Feet in samba dancing

I recommend using shoes unless you are being very watchful of engaging the arch muscles of your foot and maintaining a "short foot." But if you are learning to Samba, your attention is going to be elsewhere, so wearing shoes is best. You can exercise the foot muscles when you walk on the beach, but again, you will need to pay attention not to distend your ligaments any further than they have distended already.

I'm am looking for some good Samba DVD's - could you please describe the one you have found? Do you recommend it?

Dear Esther,

The video features Quenia R., she's from Brazil, and teaches at World Dance New York, apparently.  I like her demeanor on the video - she goes slow, then medium to teach, and for the actual workout, she goes medium and then fast.  The workout is broken into 5 segments, I think, and each has a tutorial and then the actual workout.  I'm a slow learner when it comes to physical things but I can replay the DVD often and am really catching on.  I am using my inner corset as best as I can during it.

I like the video a lot.  Persons who already know samba or lots of different dances may think the DVD is too easy.  For me, the video is just right.  I got mine from Amazon (and posted a review with a link to your book).

I just got the DVD and like it too. It is simple and a little repetitive, but still good.