The Bossa Nova began as a Brazilian cool jazz musical form, without an accompanying dance. It arose among the upscale beach culture of
Rio de Janeiro during the 1950s, then spread through the 1959 film Black Orpheus and then via American jazz musicians, most notably
Stan Getz. Dance steps for the Bossa Nova began to arise at the end of the 1950s.
Cha Cha and Mambo were the new dance hits of the 1950s, from Desi Arnaz on I Love Lucy to the Chalypso of
rock'n'roll teens. Then the next big Latin dance, the Bossa Nova, started to take off in 1963, just
when the Twist was overshadowing couple dancing... unfortunate timing for the new easygoing Brazilian
dance. Now that Latin dancing is hot again, the Bossa Nova is finally beginning it's delayed popularity.
The sources: Several American and French dance manuals described Bossa Nova steps during the 1960s, along with step descriptions in
Ballroom Dance Magazine and printed instructions accompanying Bossa Nova record albums (as shown here, both from 1963). The richest collection is
in the "Dance Notes" published step descriptions for the 1963 annual convention of the National Association of Dance &
Affiliated Artists, held in Chicago and New York. Five different teachers presented their versions of the Bossa
Nova, including a Teen-age Bossa Nova and a Bossa Nova Mixer.
Some of these versions differed greatly from the others, both in steps and style. Since the Bossa Nova was
overshadowed by the Twist before becoming standardized, there are still differing styles of Bossa Nova today.
Style is similar to Foxtrot and Night Club Two-Step. There isn't much Latin hip motion, not being a Cuban dance,
but sometimes there's a slight Samba hip sway.
Men's steps are described; woman dances opposite unless specified.
The following steps are presented in a four-part sequence that flows nicely.
Of course these steps are also done in any order, freestyle.
•Turning Bossa Nova Box — He steps forward L, side R, close L to R with weight. Step back R,
side L, close R to L with weight. [S-QQ timing] Rotate slightly as a couple CCW (the amount of rotation is flexible).
•Whisk Rocks — He stops on S and swings her over to his L side into her QQ rock step as he
touches his R to 2nd pos. Then he closes R in place as he passes her over to her R side with her S side L, into her
QQ rock step as he touches his L to 2nd pos.
•Whisk Rocks.
•Inside Turn Release — Then he passes her toward his left into an Inside Turn, ending in Swing-out
Position
with a rock step, facing partner.
•Side Passes — He takes her R hand with his R. He swings her backing (her side step R) across in
front of him as he steps side L. Take L hands on the rock step. [S-QQ] Repeat opposite, taking opposite hands.
•Side Passes. Repeat.
•Side Passes. After these 6 passes he takes her R hand back with his L, ending in Swing-out Position.
•Spin Turn (called Spot Turn in 1963) — From Swing-out Position she waltzes into his arms, into
Closed Position, rotating CW as
a couple. He locks his R behind on the 2nd step. [S-QQ], staying together in closed position at the end.
•Swivel Walk — In Closed Position, he steps side L, cross R over, side L [S-QQ], cross R over, side
L, cross R over.
•Parallel Breaks — Slow side step, then he does a back break (rock step) as she breaks forward, at
his L hip. [S-QQ] Repeat opposite. [S-QQ]
•Swivel Walk.
•Parallel Break, Inside Turn — Do the first S-QQ of a Parallel Break, then his L hand comes
into the frame to lead her into an Inside Turn, traveling toward his right side, releasing to Swing-out hold.
•Open Cross-Steps — In single-hand hold (Open Position) he crosses R over L, steps small side R,
L closes halfway toward R with weight, pushing partner away with free hand. [S-QQ] Repeat opposite, both crossing
in front again. [S-QQ]
•Repeat Cross-Steps.
•Walk-around Drape — From Swingout handhold, he leads her across to his right as he crosses forward to
his left, bring his R shoulder fwd into his R hand, placing her R hand on his R shoulder, and extending his L hand to the side,
shoulder level. The entire time his R arm is floating out to his R side, palm down. She walks fwd to take his L
hand with hers. His steps may be forward L, side R, back L. [S-QQ] She keeps walking forward as he walks backward. [S-QQ]
•Continue, with Follow's Inside Turn Free Spin — She keeps walking forward as he walks
backward. During this third measure his L hand leads her into an Inside Free Spin (she turns CW on the spot) as he stops in
place, or heads toward his right a little. End with a rock step in Swing-out. [S-QQ, S-QQ]
This practice pattern can be rearranged into any order of repeats and figures.
These steps and figures can also be done in waltz time, with three even steps to each bar of music.
More steps that can be done either as Bossa Nova or Slow Waltz:
•Open Box — On count 3 of a Turning Box she walks forward R past his right hip, as he backs L. You can close
on count 6, as a traditional Box, or he walks forward R past her right hip, as she backs L.
•Traveling Zigzags With Cross-Through — He leads her off toward his left side as in Whisk Rocks but both cross
through, diagonally toward LOD on each count 3, as in Zig-Zags.
•Cloud Hands — Just like the Cross-Step Waltz version, but raising the hands on counts 1.
