Bossa Nova

[Black Sheep]

Merengue Dancers,
If you like the Merengue, allow me to share with you a dance you will love. The BOSSA NOVA.
This dance has the longest basic step in the history of dance being extended to 32 Quarter beats or one complete phrase of music.
Begin on initial Phrase of music:

BOSSA NOVA BASIC STEP (step on all Quarter beats)
MAN's Part in closed Position (Like Merengue).
3 side steps to Left, tap with rt ft on count of 4;
3 side steps to right, starting with rt ft, tap on 4 with lt ft;
7 side steps to the left, starting with lt ft, tap on 8 with rt ft;
3 side steps to the right, starting on rt ft, tap on 4 with lt ft;
3 side steps to the left starting on the left foot, tap on 4 with rt ft;
7 side steps to the right starting with rt ft, tap on 8 with lt ft.
You have completed the Basic Step in Bossa Nova (32 Q Beats)

STYLING: Lose hips flexible body with Salsa action or jazz moves, Shorty George Style;

VARIATIONS: Use the 7 count steps for all the following moves: individual turns, rocking in rotation in either direction, or traveling forward and backward, Separate and back away from each other and then return on the 7's, In closed position open up on 7's turning back to back; You get the idea!

NOTE: Just keep those 32 beat steps in sequence (MISS A STEP & YOU ARE OUT OF PHRASING) and start at the beginning of a BOSSA NOVA phrase and you will be choreographing your own 'Routine' like any experienced Professional.

Black Sheep 'The Creator of the Bossa Nova Dance' Joe Lanza 1962 a.d.

[pygmalion]

Cool! I love bossa nova. So when I read your post, Joe, I had to google it. And guess what I found?

Lots of references to the birth of bossa nova music in Brazil in the late fifties. A bunch of references to movies featuring bossa nova. A bunch of references to Jobim (gott check out A Twist of Jobim CD that came out a few years ago. Good music :D ) A bunch of musicologists who said that bossa nova is not danceable music. :lol:

And several websites that attribute the choreography for the bossa nova dance that was very popular in the early sixties to our very own, illustrious Joe Lanza! :D Cool! 8)


Question, Joe, did you choreograph anything beyond that basic? All the bossa nova stuff I have is made up of basic figures from other dances, done in that bossa nova style, with the little one-hip bounce accentuating each movement or series of movements.

Also, you might find this interesting (or infuriating :? :lol: ). A guy named Chris Morris put together an instruction video tape on bossa nova several years ago. Take a look. You may find it interesting, to see what he's teaching about your dance. :D

[Black Sheep]

Pygmalion,
Thank you for the research on the Bossa Nova Dance.
Lawrence Welk, who is still touring the country with his band, introduced my Bossa Nova on his original TV program. I know films exist of that exhibition which I personally choreographed the routine for Bobby & Sissy at my HDC for the Lawrence Welk Show in 1962.
There is an important write up I got by Leonard Feather (the leading Jazz syndicated commentator for three decades) on the 'Universal Acceptance' of my Bossa Nova Dance; the write up appeared in a summer edition of Playboy Magazine in 1962, if memory serves me right.
The creation of the Bossa Nova was an accident. When I have the time, I'll tell you the strange story of how it came about.
The Bossa Nova is the only Ballroom Dance in history created by an individual; all the other Ballroom dances evolved from ethnic folk dancing groups, including our beloved Lindy Hop, whose Birth Place was New Orleans.
Black Sheep 'Sensitivity is the source of imagination, and imagination is the source of creativity' Joe Lanza 2003 a.d.

[pygmalion]

Hey Joe! :D

I found out a lot with my bossa nova research. Pretty interesting. Apparently, there's a fair amount of controversy in the music world over bossa nova, because many musical purists feel that the original jazz/samba music that was bossa nova was diluted by its exposure to American pop culture. Also, they attribute the music's return to a purer jazz-like form to the decline of bossa nova's US popularity in the mid-sixties. Also, apparently, bossa nova and a few other musical forms were expressions of political unrest in Brazil during the late fifties and early sixties, and were subsequently repressed during poilitcal upheaval in the mid-sixties. Hmm. Very interesting.

