Forró has its origins in the public dances held at the end of the 19th century and called “forrobodó”, “forrobodança” or “forrobodão”. Exploring the history of forró reveals how these dances developed into the lively cultural expression we know today.

At that time, it was necessary to form the floor of the place where these celebrations took place, because it was made of “beaten earth”, i.e. there was no covering, just earth.

People used to dance by dragging their feet to prevent the dust from rising, hence the term rastapé or arrasta-pé.

Similarities have also been found between this style of dance and the toré, an indigenous celebration in which people drag their feet on the ground at a certain ritualised moment.

Forró is also influenced by Dutch and Portuguese rhythms and European ballroom dancing.

Historical references

Forró is deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of the Brazilian Northeast.

During the period of colonisation, popular festivals and dances served as a means of cultural resistance and expression of northeastern identity.

Northeastern music began to gain prominence as the cultural industry consolidated in Brazil, especially in the 1940s and 1950s, with the popularisation of artists such as Luiz Gonzaga, considered the “King of the Baião” and one of the main promoters of forró.

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Origin of the name Forró

There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name “forró”:

1. Historian and folklorist Câmara Cascudo

The historian and folklorist Câmara Cascudo suggests that the most likely term is a derivative of “forrobodó”..

This term, in turn, is a Galician-Portuguese variant of the old word forbodó, which comes from the French word faux-bourdon, which can mean “intonation”. 1.

2. Another hypothesis – no historical proof

Another hypothesis is that the name comes from an English expression.

According to this theory, the British engineers who settled in the Pernambuco region during the construction of the Great Western Railway used to throw parties for illustrious people.

At certain times, however, these events were open to the public and their invitations included the word for all, which means for everyone in Portuguese. The locals then started pronouncing it “forró”.

3. The popularisation of the name in the 1950s

It wasn’t until the 1950s that the name “forró” really began to be used. The year before, the singer-songwriter Luiz Gonzaga recorded the song “Forró de Mané Vito”, produced together with Zé Dantas. In 1958, another song by the musician called “Forró no Escuro” was also very successful.

Despite the popularity of this music icon’s hits, what really spread the style throughout Brazil was the migration of northeasterners to other states, especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, forró is enjoyed throughout Brazil and is celebrated on 13 December, the birthday of accordionist Luiz Gonzaga.

The birth of forró

When it first appeared, forró was an authentic artistic creation from the rural universe of the sertanejo, with Luiz Gonzaga as its main promoter and representative.

The music was usually played with just three instruments and the lyrics had nostalgic, regional themes and a strong inland accent.

The Forró pé-de-serra in its classic form is still present in the great festivities of the northeast, and whether in the hands of nationally recognised artists like Dominguinhos or more local names like Santana, there are still those who keep the original style alive.

Regional diversity

Forró manifests itself in different ways in different regions of the north-east. Among the best-known variations are accordion forró, which is closer to traditional forró, and university forró, which incorporates influences from other genres.

In states such as Pernambuco, Paraíba and Ceará, each region brings its own peculiarities, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of the Northeast.

The differences in rhythms, lyrics and choreography are evidence of the cultural diversity that characterises this dance and music.

Cultural impact

Beyond music and dance, forró is an important element of social cohesion and cultural identity in Brazil.

For example, during the June Festivals, forró becomes a way of celebrating northeastern culture, uniting people from different backgrounds around dance and music.

In addition, forró has influenced other artistic manifestations, such as cordel literature and cinema, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of northeastern culture.

Forró as a musical genre

This musical style is popularly associated with other genres: xote, xaxado and baião. These use the accordion, triangle and zabumba as the instrumental basis.

It is also called traditional forró or forró pé-de-serra and its greatest exponents are Luiz Gonzaga, Jackson do Pandeiro, Dominguinhos and Sivuca.

From the 1980s, Forró underwent some changes.

At that time, drums, guitar and electric bass were introduced . In the 1990s, other elements were added by some bands, such as keyboard and sax, and the zabumba was removed.

This sub-genre became known as electronic or stylised forró and was criticised for turning traditional forró into a superficial product of the cultural industry..

In the 2000s, this type of music was given a new makeover and emerged in the form of forró universitário, which added some instrumental changes to the original style.

Forró as a dance

Forró is danced in pairs in a closed embrace position, with the partners facing each other, using full or partial body contact.

Depending on the style of music played – baião, xote, xaxado, university forró or electronic – the style of dancing also changes. The main destinations for those who like to dance forró are Itaúnas (ES), Caruaru (PE) and Campina Grande (PB).

Contemporary artists

Elba Ramalho e Dominguinhos (Forró Pé de Serra)

The main representatives of Forró are Luiz Gonzaga, Carmélia Alves, Dominguinhos, Trio Nordestino, Jackson do Pandeiro, Sivuca, Alceu Valença, Elba Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, Falamansa, Rastapé, Forroçacana, Mastruz com Leite, Calcinha Preta, Frank Aguiar and Aviões do Forró.

