Samba is the typical dance and music of Brazil, of African origin, it is very similar to the rumba, but with a faster rhythm. It was the characteristic carnival of Rio de Janeiro that made samba so famous as it is now, between the years 1920 and 1930. It is one of the most important cultural manifestations in Brazil and a symbol of national identity. For samba to have that peculiar sound and rhythm, characteristic percussion instruments of Brazil are used, such as the chocalho, reco-reco, tambourine and cabaca.
There is a version of salon samba, which is similar to the rumba, where the couple lets go in order to do different steps separately, including the “balao” step. Samba originated in Africa, specifically in Angola, and later brought to Brazil by African slaves, who developed it and made it popular, and it was until the end of the 19th century that it was introduced in Rio in Janeiro. Its name derives from the choreography of this dance, which consisted of rubbing the navels, and "semba" means navel in the Bantu language.
Samba appears as a ritual dance, generated from the fusion of the Candomblé rhythm, with the Catholic elements and the Yoruba religion. And so little by little it was integrated into the carnival, and being part of the celebrations of the Afro-Brazilian population. Nowadays, samba is extremely indispensable in carnival, the complementation of dance and music are fundamental parts of the famous parade in Rio de Janeiro.
