Forró is the most popular music style in the North East of Brazil, and it also gives its name to the equally popular partner dance. Click on the following link to hear and see a Forró music performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLhl_IRUgvU Varied styles of Forró music can accompany the Forró dance. Traditionally only three instruments were used - An accordion, a triangle and a bass drum called a zabumba.
The traditional music used to dance the Forró was taken from the North East to the South East of Brazil by Luiz Gonzaga, O Rei do Baião (The King of Baião). Baião being the original Forró. He encouraged a musical warm up for musicians where they searched for inspiration before playing in a more sophisticated rhythm. Since then, Forró has achieved popularity throughout Brazil, especially in the form of a slower genre known as xote or Pé-de-Serra, which has been heavily influenced by pop-rock music. From Brazil Forró has made its way around the world, and at last has arrived in Nottingham! Hear Luiz Gonzaga play here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G5sK7kNr4U
There is something of a dispute about the term Forró. The most accepted theory puts Forró as a derivative of forróbodo, meaning "great party" or "commotion". That is the view of the Brazilian folklorist Luís da Câmara Cascudo, who studied the Brazilian North East throughout most of his life. Forróbodo is believed to arise from forbodo, a corruption of the term faux bourdon. That was used as a description to define a dull party by the courtiers of the Portuguese Royal family during their reign in Brazil. Forró is definitely not a dull party!
Another popular theory in Brazil is that the word Forró comes from the English expression "for all". The origins of this are in the early 1900's when British engineers working on the Great Western Railroad close to the city of Recife would hold weekend balls and would classify them as either for railroad personnel only or for the general populace - "for all". That belief was reinforced by the similar practice of the members of the United States Air Force stationed at Natal Air Force Base during World War Two.
A third theory suggests that Forró came from the number of the engine that the British engineers used as they travelled the tracks supervising construction. The number 40 or 'Four-Oh' was corrupted by the Brazilians into Forró.
Whatever the roots of its name really are, there is no doubt that dancing Forró is great exercise 'for all'! In North East Brazil everyone dances Forró. From young to old, from rich to poor, whatever the age or social class the important thing is moving the body and enjoying the contagious rhythm of the Forró. Whether your dancing partner is husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, or even stranger, you will enjoy Forró and all the benefits it brings including the important one of lots of fun.
For our free sessions and regular classes, please select 'Classes' on the left hand side.
The traditional music used to dance the Forró was taken from the North East to the South East of Brazil by Luiz Gonzaga, O Rei do Baião (The King of Baião). Baião being the original Forró. He encouraged a musical warm up for musicians where they searched for inspiration before playing in a more sophisticated rhythm. Since then, Forró has achieved popularity throughout Brazil, especially in the form of a slower genre known as xote or Pé-de-Serra, which has been heavily influenced by pop-rock music. From Brazil Forró has made its way around the world, and at last has arrived in Nottingham! Hear Luiz Gonzaga play here 
There is something of a dispute about the term Forró. The most accepted theory puts Forró as a derivative of forróbodo, meaning "great party" or "commotion". That is the view of the Brazilian folklorist Luís da Câmara Cascudo, who studied the Brazilian North East throughout most of his life. Forróbodo is believed to arise from forbodo, a corruption of the term faux bourdon. That was used as a description to define a dull party by the courtiers of the Portuguese Royal family during their reign in Brazil. Forró is definitely not a dull party!
Another popular theory in Brazil is that the word Forró comes from the English expression "for all". The origins of this are in the early 1900's when British engineers working on the Great Western Railroad close to the city of Recife would hold weekend balls and would classify them as either for railroad personnel only or for the general populace - "for all". That belief was reinforced by the similar practice of the members of the United States Air Force stationed at Natal Air Force Base during World War Two. 
For our free sessions and regular classes, please select 'Classes' on the left hand side.