By the way, yes, the Lawrence Welk orchestra does still tour. I'm not sure who the band leader is nowadays, because Mr. Welk himself died in 1992. A pity. I used to love those tiny bubbles. And nobody could "and-a one and-a," like he did. However, the band plays on. :D

Anyway, back to bossa nova. It's a very fun dance, and I find it unfortunate that so few people know it. It's very romantic and sensual in its way, and the music creates a beautiful mood. There's a bossa nova on the latest Natalie Cole CD that just begs to be danced to. Much fun. :D

[Black Sheep]

Pygmalion,
You wrote:
"Also, they attribute the music's return to a purer jazz-like form to the decline of bossa nova's US popularity in the mid-sixties. "

Although there was a sudden decline in the Bossa Nova's popularity in the mid 1960's, it was not due to the music one way or the other. In 1960, even before the Bossa Nova Dance was born, I was throwing a party in my apartment with the TV turned on. Suddenly out of the blue Chubby Checker came on the screen doing the 'TWIST'. Within seconds almost everybody in the room began imitating Chubby doing the Twist. I said to myself at that moment, 'If people can learn that dance just by looking at it, Ballroom Dancing is doomed!'
The Twist Craze was so simple and appealing that any club foot could get on the dance floor and be an instant star expert.
Within that year most of the chain studios in L.A. closed down. My Bossa Nova Dance had about an 18 month popularity where I had some very exciting bookings at Ciro's on the Sunset Strip, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and was even invited by Frank Sinatra to teach his friends at his Birthday Party in the Hollywood Hills. And a City wide Bossa Nova Contest was held in my honor at the Hollywood Palladium with almost every night club sponsoring their ten week Champion contestants as entrees at the Palladium Finals. I even had a class on Sundays at the Yucca Airport Café, sponsored by Sinatra's closest friends, Jimmy Chester Van Heusen and Johnny Haskell with students flying in on their private planes for their Bossa Nova Lessons. It was a very exciting time while it lasted.
I had my fingers around that golden ring but fate twisted my hand and that golden ring slipped away. The Twist was too strong and it pushed all the Ballroom Dances on the Back Burner, including the Bossa Nova Dance!
Black Sheep 'Sometimes it's difficult to see the benefits of a tragic lose, but they are often there', Joe Lanza 2003

[Spitfire]

From what I've understood the Bossa Nova isn't being done anywhere in the USA. Be nice to see a revival like that for Lindy Hop; it's a dance I've been curious about.

[Black Sheep]

Spitfire,
Last year at the 2002 Camp Hollywood event, Lance Benishek, an authority on the Big Apple variations of the 1940's, informed me that the Bossa Nova was a popular dance in Minneapolis. He happened to have one of my original booklets on the dance from my 1962 mail outs.
I'm sure there are other areas where the dance is being done.
The Bossa Nova music is too good not to make a strong comeback, and where there is Bossa Nova Jazz music, the dance is sure to follow. everything from fashion clothes to World Depression have a cycle.
It's only a matter of a year or so that the Bossa Nova will make a strong
return. Unfortunately, no one ever made a 'Don't Knock the Bossa Nova' Film.
I just taught a brother and sister couple a Bossa Nova Routine for the
girl's Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party which they performed which was
professionally filmed. Their performance was flawless, so I'm looking
forward to receiving a copy of that film very soon.
Black Sheep 'I'm running out of sayings', Joe Lanza 2003

[pygmalion]

In my web searching, I also found a couple references to bossa nova dances, where the featured music, class and dance of the evening were bossa nova. And these ads were fairly recent. I don't know if that means a resurgence in popularity or not, but it is quite interesting. :D

[Black Sheep]

Bossa Nova Buffs,
If you ever wanted to be a Choreographer? the Bossa Nova will make you one in 15 minutes! How?

INSTANT CHOREOGRAPHY:
1) The musical structure in Bossa Nova (BN) is typical of most Ballroom Dance music being composed of 32 Quarter beats to a 'PHRASE' of music... or 8 bars of music (4 Q Beats to a bar). If there is a vocal in the music, you can hear the phrase begin with the first words and resolved with the last words of the phrase at the end on the last bar (4 Quarter beats);
2) All the BN Dance steps are exactly 32 Quarter Beats long or one phrase of music long;
3) If you are not musically trained, just listen to some BN songs with a medium tempo and a strong beat, and start counting, starting on the beginning of any phrase and count the Q beat pulses. If you end up at the end of a phrase on your count of 32 Q beats, you are on your way to being a bona fide Choreographer. It may take you the counting of three or four songs ( 9-12 minutes) until you catch on and start counting in synch with the phrases. Once you understand those phrase structures and are able to hear that first beat of a phrase, the rest is easy and automatic. Why? Because all BN steps are exactly 32 beats, one PHRASE long. It will be as easy as putting round plugs into round holes.
4) Now you decide which step patterns you want to use in your 'ROUTINE'. e.g. Side steps, Rotating steps, Backing away from each other, Rocking in place (Sexy), Turning away from each other, lady turning under arm, Holding various steps in place with body Quarter pulse moves etc..
(NOTE: Travel on 7 counts only until you become proficient enough to mix it up or hold the 7 counts in place with body ripples or other body gyrational moves).
5) Pick a move for an entrance onto the dance floor (one phrase 32 beats) and pick a move for an ending pose on stage or one traveling off stage (ANOTHER 32 Q BEATS);
6) You can move around or change the sequence of steps to vary, embellish or to fit the musical phrase more aesthetically, since phrases usually have different moods and instrumentations, and can do this without disturbing the structure of the Routine because every BN step pattern is the same exact size in measures, i.e. 32 Q beats long.

