The Samba Dance, mostly danced in 2/4 time, arose from a mixture of African and European influences in the 1500’s. The dance is characterized by rapid rhythmic steps and a swaying, rocking motion from the dancers made to lively beats.
European colonizers in Latin America brought African slaves who had their unique culture which was expressed mainly through song and dance. Samba emerged as a one-person dance and was mostly done in private since the upper-class Brazilians disapproved of the dance as being obscene. When slavery was abolished it allowed a considerable popularity of the dance, but it was not until the 1920s when the dance became widely accepted.
The health benefits of dancing Samba regularly include higher energy levels due to improved circulation, better hip movement and posture.
