Samba, the national dance of Brazil, known for its fast, polyrhythmic beat, is just one of the Afro-Brazilian dances becoming fashionable among Yale students.

Afro-Brazilian dance is, for the moment, commanding plenty of attention at the university.

Genevieve Lumsby, a senior from Manhattan who has been dancing since she was 6 years old, is just beginning to learn about Afro-Brazilian dance.

Maculelê (dance), an Afro-Brazilian dance and martial art.

Familiar to Afro-Brazilian dances and traditions, she converted to Umbanda in her later life.

Loremil Machado, a performer and teacher of Afro-Brazilian dance, died yesterday at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital.

Afro-Brazilian dance in which gaily clad women court a bateria of tambors (a row of drums).

Brazzdance offers master classes and workshops in Afro-Brazilian dance, modern dance with a contemporary fusion style, creative dance and drumming.

Zenicardo, the company's 28-year-old musical director, said Afro-Brazilian dance engages him in a way classical ballet and modern dance do not.

It is a dance developed from Afro-Brazilian dances (mainly the lundu) and from European dances (mainly the polka).