What once took me some two years to learn the technique of Choreographing, now takes 15 minutes to UNDERSTAND and apply.

Black Sheep, your friendly instructor with a money back guarantee!

[Black Sheep]

Bossa Nova Dancers,
Brazilian produced Bossa Nova CD's are often a little difficult to hear the
Quarter beats, and for a beginner I recommend some of the old standard
American produced Bossa Nova CD's of the 1960's:

Fly Me to the Moon;
Desafinado;
Meditation;
Blame it on the Bossa Nova
Baia;
Insensatez (Charlie Byrd).

And almost anything by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Attempting to dance to the more sophisticated Brazilian produced CD's can be a challenge even for an experienced dancer, because the beat is often overpowered by the vocals. Brazilian Bossa Nova Vocals are often very slow in tempo with a faster rhythmic beat running under the vocals.
Black Sheep 'Let the music control your Body & Soul' Joe Lanza 2003 a.d.

[pygmalion]

Thanks for the tips, Joe. There are also a few more recent bossa novas out there, which I'll have to post when I have more time. Really rushing this morning! :D

[Black Sheep]

THE BOSSA NOVA STORY
BN History Buffs,
Developing the Bossa Nova Dance was a case of, ' Necessity is the Mother of Invention'.
Here is this lucky circumstance that caused me in an attempt to tempoprarily appease thousands of students that were clamering for me to teach them the Bossa Nova Dance which at the bregining I did not have a clue about this mystery 'dance:

From 1960-1963, Joe Lanza worked as an Itinerary �
Dance Teacher for the Los Angeles Public School �
System. His job entailed teaching the popular �
Ballroom Dances at over 49 Jr. High Schools. When �
the Brazilian Bossa Nova Jazz Music hit this country, �
his student's began asking him to teach them the �
Bossa Nova Dance. Since he had not yet come across the �
dance, he created a SUBSTITUTE dance for them until �
the real thing came along. As the weeks went by, the �
dance teacher kept on improving his substitute Bossa �
Nova Dance until the dance took on a life of its own �
with unique step patterns and jazz movements.

Some weeks later, on a Friday evening while he was �
watching a TV Documentary on the Bossa Nova, a �
revelation came to him. The TV program filmed the �
type of dances being done to the Bossa Nova music in �
several major capitols of the world. Lanza was �
astounded to learn that Tango, Swing, Cha Cha, and �
Samba were being danced to the new Jazz sound, and he �
suddenly realized that there was no special dance for Bossa �
Nova Music; Lanza's SUBSTITUTE Bossa Nova Dance that �
he had created for his Jr. High School students �
happened to be the only unique 'Dance Form' which �
expressed‑the jazz mood of the Bossa Nova music.

Lanza knew he had a tiger by the tail. But now, how �
was he to control the INTEGRITY of his style of Bossa �
Nova so it would not be corrupted and mutilated by �
charlatan dance teachers modifying his creation to suit
their own personal agendas? �
Lanza, the DANCER had already published two books on �
Novelty Dances so he intuitively knew the answer.
(To be Contuinued)
Black Sheep 'Ask me a Question and I'll Tell you a Story' 2003 a.d.

[d nice]

The Bossa Nova is the only Ballroom Dance in history created by an individual; all the other Ballroom dances evolved from ethnic folk dancing groups,

I thought the Merengue was suppossed to have been artificially created also. Somethingabout a general with a war wound. Interesting distinction though certainly worth more than a footnote in history.

Joe you should put together a video tape for sale showing some of your original/vintage moves/choreography for the dance as well as telling about how you developed it. For posterity and historical accuracy.

including our beloved Lindy Hop, whose Birth Place was New Orleans.

Really? Funny... no one else seems to think so... and you still haven't been able to prove it. Why the need to include this in a completely unrelated post?

[Swing Kitten]

including our beloved Lindy Hop, whose Birth Place was New Orleans.

Really? Funny... no one else seems to think so... and you still haven't been able to prove it. Why the need to include this in a completely unrelated post?

While I underdtand your point please let's not dredge this up here --- continue talking about the Bossa Nova-- I actually remember learning it in seventh grade but have not danced it since. I really was not aware of what it was... nor did I have much knowledge of any ballroom dances at the time. It's just pretty awkward having one gym teacher try to teach 35-40 eleven and twelve year olds how to "dance"

[pygmalion]

Joe you should put together a video tape for sale showing some of your original/vintage moves/choreography for the dance as well as telling about how you developed it. For posterity and historical accuracy.

