Today, when people talk about the dance of Brazil, immediately the Samba comes to mind. It is a highly energetic and sensual dance form that has managed to capture the hearts and minds of people. The Samba made its way to the United States some time during the latter part of the 1920s. It was then that Samba dance and music became extremely popular.

It is believed that the Samba originated in Africa. It was a dance performed by couples. However, there is not much known about its origin. There are some who believe that the Samba music originated from another style of music called Choro. However, Samba is a performance that contains both dancing as well as singing.

The word Samba comes from Semba, which is a Portuguese word. The Africans who came to the New World interpret this word in several ways. Some say that it means to pray, while others say it is a reference to a woman. However, the first reference to the word was made in the year 1838 in a newspaper, which claimed that it meant dance and rhythm.

The slaves used to dance to the Samba, but it was not approved by the settlers. They did not find the dance movements and the music appropriate. However, as time went by, the dance saw several changes and from a group dance, it became into a couple dance. Then, in the 1960s, several musicians popularized the Samba music, and by the 1970s, it was a popular music that people loved to hear over the radio. In the early part of the 1980s, the popularity of the Samba declined due to other kinds of Brazilian music. However, there was resurgence in its popularity soon after due to introduction of other musical instruments like the tan-tan and banjo. Soon Samba was amalgamated with other styles of music like reggae and rap.

While Samba is popular around the world, in Brazil not all people accept it. Many Brazilians feel that the Samba music and dance is primarily for people from the lower classes of the society.

Kum Martin is an online leading expert in history and education. He also offers top quality articles like:
Stone Age Art, Middle Ages Life http://www.historyking.com/age-of-history/middle-ages/index.html