Accompanied by live drumming, we will learn dances originating in Africa and migrating to Brazil during slavery. We will dance to the driving, rapturous beat from Brazil known as samba. For the people of the villages surrounding Rio de Janeiro, samba is considered their most intense, unambivalent joy. In addition, we will dance and sing to contemporary cross-cultural beat from Bahia: Samba-Reggae and the Candomble religious dances of the Orixas. We will also learn dances from other regions of Brazil, such as Baiao, Frevo and Maracatu.