Over the past century, Brazilian music has been one of the greatest influences on popular music styles in the United States. Making a significant contribution in the early 1940s was a tiny Brazilian singer-dancer called Maria de Carmo Miranda de Cunha. wearing six-inch heels and a fruited headdress became her trademarks as she help to bring awareness to Brazilian music.

Other more notable proponents of popular Brazilian music include: Joao Gilberto, a major creator of the Brazilian Bossa Nove; Antonio Carlos Jobim, one of the most important Brazilian music composer during the 1950s-60s. Jobim wrote the words to the most inportant Brazilian jazz Bossa Nova "The Girl From Ipanema" and many other classic Bossa Nova love songs; guitarist Charlie Byrd, the true father of U.S. jazz-bossa nova; singer Astrud Gilberto and saxophonist Stan Getz.

Did you know that no other country in the world has more percussion instruments than Brazil? Here are some important terms that will help you understand Brazilian music.

Baiao
One of many rhythms of the African-influenced Northeast of Brazil, the baiáo became popular in Rio de Janeiro around 1950 as a reaction against the increasingly international popular music of the time. Its most famous exponent, Luis Gonzaga, made the accordion-led regional group extremely popular. A few U.S. jazzmen experimented with the baiáo in the early 1950s, but it was too unsuccessful to be called a bridge between the samba and the bossa nova.

Bossa Nova
A Brazilian fusion of cool jazz elements with various Brazilian rhythms, including the baiáo but particularly the samba. Often wrongly considered Afro-Brazilian, it is a sophisticated and recent form developed by hip musicians and avant-guarde poets. Most were white, though Bola Sete a leading bossa nova guitarist, is an exception.

Choro
A Brazilian instrumental genre fusing European dances such as polka, waltz, and schottisch with African-derived rhythms. It is characterized by virtuosity, improvisation, and counterpoint. Choro first emerged as a playing style in Rio de Janeiro during the second half of the 19th century, performed by small groups incorporating flute, cavaquinho, and guitar.

Cuica
A small Brazilian friction drum with a tube fastened to the inside of the drumhead, which is rubbed to produce a squeaky sound on the same principle as children use with a wetted finger and a window pane, but infinitely more varied. The cuica became a familiar sound in 1970s disco music, jazz, and salsa.

Maxixe
An old Brazilian dance derived from an earlier local ballroom dance heavily influenced by the early 20th century tango, It was briefly popular in the U.S. around the First World War, but never caught on to any permanent extent.

Samba
An African-Brazilian dance with several variations in different parts of Brazil. The best-known are the urban sambas, said to derive from the maxixe and the highly persuasive sambas of the carnival "schools" of Rio. The characteristic shuffling 2/4 rhythm, fused with jazz, was part of the bossa nova.

It was a fabulous evening of hot Havana Cuban Theme entertainment unlike anything seen before. Interactive Latin Theme entertainment RITMO!PALOOZA® breaks ground at the newly renovated Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. Follow the MIAMI CONGA LINE on MySpace!

Miami entertainment talent auditioning pro male/female dancers for upcoming Shows, ages 21-30, must be extremely fit. Send bio, photos, full stats, plus contact info.

RITMO!® is available in Florida: West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Wellington, Greenacres, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Lake worth, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Lake Worth, PGA, Stuart, Hobe Sound, Palm City, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Lantana, Manalapan, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Lantana, Lauderdale-by-the- Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Dania Beach, Hallandale, Sunrise, Coconut Creek, Parkland, Hillsboro, Royal Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Windermere, Longwood, Clermont, Titusville, Melbourne, Cape Canaveral, Edgewater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, St. Cloud, Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach, Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Orlando, Gainsville, Ocala, Marco Island, Eagle Creek Golf, Royal Palm, Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples, Fort Myers, Sanibel, Captiva Island, Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Eaglewood, Boca Royale, Heron Creek, North Port, Venice, Bradenton, Jacksonville, Brandon, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Largo, Clearwater, Sarasota, Miami, Key Biscayne, Hiialeah, Miami Springs, Kendall, Coral Gables, Homestead, North Miami Beach, Key Largo, Florida City, Key West, Ocean Reef, Aventura, Miami Lakes, Doral, Miami Beach and South Beach.