The style has gone through three major phases since its emergence in the 1940s.

The evolution of forró is controversial, but the formats can coexist, say critics. This week marks the start of the main forró marathon during the São João festivities in the northeast.

With the official night of the saint’s celebrations approaching next Friday (24), it’s almost impossible to hear any other music in the cities that become the main centres of the festival, such as Campina Grande (PB) and Caruaru (PE).

To say that everyone plays forró doesn’t necessarily mean that the music is the same.

In the seven decades since its creation and spread through the hands of Luiz Gonzaga, the musical style that symbolises the northeast has undergone a transformation in form.

No longer a purely regional music played with accordion, zabumba and triangle, Luiz Gonzaga has adapted to modernity, incorporating elements of pop, axé and technobrega.

Newer forró bands have a production comparable to the biggest pop shows in the world. One of these groups, Calcinha Preta, has even given 360-degree performances like those of U2. The transformation of the forró has sparked controversy.

Paraíba’s Secretary of Culture, the singer Chico César, criticised the more “modern” bands, which he called “plastic forró”. In the same vein, Dominguinhos, faithful to the original forró, has already claimed that the new bands have changed their style so much that “you can’t say it’s forró”.

Despite the evolution of forró and the contrasts, the different styles of forró can “coexist, according to Expedito Leandro Silva, author of “Forró no Asfalto: mercado e identidade cultural, which deals with the evolution and urbanisation of the musical style that is a hallmark of São João in the northeast.

“The former does not cease to exist, and the latter continues to modernise and accentuate its differences from the original”.

Forró styles

The style of forró can be divided into three main phases:

1. Traditional forró (also called pé-de-serra)
2. University Forró
3. Electronic Forró

They are characterised by urbanisation, technical development and adaptation of style to the market at different times.

Recycling of the forró

The first big changes came in 1975, when popular musicians of the time such as Alceu Valença, Zé Ramalho and Elba Ramalho took up forró, adapting the style to the times and the way they were already playing.

It was forró Universitário, named after the young, urban audience they appealed to.

The style was revived in a similar form two decades later, when groups like Falamansa and Trio Rastapé became nationally popular with “forró pé-de-serra adapted to today’s world”, as Falamansa’s Ricardo Cruz explained.

“The similarity between us and Alceu Valença and Zé Ramalho exists because we have followed the same movement of looking to the original, traditional sources, such as Luiz Gonzaga and Jackson do Pandeiro, and combining them with the moment in which we live.

In my case, it’s contemporaneity, mixing pé-de-serra with reggae, rock and MPB influences. We try to make pé-de-serra together with our daily life, our reality,” he said.

Forró Revolution

Despite the continuity of traditional forró and the change of emphasis without much change in the universitário, the style underwent its greatest transformation in the 1990s.

That’s when forró incorporated new instruments, dancers, more colourful clothes and elements of sertaneja, romantic, brega and even axé music to create electronic forró.

Also known as stylised forró or even “oxente music, the movement began at the beginning of the decade with groups like Mastruz com Leite and Magníficos, and has grown bigger and more transformative over the years.

The change in recent decades has been so intense that it has led to groups such as Aviões do Forró and Calcinha Preta, which, according to researcher Expedito Silva, have changed the original proposal so much that they are closer to technobrega than to forró proper.

The founder of Magníficos, one of the first stylised forró bands, explained that what they do is romantic popular music mixed with forró. “It’s as if we took a song by Roberto Carlos, for example, and played it to a forró rhythm, said José Inácio, or Jotinha.

The Magníficos band actually started out with traditional pé-de-serra songs, but decided to change. “Luiz Gonzaga influenced us a lot, but we adapted traditional pé-de-serra to romantic music.We like it and respect it, but it’s not what we want to do.

You have to follow the evolution of things, he said. According to Silva, who has studied the evolution of forró, the main difference between the classic and electronic styles is that the new bands are better at dealing with the market and selling more.

“The style is favoured by younger people, who identify more with it.What happens is that those who like forró, especially in the northeast, don’t confuse the electronic with the traditional.They see stylised music as leisure, fun, pastime, but they respect traditional forró,” he said.

Final thoughts

The history of forró is marked by its rich cultural diversity and the influence of different styles.

From its humble origins to its rise as one of Brazil’s leading musical genres, forró continues to evolve, keeping tradition alive while adapting to new generations.

With the endurance of traditional artists and the innovation of new groups, forró remains a vibrant symbol of Northeastern culture.

See also The origins and development of forró in the São João festivals

History, origins and development of forró in the Northeast

Tourist guide to Bahia and the Northeast

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