June quadrilles, a popular Brazilian festival folk dance, officially recognized as national cultural expression

June quadrilles (quadrilhas juninas), one of Brazil's most traditional and representative cultural expressions, have now joined samba schools, forró, and the June festivals themselves as celebrated icons of national cultural heritage. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Culture Minister Margareth Menezes made it official by signing Law No. 14.900, published in the Federal Government's Official Gazette this Monday (24).

ORIGIN – The June quadrilles originated as European salon dances, brought to Brazil by the Portuguese court in the early 1800s. Quadrilles first appeared in Paris in the 18th century as salon dances, performed by four couples. Such performances were part of European elite culture and arrived in Brazil during the Regency period (around 1830), quickly becoming a craze among the aristocracy.

From the court in Rio de Janeiro, this dance spread to more popular spaces, where they incorporated cultural, religious and folkloric national elements. As it became increasingly adapted to national tastes, the dance increased the number of participants and abandoned the French steps and rhythms. Over the years, it incorporated traditional songs and the humorous enactment of a rural wedding ceremony as part of the performance.

RECORD – Brazilian June quadrilles have gained significant social, economic, and touristic recognition in various cities, particularly in Northeastern Brazil. This year, on June 13, the city of Campina Grande in the state of Paraíba—famous for its impressively large June festivals in honor of Saint John (São João)—broke for the 10th time its own record for the largest number of people dancing simultaneously: 1,280 couples.