Samba Teacher In Tulsa Shares Passion For Brazilian Dance Culture

Nikki Richardson has been dancing Samba for over 18 years. She is one of the only Samba teachers in the Tulsa area.

Samba is a music and dance from Brazil with African roots. There are several styles of Samba, including Samba-enredo and Samba No Pé.

The music in Samba-enredo is featured in some of Brazil’s biggest Carnival celebrations, performed by the various samba schools.

Richardson said she loves everything about Samba. She said she was in Angola with a group called Kunange Life that organizes trips to experience the culture behind the dance called Kizomba. While there, she was treated to a dance performance by a group that showcased dances from all over Angola.

“At one point, I jumped for joy and started dancing where I was standing because I knew the dance they were doing, even though it was my first time in Angola,” Richardson said. “They were performing the step which is the origin of Brazilian samba.”

Richardson first learned Samba with Deraldo Ferreira at the Dance Complex in Boston. Since then, she has had the opportunity to take classes with dancers and teachers around the world.

"The highlight of my training is when I got to go to Brazil and dance with the Passistas of the samba schools in Rio de Janeiro," she added. "The energy of a massive room of people dancing samba 'til they drop is such a wonderful experience."

In 2022, she performed in the Parade with the Samba school, Vigário Geral. Richardson had prepared for weeks with the school beforehand. She hopes to return to the parade in Rio de Janeiro soon.

Richardson teaches Samba classes at WOMPA at 3306 Charles Page Blvd. Her classes are on Tuesday nights at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., featuring Zaira Cancino from Brazil. Classes are $12-15 per person.

For more information or to sign up for a class, visit her website.