Brazilian SAMBA By: Charlotte Kaihau Megan Walker Claudia Yazzie.

Brazilian SAMBA

By:Charlotte KaihauMegan WalkerClaudia Yazzie

Samba History:– Refugee slaves from Africa- moved to Rio

de Janiero and danced the Samba. – Candomble- religion from Africa. – Orixa’s- gods of specific elements or

seasons.– Used to invoke spirits or talk to the dead.– Samba music can be found in Angola, Africa– The music was brought to Brazil with the

slave trading in the interval 1600-1888.– First performed in the slum cities of Brazil

where poor people lived.– Today, all people of the Brazilian culture

participate in samba as a part of Carnival. – Performers are mainly from schools,

although they are mostly women in risqué costumes.

General Information

• Samba comes from semba a Western African Bantu word that was carried to Brazil by the slaves that means to pray and call upon the spirits of the Gods and ancestors of the people.

• Became the word used by the slaves to describe their religious ceremonies where they’d try to invoke spirits from beyond or gods.

• Through the years these movements began to change into the Samba that the nation displays today.

Samba• Costumes:

– traditionally wore regular everyday clothing

– eventually strip off everyday clothes and adorn the costume of the appropriate orixa.

– If it were a male orixa in a female then she’d where the pants of the costume.

– If it were a female orixa in a male then he’d keep his pants, but where the very wide dress, collars, bracelets, and ribbons.

– Otherwise the female would wear it if possessed by a female orixa and the male would wear the traditional vest or short coat, pants and hats or crowns of a male orixa.

– In modern times the traditional costumes still exist, but there is also more popularly the bikini of the Carnival samba dancers.

Samba• Where it is performed:

– Indoor or outdoors– in a hall– in a backyard– the streets especially these days as in Carnival.

• Movements are very fast and high energy in a Carnival and a dancer needs to stand out.

• Music:– Ranging from intimate samba-cancões (samba songs) sung in bars to

loud explosive drum parades performed during carnival. – Drums are the instrument of choice in Samba including an array of

different sized drums. – Chanting is involved in the traditional as well as chanting and or

singing in the modern day version, but to a lesser degree.

Dance Space

• Rhythm: 4/4 time syncopated rapid steps on a quarter beat• Three-step weight changes with a slight knee lift

– Voltas– Bota Fogos– Kick Change– Samba Side Steps– Samba Strut

• Group Dance: done in circles with a soloist or in double lines with happy, flirtatious and exuberant face

• Clothing: Elaborate costumes• Music: Samba music has a tempo of about 100 beats per minute (50 measures per

minute)• Instruments:

– Tamborim– Chocalho– Reco-reco– Cabaca

Celebration- Carnival 

• Samba schools have been recognized since 1935 as official Carnival organizations

• Included in the annual Carnival in Rio de Janeiro held on January 6, the Day of Kings

• Samba schools work year round to prepare for carnival – making costumes– designing and building floats– preparing and rehearsing their

songs and dances

• All members of their society are encouraged to join in

• Express ethnic pride and better relationships between racial and religious groups in the society

• Samba has become a tradition in Carnival celebration every year

http://www.carnivalservice.com/rio-carnival-videos.php

What has been lost?• Nothing has been lost• Samba has actually opened more

doors and influenced other forms in different cultures– International success of "Aquarela do

Brasil," by Ary Barroso, followed with Carmen Miranda (supported by Getúlio Vargas government and the US Good Neighbor policy)• which led to the samba United States

– Success in Europe and Japan – Samba schools in Europe

• Germany• Belgium• Netherlands• France• Sweden• Switzerland

– In Japan• records invest heavily in the launch

of former Sambistas set of discs • eventually created a market

comprised solely of catalogs of Japanese record labels

• Other ways it has influenced other cultures– Rhythm and bar set musically– Culture of food – Dances varied

• Miudinho• Coco• samba de roda• Pernada

– Parties– Clothes

• shoe nozzle fine• linen shirt

– NAIF painting • Nelson Sargento• Guilherme de Brito• Heitor dos Prazeres• Anonymous artists community that makes the

clothes, costumes, carnival floats and cars opens the wings of schools of samba

– Painters– Sculptors– Designers– Stylists

Samba in the US

• Oppressed or privileged in the US? – Brazilians have not been

specifically oppressed, but as a subculture they have kept to themselves, more so in the past, than the present.

– Free to express movement, dance and music traditions in this country

– It is now one of the 5 Latin dances used in competitions

Introduced to US in Broadway play called “Street Carnival” in the late twenties.

