1) Does the head go up and down during samba, or is the up and down bounce completly absorbed by the middle of the body?

2) When one pushes up from a bent leg does the heal leave the ground?

Thanks

In the Samba bounce action there should not be a noticeable bobbing up and down shown in the head. The following should help you to understand the action better:

(1) Stand at your normal height and imagine your head is touching a low ceiling.
(2) Flex both knees to the same degree.
(3) When stepping forward or backward, straightening the knees, your head will just touch the ceiling.
Just remember that you don't rise above your normal height. As far as the heel leaving the floor, once the body weight passes over the supporting foot the heel will be released naturally.

thanks, what you say makes sence

Further, there is a 'tick' action initiated by the rib cage and enhanced by the hips. The overall look and feel is a co-ordination of the legs, hips and rib cage. The head remains relatively level.

To add to all the good comments above. Have it clear in your mind that in the Samba you must finish with a bent knee, not like the Cha or Rumba where the leg is absoutely straight front and back on a Basic or New York ,Spot turn the same applies. In those dances the back leg will have about 2o% of your weight until the and count.Now back to the Samba, among all this you must develope a body tick which is a contaction and expansion of your tummy muscles. This is the most difficult of all the dances. A friend of mine an acomplished performer went to one of those super duper coaches in the UK, and never got more than eight bars into the Samba without being stopped each time and corrected. If you are troubled by all this , don't be. There are very few who could say that their Samba is perfect. Spectacular yes but perfect no.

To add to what iluv2dance says:

Don't just flex your knees. Crunch your abdominals until your knees flex and your heels come off the floor. This will all you to bend the knees without bobbing up and down with your head. All of the "bounce" is absorbed in your middle.