Samba de Gafieira

Samba de Gafieira (also just called Gafieira and often spelled as Gafiera) is a ballroom dance expression of Brazilian samba musical rhythm. The samba music played by a ballroom orchestra or the dancing hall where it is performed is also referred as gafieira.

Gafieira is usually an elegant partner dance, although in artistic performances it is not uncommon mixing solo steps of Samba no Pé.

Origins

Its origins include the Maxixe, a Brazilian contemporary to Tango. The term gafieira was a Brazilian Portuguese slang meaning "low dancing resort, gaff, honky-tonk" or "dance festivity frequented by the populace" [Michaelis 1992] .

Basic Steps

Quadrado (box step)

The basic movement common across most Gafieira styles is to step quick-quick-slow over the 4 beat measure. Like Tango, Gafieira is danced in either open embrace, where lead and follow connect at arms length, or close embrace, where the lead and follow connect chest-to-chest.

aída ao Lado (right cross body lead)

Saída ao Lado step is used to entry and exit almost every other elaborated Gafieira step. Lady follows stepping backward when gentleman steps forward, crossing foot behind when he crosses ahead and so on.

Media Links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfIhiy--i5M Kadu Pires e Larissa Thayane at academia Jimmy de Oliveira, Rio de Janeiro-Brasil]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8H0NMwbbB8 Marcelo Amorim and Anna Elisa in Rio de Janeiro]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=6fnzA3p3ARQ Reinaldo Reinaldo Teixeira and Karina Carvalho at Jaime Aroxa academy theater in São Paulo, Brazil]

References

* cite book
ref = MichaelisDictEnPt
editor = Michaelis
title = Michaelis: Dicionario Pratico Ingles-Portugues Portugues-Ingles
publisher = Companhia Melhoramentos de Sao Paulo
year = 1992
isbn = 978-8506016008
* cite book
ref = Samba de Gafieira
year = 2001
title = Samba de Gafieira - a história da dança de salão brasileira
isbn = 85-901965-5-0