Then in 1933-Movie “Flying Down to Rio”-

Danced by Fred Astaire and Dolores

Del Rio

Ways this group have contributed to American culture as we know it

• Brazilian Samba has not contributed directly to American culture.

• Influences started around 1930 and 1940

• Ballroom Latin dance• One style is called Bossa Nova

– Gained popularity worldwide through the work of Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim

• Arrived in the US – Albums of Gilberto working

with American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz.

• Influenced American orchestras in vogue since the Second World War: cultural impact of US music post-war

• Use of instruments• Trombones• Trumpets• Choro• Flute• Clarinet

Discrimination, stereotypes, bigotry, or legislation that has suppressed this group

• Brazilians that are in the USA may have had to deal with some discrimination, but they have been free to express their movement, dance and music traditions in this country.

• This group has not been specifically discriminated against, stereotyped, or had any legislation suppressing it, nor has it been given any privileges.

• Once kept their traditional dancing private• More interesting is the oppression they’ve had to experience

in their own country. – Invaded by Portuguese and most of them turned into slaves. – Napoleon gets closer to invading their king up and runs off leaving his son and heir in

charge. – The country was run by two dictators.– Their nation was run by the military soon after.– In a way it’s similar to the Asante tribe with their large celebrations of achievements and

both forms hold roots in African traditions.

Evolution of their dance and cultural celebrations in this country

• Allowed to show others their dance, the Samba, and the ballroom dance community has adopted their dance. It has continued to evolve and their culture is allowed to celebrate and others are invited to watch or join.

• They all try to work together• Cultural traditions are important• Every racial and religious group asked to join and work towards

better relationships within their community• Similarities:

– we try to let everyone do their own thing– express ourselves any way they want as long as we abide by governing

regulations• Commonalities:

– We share a joy in dancing or watching the Samba• Many dance shows on television, like Dancing with the Stars, that society

enjoys watching many different styles of dance, which have included the Samba

• Samba is considered a moderately popular ballroom dance and is one of the 5 used in the Latin competitions

Conclusion

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• Sedberg, Frode (2010). Origin of Samba Music Retrieved from http://www.sambacity.info

• Witt, Jessica & Tony (2010). Brazilian Samba. Retrieved from www.amoredance.com/Dancehist.html

• Images: Retrieved from www.google.com

Photos Bibliography• Afro-Brazilian Arts: Capoeira Batuque in Santa Barbara (Photo of painting) 2009. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from

http://ucsbglobalvoices.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/rugendasroda.jpg• Amado, Andrea & Michelle Cavalcante (2005-2009) Carnival Service. (Video) Retrieved 4/27/2010 from

http://www.carnivalservice.com/rio-carnival-videos.php • Ballroom Dance Classes at The Grand Ballroom (Photo) 2010. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from

http://www.grandballroom.com/downloads/Photos/GB%20group%20class%203.jpg• Carnival Samba (Photo) . Retrieved 4/23/2010 from

http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090223-carnival-samba- hmed2p.hmedium.jpg • dancejam.com (photo) 2010. Retrieved 4/27/2010 from

http://pad.dancejam.com/v/105/458/496/original_1054584960.jpg Samba meets Sushi (photo) 2008. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://img477.imageshack.us/i/p1012232nt3.jpg/

• Dream Brasil. (Photo) 2009. Retrieved 4/27/2010 from http://www.dreambrasil.com.br/vacation-packages/brazil/fotos/salvador_orixas1.jpg

• Flying Down to Rio, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Dolores Del Rio, 1933 (Photo of Movie Poster) 2010. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/37/3724/56OAF00Z.jpg

• Latin dance costume "Paso Samba" (Photo) 2010. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://www.ad-couture.com/images/Victory-1.jpg

• Longcor, Michelle. myspace. Retrieved 4/27/2010 from http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c256/namegu7/samba.jpg • More Samba Ladies(Photo) 2010. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-

s/00/10/a8/c7/more-samba-ladies.jpg • Noites de Choro e Jazz no SESC Av. Paulista! (Photo) 2010. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from

http://stoccontando.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/_historia-do-choro.jpg• Samba Dancers (Photo) 2004. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041129/biz1.jpg • Samba Schools glory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ! (Photo) 2005. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from http://www.sambacity.info/samba-

schools.html• Samba School Large (Photo) 2008. Retrieved 4/23/2010 from

http://www.iec.ch/online_news/etech/arch_2008/etech_1208/pic_world/samba_school_large.jpg