Afro-Brazilian Dance

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses Afro-Brazilian dance forms. It looks briefly at the history and origins of the dance form and discusses its importance in understanding the culture in Brazil. The paper then focuses on specific forms of Afro-Brazilian dance. It describes each dance form, the occasion in which the dance is used and how it is performed by the dancers.

Table of Contents:
Candomble
Samba
Capoeira

From the Paper:

"The Candomble dancing is a ceremonial, religious dance, done during one of the numerous terreiros de candomble scattered throughout the city of Bahaia. Women wear long skirts, usually colored ones. They dance to be respectful to the orixas, or gods. "Each deity represents a given force or element in nature, and has a favourite colour and type of food. Yemanja, for example, is the goddess of the sea, who usually dresses in blue and white. The favourite colour of Oxun, the goddess of beauty, is yellow. In the religious ceremonies, practitioners dress in the colours of the orixas and place food at the altar before singing special songs and dancing precisely choreographed steps to the sacred drums. The anthropomorphic nature of the orixa allows an intimate contact between believer and deity, and the highlight of the Candomble ceremony is the epiphany, or possession, when the orixa takes over the believer's body" (Davis)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Brazilian Music Guide. Styles. 2005. <http://www.slipcue.com/music/brazil/aa_styles/aa_styles.html>.
• Consulate General of Brazil. About Brazil. 2003. <http://www.brazilsf.org/culture_capoeira_eng.htm>.
• Davis, Darien J. "Afro-Brazilians: Time for Recognition." Minority Rights Group International, 1999
• Lima-Moore, D. Swing Brazil UK - Rio Samba.2007. <http://www.swingbrazil.co.uk/>.
• MacSwan, Angus. In violent Rio slum, music group offers alternative. Brocktown News. 23 Dec 2005. <http://www.capoeira.com/news.php?item.17>.

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