Michelle Pickles learns to samba in Rio

(Newshub,)
(Newshub,)

Brazilians are known for their love of music and dance, in particular, the samba - the most popular and distinctive music of the wonderfully colourful country.

So on a day when we had a spare couple of hours (doesn't happen often) we decided to embrace the local culture and find someone who might be able to teach me the samba.

Cameraman John Fleming and I headed up to the Rocinha Favela with our guide and driver Marcio Guedes. Marcio knows a local man who lives in the favela - Ivson Lins. Ivson was a very cool dude - he calls his little space on the sidewalk his "office" and it's here that he sings, plays his music and teaches Samba to anyone who's interested.

So that's how I came to be taught the samba in a Favela in Rio de Janeiro. It was a wonderfully enriching experience and one I will cherish for years to come.

Check out the video. I think the dog is the real star of this show - with Ivson a very close second.

Michelle Pickles / Newshub.