For today’s interactive feature, the question is: what’s your favorite Brazilian dance? 
Personally, my favorite kind of dance to do is lambada, which is sometimes referred to as zouk. It’s a ton of fun to dance, though it takes a bit of practice, and is a great workout. I also really enjoy forró from Salvador, which is a lot of fun. Also, while cheesy, axé dance is also a great time.
What about you?
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state and one of the states most heavily populated by European descendants, has a number of traditional dances that come from several European traditions.
One of these dances is called chula. Of Portuguese origin, this dance is done in male pairs by stomping and tapping in a sort of dance off between each pair. Traditionally, one dancer challenges the other with difficult steps, and the other dancer responds by repeating those steps and adding his own on, so that the person who forgets the steps first “loses” the dance off.
Though the dance is now mostly confined to competitions and special events, the chula is a fascinating dance form that is somewhere between flamenco, Irish step dancing, and breakdance-style battles.
Have a look in the two videos below!
Today we’re going to practice listening comprehension with a new set of videos.
Since it’s June 1st, we’re going to look at some videos about the festa junina, a traditional party that takes place in June, when children dress up in costumes and neighbors come together to eat, drink, and dance.
The first video discusses festa junina traditions in the Northeast, and the second two are a news special about festa junina customs.
Happy listening!
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