BRAZILIAN SAMBA

Samba No Pé (Intensive Beginner)                            Friday's 7:30-8:30pm

This class focuses on the Samba No Pe.  Students will learn the basic samba step and will learn complex foot work, empowering movements and varied combinations in each class.  

Joy of Dance Studio - 95 Danforth Avenue                       Toronto, ON

                                  *NEW* - JANUARY 29th 2012

Samba De Roda (Beginner)                                      Sunday's 1:00-2:00pm

For information and to register for this 6-week class, please click here!

Axé Capoeira - 1069 St. Clair Ave. West, 2nd Floor          Toronto, ON

Brazilian Samba - the word Samba comes from the Kimbundo word "semba", which is a people and language native to Angola.  The word has several meanings including to pray, or "navel bump" which depicts the intimacy and invitation of the dance. 

 It is said that Samba was brought to the North Eastern state of Bahia during the Slave trade, and was preserved through African rituals and ceremonies.  The music and dance later evolved through many different influences and has become a forefront in Brazilian identity and culture.

Samba music is lively, rythmical and is danced and performed in many different styles.  The most popular form of samba dance,("Samba no pé" or foot samba), can be seen in Rio's Carnaval parades danced solo and accompanied by powerful drumming and beautiful costumes.

ANGOLAN KIZOMBA

                 *New Classes* (Coming in 2012)  

Kizomba - Native to Angola but derived directly from Zouk music, Kizomba refers to the music and/or dance which is one of the most popular musical genres in Lusophone Africa and in Portugual.  It's slow, insistent rythms contain a romantic flow which requires dancing very closely with a partner.

In recent years, Kizomba has sweapt across Western Europe, parts of the Caribbean and Brazil. This genre of music is usually sung in Portuguese or Portuguese Creole from Cape Verde which has many variations known as Cabo Zouk, Cabo Love or Zouk-love.



   Other Featured Lusophone Countries and Dances ...

Samba Axé - a dance style from the state of Bahia that is completely choreographed. Performed solo, the dance includes many afro and aerobic movements that tend to mimic the lyrics. 

Samba Reggae - Coming Soon!

     CABO VERDE

Batuku (Batuque) - One of the oldest musical genres of Cape Verde, the batuku has a call-and-response structure of singing, and hand percussion on a 'tchabeta' (bale of cloths held between the thighs).  The Batuku music and dance hails from the Island of Santiago, and was forbidden by the Portuguese until Cape Verde's Independence in 1975.  It is an adaptation of an unknown dance from the African continent and is present in ceremonial gatherings and is mostly performed by females.  The dance involves slow and rapid hip movements led by bending of the knees.

It is said that the dance is a fertility dance and is usually sung and led by a mature, respected women from the community.

Funana -  Perhaps the most upbeat form of Cape Verdean music, Funana is an accordion-based music genre and a mixed Portuguese and African dance.  It bears a great resemblance to American zydeco and is usually danced in pairs.



 Check out more info. at www.torontodance.com !

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