dancing is a major part of the local culture and joining in will do wonders for the soul - in rio the most popular dance styles are samba, forro and baile funk - all styles might be difficult for foreigners with no experience to master, but beautiful and interesting to watch - most cariocas have learned to dance from a very young age and were encouraged to do so. 

samba is not impossible to dance, and for fast learners, the basic steps can be learned during time spent in the city - even if it takes much longer, most people feel comfortable participating in the bars and clubs of lapa, where free-spiritedness is found all over.