Nikki Richardson has been dancing samba for over 18 years. She is one of the few 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 of the samba enredo can be heard at some of the biggest carnival celebrations in Brazil and is 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, which organizes trips to learn about the culture behind the dance called kizomba. During her stay, 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 on the spot because I knew the dance they were doing, even though it was my first time in Angola,” Richardson said. “They were performing the step that is the origin of the Brazilian samba.”

Richardson first learned samba from Deraldo Ferreira at the Dance Complex in Boston. Since then, she has had the opportunity to take lessons from dancers and teachers all over the world.

“The highlight of my training was when I got to travel to Brazil and dance with the passistas of the samba schools in Rio de Janeiro,” she added. “The energy of a huge room full of people dancing samba until they drop is such a wonderful experience.”

In 2022, she performed at the parade with the Vigário Geral samba school. Richardson had previously prepared with the school for weeks. She hopes to be part of the parade in Rio de Janeiro again soon.

Richardson teaches samba at WOMPA, 3306 Charles Page Blvd. Her classes are Tuesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. She is joined by Zaira Cancino from Brazil. Classes cost $12-15 per person.

For further information or to register for the course, please visit their website.