Actually, I have a question on this. Joe and I have a project of finding some of his old movie and video footage. I found one of his movies pretty easily -- Virgin Sacrifice, made in 1959, is still available for purchase on video at movies.com. But a couple other things we're looking for, some TV specials, are MIA. Any idea where we could go look? Library of congress has lot of old video. Is that a place to start?

[Black Sheep]

Pygmalion,
A couple of years ago, I ran into Bobby Burdes who performed my Bossa Nova routine on the Lawrence Welk Show with Sissy in 1961-62, and he assured me that all the LW shows in the 1960's were on film and were then scheduled to be released again. Unfortunately, I never kept in touch with him, so I never knew if they were in fact rerun on TV. At the time in 1962, I did view their performance and as all their dances, it was flawless.
Black Sheep, a friend of Bo Peep!

[Black Sheep]

BN History Buffs,
_________________
BOSSA NOVA STORY PART II
Joe locked himself in his house for three days and �
nights, and began describing the dance in detail �
with illustrations. When he was finished, he had �
three thousand copies of the, 'BOSSA NOVA DANCE' �
book printed, and with addresses obtained from the �
telephone company library, mailed copies to all the �
dance studios in the USA and Canada. He also mailed a �
couple of hundred to the hair dressing salons. The �
rest of the Bossa Nova booklets were sold on news �
stands or distributed to students in his classes.

Within weeks, Laure' Hale from Arthur Murray's Whilshire studio
was asked by the Lawrence Welk people to choreograph a
Bossa Nova Routine for Bobby & Sissy. She graciously threw
the assignment my way

LAWRENCE WELK featured Lanza 's Bossa Nova on his �
National TV show with Bobby and Sissy performing a �
routine Choreographed and taught them by Joe Lanza.

LEONARD FEATHER, the syndicated Jazz columnist, wrote �
in a 1963 Playboy article, that he witnessed Joe �
Lanza's Bossa Nova being danced internationally.

Although there was no profit in the distribution of �
these Bossa Nova books, the reaction brought the �
DANCER more teaching engagements then he could fill. �
His teaching engagements included classes at �
Celebrity Parties, classes at the Beverly Hills Hotel �
Polo Lounge, Ciro's on the Hollywood Sunset Strip, �
Northrop Aviation, classes in public High Schools �
gymnasiums, and in many private clubs, and �
Ballrooms. The First Presbyterian Parochial School �
hired Joe as their gym teacher where his classes were �
a combination of, dancing and gymnastics.

JIMMY VAN HEUSON and Johnny Haskell, the Real Estate �
Developer of Yucca Valley, organized a Bossa Nova �
dance class which was held in the Copper Room at the �
Yucca Valley Skyport Cafe, where Joe's students flew �
in from various parts of the STATE in their private �
planes for their Sunday afternoon Dance Classes.

JOHNNY HASKELL came to Hollywood in the 1940's with �
Jimmy Van Heusen and Frank Sinatra in his 1929 twelve �
cylinder Packard, complete with a built-in bar.

FRANK SINATRA was persuaded by his friends to have �
Joe Lanza teach the Bossa Nova at his Birthday Party.
The night of Sinatra's party came and Joe Lanza was �
dressed and ready to leave his home at 8pm to get to �
the Sinatra party before 9pm. Before he walked out �
the door, however, he decided he needed a stiff shot �
of Vodka. Two hours later the DANCER was still �
having shots of vodka to bolster his courage.
The DANCER finally arrived at Frank Sinatra's Party �
a quarter past eleven. Johnny Haskell met him at the �
door, and brought him into the room where the party �
was still going on.

" Sorry Johnny! I got a late start."
" You were supposed to be here before nine."
" Is it too late to have the class ?"
" Joe, Frank left twenty minutes ago, and he �
was angry that you didn't show. He told all �
his friends he was going to have the Creator �
of the Bossa Nova teach them the new dance. �
Oh what the hell ! Let's get a drink."
(To be continued)
Black Sheep 'Two vociferous opinions do not represent the Majority' Joe Lanza 2003 a.d.

[Black Sheep]

BN Dancers,
Let your body flow with the music.
Some of my favorite BN dance songs:
ON 'VERVE' COMPACT JAZZ CD:
Desafinado *****
Corcovada ****
Baia ***
Otra Vez ***
Summer Samba ****
Insensatez ****
Meditation ***
O Morro Nao tem Vez **

ON 'CORCOVADA' THE COLORS OF LATION JAZZ
Coracao Vagabundo (heavy clavis) ***
Comeca de Novo****
Corcovada ***

Black Sheep 'Bossa Nova dancing is like foreplay' Joe Lanza 2003
'

[Black Sheep]

Bossa Nova BUFFS,
BN is a dance that takes a dancer to a higher level of the terpsichorean art because it lends itself to more sophisticated body gyrations of 'LONGHER DURATION' than any other Ballroom Dance, And here are the reasons why?
Once you have understood the 32 Q beat rhythmic structure of the Bossa Nova Dance, embellishing the dance with infinite variations of body moves are easily applied by following these SIX suggestions and still remain within the choreographic structure of the Bossa Nova music:

1) Substitute the tap steps with either a sharp kick away from partner or a hop or a skip or a pause;
2) Break away from partner and do solo moves individually;
3) Break away and do challenge moves, one partner at a time;
4) Instead of stepping out the 1,2,3 tap steps, rock the counts in place;
5) Instead of doing the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 tap step, take the first 4 steps and rock tap on the last 5,6,7, tap step;
6) Instead of doing the rock rotating move on the 7 tap step, to Q beats, slow it down to 3 HALF BEATS (2 Q beats), and a '7 tap'.

