The international ballroom version of samba is a lively, rhythmical dance. It differs considerably from the original samba styles of Brazil; in particular, it differs from Samba de Gafieira, a partner type of Samba in that country.
The ballroom samba is danced to music in 2 4 or 4 4 time. For dance competitions and examinations, the recommended tempo is 48-56 bars per minute. It uses several different rhythmic patterns in its figures, with cross-rhythms being a common feature. Thus, for three-step patterns, common step values (in beats) are:
3⁄4
1⁄4
1
3⁄4
1⁄4
3⁄4
1⁄4
1
1⁄2
1⁄2
3⁄4
1⁄2
3⁄4
When danced certain rhythms from the above, the dance features a bouncing action, with body elevation occurring at the last 1/4beat of the first bar.[1]
References
^The Revised Technique of Latin American Dancing, chapter "Samba", ISTD official guide
