Frevo is a style of dance and musical rhythm typical of popular carnival of Pernambuco. In 2012, frevo won the title of Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Originally, frevo emerged in the city of Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, as a carnival rhythm born in from Carnival marchinhas, influenced by Russian polka, to some classical ballet steps, and other popular Afro-Brazilian dances, such as the maxixe and the capoeira.
The name "frevo" originated from the word "boil", which is popularly pronounced "frever". In other words, the meaning is the same as "boiling", which connotes the "excitement" and "fuss" of the dancers. The term "frevo", however, was used for the first time in a publication in the Recife evening newspaper called "Pequeno" in 1907.
THE frevo dance, although it seems simple, it is marked by its complexity, with the use of juggling, twirling, waving, short steps and frenetic pace. The open colored umbrella is another striking feature of the frevo during the dance, causing the dancers show all their technique in leaps and twirls while carrying the little one umbrella. Currently, more than one hundred different steps in the frevo dance are catalogued.
Frevo can be divided into three main genres:
- Street Frevo: an exclusively instrumental style of frevo, with the use of pistons, trombones, trumpets and high notes.
- Block Frevo: it emerged from carnival serenades, with the use of banjos, cavaquinhos, guitars and other string and wind instruments, such as the clarinet.
- Frevo-Song: is the "sung" frevo, different from the traditional style, which only accompanied the band's percussion. It's a slower frevo genre.
Due to its popular nature, the carnival of frevo it is made by the families and community of a city or neighborhood, without the presence of samba-enredo, samba schools and trios-elétricos, as exist in other regions of Brazil.
The carnival in Olinda is considered the biggest carnival in frevo. The cultural symbol of frevo is so important that September 14th is marked as the Frevo day, in Brazil.