Hearts raced and foreheads perspired as the Latin American Rhythms festival kicked off on Sunday morning with a breathless workshop led by samba dancer Romero de Manguiera.

Around thirty participants learnt to shake their hips, lift their chests proudly and dance the evocatively named step ‘mamão com mel’ or ‘papaya with honey’.

Romero has adopted the name of his Samba style - the Mangueira Samba - developed in a part of Brazil where Mango groves grow thick.

“The green of my shirt represents hope and the pink of my shirt represents love,” he explained with great passion to those gathered at the workshop.

“Today we are raising money for the street children of Ecuador, but in Brazil there are also many street children.”
  
“When we dance samba we show our love and hope for them,” Romero said, to great applause.

For an hour Romero encouraged workshop participants to imagine they were in the centre of Rio’s Carnival wearing gaudy, glittery outfits and a beaming smile.

With the images and beats of Carnival projected onto the wall of the dark studio, it wasn’t too hard to believe that a little bit of Brazil had been recreated in central London.

By the end of the class, participants were exhausted but jubilant. “This saves me my trip to the gym!” remarked one new sambista, grinning.

Romero teaches his class some simple samba moves.

Romero finally takes to the stage, to loud
cheers from the floor.