If the word Samba makes you think of feathers and bikinis at Carnival, you’re not thinking of Ballroom Samba. Street Samba is a performance dance and I don’t teach it.
Ballroom Samba is a partner dance. It’s considered a Latin dance, but its styling is completely different from other Latin Dances that I list.
It’s rhythm is: and a one and a two and a one and a two. The hips go forward and back or side to side in opposition to the rest of the body, with much more full body motion than the Caribbean dances.
The Cuban hip action is characterized by a very proud, upright posture with all of the movement happening below the waist.
In Samba, there is a full body sway. The hip movement is unique and it’s what characterizes the dance. It’s much less common than the other Latin dances, but it’s fun to have it in your repertoire. There is a light hearted, playful attitude to Samba. You have to be willing to look a little silly. That’s a character trait worth acquiring!
