Forro

Forró is a type of dance popular in Northeastern Brazil, as well as a type of music which accompanies the dance. Both are much in evidence during the annual Festa Junina (June Festival).

Origin of the term

One theory popularly held in the region is that the word forró is a derivative of the English expression "for all" and that it originated in the early 1900s. English engineers on the Great Western Railroad would throw balls on weekends and classify them as either only for railroad personnel or for the general populace ("for all"). This belief was somewhat reinforced by a similar practice by USAF personnel stationed at the Natal Air Force Base during World War II.

Related Topics:
English - 1900s - Great Western Railroad - USAF - Natal Air Force Base - World War II

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The second theory, viewed as more reliable, puts forró as a derivative of forrobodó, meaning "great party" or "commotion". This is the view held by Brazilian folklorist Câmara Cascudo, who studied the Brazilian Northeast through most of his life.

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