its source can be found on traditional african dances which were practiced by slaves in the city and its outskirts and it burrows heavily from their rhythms and music.  

following the exodus of freed slaves from the northeastern state of bahía at the end of the 19th century, a wealth of rhythms and traditions were brought to rio de janeiro - in fact, they incorporated in their dances other genres played in the city, such as the polka, the maxixe, and the lundu, and so creating a new rhythm.

but while 'maxixe ' was more of a saloon dance, samba was an outdoor practice, and evolved accordingly.