Forró is a type of dance popular in Northeastern Brazil. The origin of the name "Forró" still divides historians.

"For all"

One theory popularly held in the region, is that the word is a derivative of the English expression "for all". The first one states that it originated in the early 1900s, as English engineers from the Great Western Railroad would throw balls during the weekends and classify them as either only for Railroad personnel or for the general populace ("for all"). This belief was somewhat reinforced by a similar practice by USAF personnel stationed at the Natal Air Force Base during World War II. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

"Forrobodó"

The second theory, viewed as more reliable, puts "Forró" as a derivative of "Forrobodó", meaning "great party" or "commotion". This is the view held by Brazilian Folklorist Câmara Cascudo, who studied the Brazilian northeast through most of his life.

Popularity

Forró is the most popular genre of the Northeast region of Brazil. Forró has evolved into a number of subgenres. Traditional forró, played with only three instruments (accordion, zabumba and a metal triangle), is now known as forró pé-de-serra. a piano accordion An accordion is a small portable free-reed wind instrument with a keyboard, the smallest representative of the organ family. ...