NOTE: As long as you maintain the alternating (changing weight) moves to within the structure of 32 Q beats, you will remain within the phrasing of the 32 Q beat Bossa Nova Music and experience the euphoria of dancing a choreographic routine.
(To be continued)
Black Sheep 'When the dancers are one with the music, that is ecstasy' Joe Lanza 2003 a.d.

[Black Sheep]

Bossa Nova vs. the Merengue,
In reply to D'nice, who suggested the Merengue was also created by an individual, the leader of a Caribbean country who limped?
The Merengue was supposed to have originated because the citizens of that country, in order not to embarrass their dictator, they all danced with the same limp.
Now if this story which is as old as the 1950's, is true, this does in no way PROVE the dance was created by an individual, and if it was true, how come no one knows the Dictator's name?
I still contend that the Bossa Nova Dance remains the only Ballroom Dance created by one individual, Joe Lanza.
Black Sheep "Those who serve, Deserve' Joe Lanza 2003 a. d.

[Black Sheep]

History Buffs,
If there is anyone out there who knows how to locate the Lawrence Welk TV film with Bobby Burdes and Sissy doing the Bossa Nova in 1962? Please contact me at <j.lanza@sbcglobal.net>
Black Sheep

[Black Sheep]

History Buffs,
The Bossa Nova Dance needs exposure to be revived. Share the instructions on this thread by downloading it and sending it to your friends and dance instructors. It make a great gift for the joy it will add to their dancing world. And it is free!
Black Sheep

[Black Sheep]

Dance historians,
This is news that I was reluctant to share, because I do not want to sound maudlin. As most of you know by now, I am the creator of that romantic dance, the Bossa Nova. I do not claim any kudos for developing the dance; I admitted the creation was an accident of necessity rather than an erudite effort to create some dance specially suited to the music. However it turned out to be a dance that was the dance craze around the world (Leonard Feathers comment paraphrased) for a short period in 1962-63 until the 'Twist' put all the Ballroom dances on the back burners and ushered in the 'Disc Dance' which lasted some two decades.
Since I am the creator if the dance, just think for a moment, 'Who could authentically demonstrate or supervise the teaching of this America/Brazilian treasure if this 80 year old man became physically or mentally incapacitated'?
The good news and the bad news is that it almost happened on October 21 at 10 am when I was climbing out of the bathtub.
My fall was so horrendous that I bounced on the edge of the tub. I could have fallen on my hip and fractured it; I could have fallen on my head and who know what the result of that would have been. Instead I fell and actually bounced on my lower rib cage. When I recovered my breath some ten minutes later with all the pain I could bear, I was optimistic. I've broken ribs before when seven Brooklyn hoodlums jumped me. But my visit to the urinal proved I was bleeding internally. I was released from the hospital after afternoon after SIX days at 2 pm. The MRI showed I had suffered contusion of my right kidney which caused hemathuria, the internal bleeding.
The good news is I will recover fully.
When an 80 year old man walks down stairs, crosses the street, takes a shower or even walks out at night, he is very vulnerable. As active as I once was, I have outlived my expectancy. Frankie Manning, bless his soul is going strong at 87, But I do not have his health, I've had too many serious injuries starting in 1944 when my hips were crushed causing spinal injuries that have plaque me all my life. And I dread to think what a lose it would be if the only creator of a modern Ballroom dance was unable to at least pass on his knowledge of the Bossa Nova Dance with all the embellishments styles and techniques of this unique dance at least once, in person.
Three weeks before my beloved Cody passed away peacefully in her sleep, I insisted Kelly, her mistress do a Photo Shoot of our 13 year old friend. Today we have some twenty excellent photos of Cody in her last days.
It is obvious that I am using Dance Forums to share this BN Dance knowledge. Is this hurting anyone; is this 'bragging' offending anyone, does this attempt to revive the BN Dance self serving?
Try learning the dance from the instructions in this thread. I am sure you will become captivated and addicted within a few minutes; it's the music that does it, and fortunately, the dance give you the opportunity to express the music to your hearts desire.
Black Sheep

[jon]

The Bossa Nova is the only Ballroom Dance in history created by an individual; all the other Ballroom dances evolved from ethnic folk dancing groups [...]

