How to Perform Advanced Samba Moves

If you know how to dance the samba and always have a blast at parties when you dance it, then you will eventually want to add some more advanced moves into your samba. There are many different moves that you can add, and some of them a bit more complicated than others. The following steps describe two advanced moves.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Add a Whisk to Your Basic Samba Steps

1. Follow these steps for the man's part on beats 1 and 2.

2. Step with your left foot to the side.

3. Take your right foot and cross it behind your left foot, and keep your weight on the balls of your feet.

4. Put your weight back on your left foot.

5. On beats 4, 5, 6, finish the whisk with this. Step right with your right foot.

6. Take your left foot and cross it behind your right foot and stand on the balls of your feet only.

7. Put your weight back on your right foot. The woman does the exact same steps but starts with her right foot instead of her left.

The Copa

8. Follow these steps to dance the man's part of the copa.

9. Start in the open position.

10. Step forward on your left foot, but turn your foot and your body to a 45-degree angle.

11. Bring your right foot just behind your left, but keep the weight on the inside edge of the ball of your foot.

12. Bring your left foot back on count 2, bring it back about 3 inches and change your weight back to your left foot. At this point, you and your partner should be back to back.

13. Make sure when you are on counts 3 and 4 to do the following: Step forward on your left foot, turning left again, and repeat the sequence of steps. Then do it again until you are facing your partner again. The woman starts on the opposite foot as the man and performs the same steps.

Tips & Warnings

• Integrating these two more-complicated samba moves into your basic samba steps will make you look like a real pro out there on the dance floor.
• The arm work in a copa is usually done by rotating your left arm counterclockwise and then putting your right hand under your left elbow as you are stepping with your left foot. When you are stepping with your right foot, you rotate your right arm clockwise and place your left hand under your right elbow.

Resources

• More information on samba dancing