History
The Cha Cha originated in Latin America, but within a matter of years, it had spread like a rash to parts of Britain, Europe, and North America. The Cha Cha has roots from the Mambo and Rumba, but developed its own fast and flirty dance style. The Cha Cha dance derives from the famous Mambo dance and was originally known as the “Triple Mambo”. The Mambo, which originated from Cuba in the 1940’s, included three quick changes of weight followed by two slow steps during the dance moves.
The name Cha Cha comes from the vocal imitation of what the feet are doing in the dance, although you take three steps in the dance that sounds like a “Cha Cha Cha”. The tempo of the dance is fast, sassy, staccato, and it is accented on the “one” beat. According to dance historians, it wasn’t until 1954 that the dance became popular in Latin America, and it remained popular there until salsa dancing dethroned it in the Latin clubs.
Songs You May Recognize
Throughout history, the Cha Cha was generally only danced to music that had a Latin sound and feel to it. However, over time, people began using it in other genres of music. Any type of music that has a 4/4 time and a good beat can use the Cha Cha. From Pop/rock and country to funk and hip-hop, the Cha Cha has been used as a fun and fast dance method in recent years.