Buddy Schwimmer claims to have created Nightclub Two-Step.

[SDsalsaguy]

Glad to hear that your injuries weren't any more serious Joe.

[Black Sheep]

SDSalsaguy'
It helps a great dreal to receive a get well wish. If people only knew how important a visit to the hospital to see a friend or to entertain some patients with singing and dancing or distributing inexpensive gifts to those stricken with infirmaties, the hospitals and 'Care homes' would be overflowing with visiters. Thank you SD.

Black Sheep 'You may be down, but you are never out until you quit trying' .

[Black Sheep]

Jon wrote'
"Buddy Schwimmer claims to have created Nightclub Two-Step."

In circa 1953, I had created a dance called the 'Dora Lee' and still have a full page copy from the L.A. Sunday Times; It, like many novelty dances had a simple step pattern with eight count rhythm. The news article has descriptive instructions with three photos of myself and my dance couple in a dance move. The article is dated and my name appears in the article as being the creator of that dance.
My point:
Anyone can claim they are the creators of a Ballroom Dance. To establish credibility, they need some documentation, other than "Buddy Schwimmer Claims, etc"
In addition, the dance has to have the parameters of a Ballroom Dance.
As exciting as the Shim Sham may be, it is not a Ballroom Dance, no more than Chubby Checker's, 'The Twist'.
And if Buddy has the documentation and the '2 step' comes within the parameters of a Ballroom Dance, and it is UNIVERSALLY accepted as such, as My Bossa Nova Dance is, then that is a different matter. Until then, the Bossa Nova remains the ONLY Ballroom Dance creraterd by one individual, all others are outgrowths of ethnic groups like Folks dances.
Black Sheep 'You have to serve, to deserve' Joe Lanza 2003 a.d.

[duckstab]

I am looking for bossa nova and video clips on the web. Can someone help with some site suggestions?

[Spitfire]

Welcome duckstab, :D

Here's a site with a Samba clip. It is at the bottom of the page.

Samba (http://www.thedancestore.freeservers.com/learningcenter.htm)

[duckstab]

Thank you very much, I'm completely new to this

[Porfirio Landeros]

Too bad the inventor of Bossa Nova dancing doesn't post around here much anymore... :(

[SDsalsaguy]

:headwall: :headwall: :headwall:

[Genesius Redux]

What is bossa nova dancing? I know what it is musically.

[Pacion]

:lol: What's the matter SD? :wink: :lol:

[Porfirio Landeros]

Running the following search should address both GR's and Pacion's posts...

http://www.dance-forums.com/search.php?search_author=Black+Sheep

:twisted:

[SDsalsaguy]

:doh:
You are *so* pushing your luck Porfirio! :wink: :wink: :wink:

[pygmalion]

Nobody likes a woise goy, Porfirio. :wink: :lol: (Think Three Stooges accent, LOL) Two mentions here today. I guess that means the sheep must be really getting himself counted somewhere else. :roll:

[cocodrilo]

I recently started singingwith a Bossa Nova/jazz band and at practice last night, under a huge tree in front of a hillside cafe with 20 people watching( :shock: ) I was doing kind of a Cuban side-step to the Bossa Nova. Some folks were asking me what the step was and I said, "Er, salsa". Our sax player asked me if there was a kind of dance especially for Bossa Nova and I couldn't answer this question. The music lends itself to gentle swaying and shoulder rolls, but does anyone know if there is a particular DANCE for Bossa Nova music?

[pygmalion]

Yes and no. There was a choreographed ... uh ... routine for bossa nova back in the late fifties/early sixties when the music first became popular in the United States. From all the documentation available, Joe Lanza or Black Sheep, who used to be a DF member, did the choreography.

The thing is, Bossa Nova, ironically, is really nothing new. There are no distinct Bossa Nova step patterns that I know of. It's an amalgamation of steps from other dances, done in Bossa Nova style. The Bossa Nova dance has a distinctive one-hip bounce at the end of each measure (or sometimes phrase) and it has a sort of mildly bouncy character, similar to samba on muscle relaxants (just kidding!) It's mild and mellow and bouncy, all at the same time. But the patterns are all borrowed from other dances. So, basically, you get to do whatever you want! 8) :)

[cocodrilo]

That's good to hear. I'll just go with the flow, then! :wink:

[ShyDancer]

similar to samba on muscle relaxants (just kidding!)

:lol: :lol:



Ive always wondered about Bossa Nova myself.... I have a CD and one of them has a track thats says its Boss Nova.

