The Cha Cha which was introduced to the United States in 1954, was at one time referred to as Cha Cha Cha. The dance movement gained so much popularity by 1959, that it replaced the Mambo as the most popular dance by which time the name had been reduced to the familiar Cha Cha.
The Cha Cha is a fun dance that is known for its playful, flirtatious and vibrant energy. Couples like to learn the dance for weddings and it is one of the most popular dances at dance competitions. It is common today to dance the Cha Cha to current styles of music including funk, country, R&B, Pop and Top 40 although it is traditionally danced to authentic Cuban and Latin music. The Cha Cha is danced in 4/4 time to music with a tempo of 110 to 120 beats per minute.
The Cha Cha descended from another partner dance called the Mambo. The music of Mambo dancing comes from old African traditions, while it was born in Cuba, with the Cha Cha developing alongside it.
Ballroom Cha Cha is seen on popular National television competition shows of today, like ‘Dancing with the Stars’ (USA), ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (UK) and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. You will see this style of formal ballroom dance in international competitions as well as across nations.
Cuba was a very popular place, and the rich and famous liked to spend time in Havana resorts during the 1940s and 1950s. Influential writers like Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway had experiences in Cuba which shaped their monumental novels. The best Latin orchestras native to Cuba as well as famous American dance bands played in the Havana resorts. While Mambo was born to this music, the Cha Cha was an offshoot. Cha Cha dancing started to spread internationally in the 1950s. English dance teacher Pierre Lavelle who travelled to Cuba in 1952, is credited with importing the Cha Cha to the continent of Europe. He brought back his version of the Cha Cha to Britain, and began teaching it as a separate dance, which eventually became what we know now as Ballroom Cha Cha. The American dancer, Arthur Murray thought it would be simpler for his students if it was simplified to a 1-2-3 Cha Cha rhythm, which gave the dance a more mechanical feel.
In the International Latin style of the Cha Cha, the leg that holds the dancer’s weight is almost always straight with the free leg bent to allow a natural settling of the weighted leg. In traditional American rhythm style, the hips move through the alternating bending and straightening of the knees. Both techniques are recognized, and respected and take dedication to master. Dancers keep their feet close to the floor while moving their hips a lot, and keep their upper bodies erect.
There are different versions of the origin of the name Cha Cha. The first gives credit to a Cuban violinist named Enrique Jorrin who coined the name to vocally mimic the shuffling sound of the dancer’s shoes as they shuffle around the dance floor.
Another version of the origin of its name states that it hails from religious ritualistic dances from the West Indies where Voodoo band leaders used small rattles that were created from Cha Cha plants which produced seedpods called cha chas to create a unique sound This was used as a metronome when combined with drums and bells to measure time when singing and dancing.
Cha Cha dancers wear dresses that leave room for movement. The shoes are mainly Latin dancing shoes in high heels. In the past, men wore ruffles on the bottom of their dresses and on their sleeves, and now normally wear a black silk shirt with black pants and Latin shoes.
