to cause a public scene, to go ballistic
Quando ela descobriu a traição, rodou a baiana no meio do restaurante.
When she found out about the cheating, she caused a scene in the middle of the restaurant.
The origin is uncertain. One reported hypothesis places rodar a baiana ("to spin the Baiana") in the Rio de Janeiro Carnival of the early 20th century. To shield the costumed women from gropers, capoeira fighters paraded among them dressed as baianas, in the wide, swirling skirts of Bahia. When someone got out of line, the fighters struck — and onlookers saw only the baiana skirt whirling as the brawl erupted.
Source: Ciberdúvidas da Língua Portuguesa.
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