[pygmalion]

When I'm dancing to a bossa nova, I always think," step, step, step, bounce." Not that my thought process helps any, LOL, but that's what's in my mind. And each step is more like a southern US step. Slow and deliberate. Not a New York step (fast, fast, fast!) Bossa Nova takes its time. It's pretty seductive that way. Slow and deliberate. Hmm. 8) :wink:

[cocodrilo]

I was pretty much doing a Cuban side-step to the music, and a bachata could be done also!
Up until now, I'd been playing Bossa Nova as BGM for dinner parties, but listening to it at home alone, it tends to put me to sleep... :?

[MacMoto]

When a DJ friend of mine (who also dances) played a Bossa Nova one night, I asked him to show me how to dance to it. He told me that it was basically a slow, relaxed samba. I can't remember exactly, but it was another "three steps to the four beats" dance, like salsa and bachata, but I was told to add a bounce to it (unlike salsa).

[pygmalion]

Yup. The fourth beat is a soft bounce in place. It's a very romantic dance, IMHO. 8)

[Mitzi]

Hey something in Cocodrilo's post in another forum lead me to start this post... I am a huge ELVIS fan, and I love the song "Bossa Nova" and it has a beat that drives me straight to dance... but in the southern united states I find that ballroom dancing is limited, and I can find no one who can tell me what the Bossa Nova dance is??? People say they have seen it but what is it?? Closer to Swing or Samba?? What beats??? Please clue me in!!!!

[DWise1]

Gee, I haven't heard that dance mentioned since the mid-60's when it was made popular by groups like Brazil '66 (who introduced Girl from Ipanema to the US, as I recall).

A dance of Brazilian origin (I'm fairly sure), popular in the mid 1960's. For more information, you would need to Google [http://www.google.com].

From swingstreet.com's Dance History Archives [http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3bossa.htm]:
The Bossa Nova was first heard in small clubs and Cafe's in the beachfront districts of Rio de Janeiro* around 1958. In its home of Brazil*, the Bossa-Nova can be translated as "the new beat". Antonio Carlos Jobim is credited as naming the Bossa Nova to describe João Gilberto's new musical style.

-- The roots of the Bossa Nova music point to Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001), all three are musician / Composers who wrote the first Bossa Nova "A felicidade" for the 1958 (1959) film "Black Orpheus," Sidney Frey brought the music to the United States while Elvis Presley and songs like the "The Girl From Ipanema" made it a somewhat popular music. The Music is likened to a Jazz-Samba.


-- The dance originated around 1960 and was somewhat popular by 1962, however the music was much more popular than the dance due to it's hasty commercialism. Vocalist Edie Gormé recorded the pop tune "Blame It on the Bossa Nova," a song in which the style is depicted as a dance is a good example. The dance is basically the opposite steps of the rumba, (Slow-Quick-Quick) with a Samba flair, very similar to today's much slower Nightclub Two-step. The dance can be done in couple or solo form.
The site also lists several resources, including several movies that featured it and this section:
Basic Step:
Can be couples or as solo. If Solo, one hand on stomach, other hand held up, slight side sway with hip motion (can use Samba and Rumba steps as well) .... steps are as follows:

Forward on left foot (Follower opposite foot),
Close right foot to left foot without changing weight to that foot. (Follower opposite foot),
Right foot back, (Follower opposite foot),
Close left foot to right foot changing weight to that foot. (Follower opposite foot),
Repeat Starting with Opposite Foot.
(Basically: Step-Touch-Step-Step or Slow-Quick-Quick).

[DancePoet]

This is very coincidental, But I ahev Bossa Nova Music on in the background as I write! And now I can dance the basic Bossa Nova to it! Cool! 8)

Thanks DWise1!

[MacMoto]

Another bossa nova thread: http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=5141

[cocodrilo]

Apparently there's even a dance! The bossa nova itself is a type of music- very smooth & seductive. Our band does Ipanema, the theme from "Black Orpheus" , Desafinado(both English jazz & Portugese bossa nova versions) Manha de Carnival and several others. I'm hoping we will learn "Mas que Nada" which is a hip samba tune that has hto jazz undertones! Gotta get people to dance! 8)

[Mitzi]

Thanks everyone, that helped alot...I love being able to bounce ideas off other people that love dance!

[Purr]

What is bossa nova, as a style of dance?

[cornutt]

I think it would fall under the general category of American Rhythm, having migrated into America from pre-Castro Cuba along with rumba, cha-cha, bolero, etc. Having said that, I'll have to admit that I know only a very little bit about it.

I do know that it was popular in the U.S. in the '50s and early '60s. I remember my parents having some bossa nova music, and practicing the steps in our living room, circa 1963. I'm not sure why it died out, other than the decline in the popularity of ballroom dancing in general that occurred in the late '60s.

[Porfirio Landeros]

What is bossa nova, as a style of dance?
Where's BlackSheep when we need him?

