Tan Tan, Rebolo and Repique de Mao are ideal instruments for parties where people get together to play Samba or just want to be creative.
They have a range of sounds from the deep bass of the Tan-Tan to the bright attack of the Repique de Mao.
They are portable & light and usually played whilst sitting and the instrument laying across the lap. One hand would play the drum head whilst the other is tapping a rhythm on the body of the instrument.
In Brazil, the word pagode is used to describe a type of party "with food and drinks and an air of intimacy". In any good party, though, uplifting music is a must and then samba is a natural choice.