Gafieira classes with me just to perform in their outfits; I have many of these cases.
Forró