[mummsie]

Bosa Nova is taught here in Australia in a few of the 'Street Latin' type studios. Its quite a simple dance - basically just a side together side together to one side and then one side together the other. The guys basically just to this step and get the lady to do different sorts of turns. Its a good club type dance. mummsie

[salsera_alemana]

As for as I know, Bossa Nova is from Brasil and has nothing to do with Cuba. Never heard it in Cuba, either.

All the Bossa Nova music I have ever heard is from Brasil. I am not an expert in Brasilian music, though.

[Laura]

I never even knew that Bossa Nova was a dance -- I always thought it was a style of Brazillian music. My dad used to listen to Sergio Mendez and Brasil '66 when I was a kid. We had it on reel-to-reel tape!! And then there's my favorite, Antonio Carlos Joabim. "The Waters of March" is one of the best songs on planet Earth. Love it.

[Shooshoo]

I never even knew that Bossa Nova was a dance -- I always thought it was a style of Brazillian music.

I also thought that too?

[bjp22tango]

Bossa Nova was originally the music, from Brazil. I always think of it as a mello jazz samba, probably because Stan Getz had such influencial albums.

The Girl from Ipanema is a Bossa Nova, as is Desafinado, which most people should have heard, at least in the US.

Whenever a music style is popular someone will put a dance to it, or more than one.

Here is a link to Joe Lanza's website (Black Sheep) where he describes making up choreography to the Bossa Nova. http://www.lindybylanza.com/

[Joe]

Well, just blame it on the Bossa Nova!

[Purr]

Thank you for all your replies. Here's what prompted the question. I brought in a song to dance to, thinking it might be rumba, and I was told it was a bossa nova. We made it work for rumba though, because you could hear a QQS beat.

[Taita]

*Drops out of lurk mode*

I always thought it was a style of Brazillian music, heavily influenced by Jazz. If danced, International Samba is what most seems to fit best. However, American Rumba could work too. :p

*Drops back into lurk mode*

[uncle joe]

Why has Bossa Nova been omitted as a category on Dance Forum?
There is a video of the Bossa Nova dance here (http://www.lindybylanza.com/lanzavid/bosanova.mpg).
Check it out and critique it.

Uncle Joe
The Dancer's Best Friend

[tangotime]

Why has Bossa Nova been omitted as a category on Dance Forum?
There is a video of the Bossa Nova dance on WWW.LINDYBYLANZA.COM (http://WWW.LINDYBYLANZA.COM).
Check it out and critique it.

Uncle Joe
The Dancer's Best Friend


Like Pachanga and Peabody, it died a natural death ! ( havent seen any B. Nova clubs around of late )...:rolleyes:

[Lioness]

Here we do bossa nova social sequence dances, but it ends up being more of a shuffle. it's not the most exciting of dances.

[Apache]

Like Pachanga and Peabody, it died a natural death ! ( havent seen any B. Nova clubs around of late )...:rolleyes:

Peabody is not dead, I saw it danced a month ago at a ticket to the 20's event in the city of Industry out in California. I believe a few members of the LA Art Deco Society as well as the Dancing Through Time troupe out in San Francisco keep it alive.

[tangotime]

Peabody is not dead, I saw it danced a month ago at a ticket to the 20's event in the city of Industry out in California. I believe a few members of the LA Art Deco Society as well as the Dancing Through Time troupe out in San Francisco keep it alive.


Thats good to hear !!.. its a classic in its own right, and there are some variations that scream, Q/Step... funny, a NYC dance, being remembered in Calif. ..

[j_alexandra]

<selective snippage>

Peabody... died a natural death

Peabody is hardly dead; there were several heats of Peabody at the last couple of comps I went to. And some chatter among judges/pro competitors about pushing it. It's an enormous amount of fun to dance.

As is bossa nova, btw.

[tangotime]

<selective snippage>



Peabody is hardly dead; there were several heats of Peabody at the last couple of comps I went to. And some chatter among judges/pro competitors about pushing it. It's an enormous amount of fun to dance.

As is bossa nova, btw.


By the way.. I was teaching P/body ,many many, moons ago and the same with B.N. and nearly a whole yr teaching Pachanga in the very early 60s ... heres the perspective.. they had a short shelf life with the general public compared to Hustle ( still going strong ) ,and Salsa.

There will always be " pockets " of the fad dances, but mainstream is very hard to sustain ( much to do with the change in musical styles and tastes )

[j_alexandra]

By the way.. I was teaching P/body ,many many, moons ago and the same with B.N. and nearly a whole yr teaching Pachanga in the very early 60s ... heres the perspective.. they had a short shelf life with the general public compared to Hustle ( still going strong ) ,and Salsa.

There will always be " pockets " of the fad dances, but mainstream is very hard to sustain ( much to do with the change in musical styles and tastes )

True, that.

[fascination]

right...none of it is dead contrary to that use of the term a bit often around here these days...perhaps limping along in many venues but not dead...great thing about df is that if someone wants to discuss it they are perfectly able to start a thread on it...