Samba at Home: Walks, Bota Fogos, Voltas and Whisks

demonstration latin practice samba

The short answer: yes, you can practise Samba at home, and it can be a lot of fun. In this short video I dance a Samba combination in my lounge room with my baby son in my arms: Samba Walks, Bota Fogos, Spot Voltas and Whisks. My two tips at the end are simple: remember to count, and have a lot of fun when you learn to dance at home.

What's in this Samba video?

It's a light-hearted one. My son and I show you a couple of fun Samba combinations you can try at home. I dance the combination from 0:16, then we give it another go with the music from 1:17. At 1:50 I share a couple of things to remember.

Do you need a partner or a studio to practise Samba?

No. I dance the whole combination solo, in an ordinary lounge room, with no partner (unless you count the little guy in my arms). If you have a bit of floor space and some Samba music, you can have a go.

How do you practise this combination at home?

Watch it through: see the whole combination once before you try it.
Pick out the figures: Samba Walks, Bota Fogos, Spot Voltas and Whisks.
Count: my first tip at the end of the video is to remember to count.
Dance it again: run the combination a second time, like I do from 1:17.
Have fun: my main message is to have a lot of fun when you learn to dance at home.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to count. It's the first thing I remind you of at the end.
Copying the full combination before you know the individual figures.
Treating home practice as a chore instead of having fun with it.

Try this in your next practice

Put on a Samba track at home, count yourself in, and dance the combination twice: once to find the figures, and once just for the fun of it.

Frequently asked questions

Which figures are in this Samba combination?

Samba Walks, Bota Fogos, Spot Voltas and Whisks.

How fast is Samba music?

WDSF competition rules set Samba at 50 to 52 bars a minute.

Can I learn the Voltas in more detail?

Yes. My Samba Voltas lesson covers travelling, circular and spot Voltas.

Is Samba part of 10 Dance?

Yes. Samba is one of the five Latin dances in 10 Dance, along with Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive.

Related lessons

Vaughan Liddicoat is a 4 time World Professional 10 Dance representative for Australia, an accredited coach and the founder of Ballroom Mastery. He has a passion for dance and wants to help you become the best dancer you can be and have an amazing time doing it.

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