◦ According to this article.
The cha-cha dance originated in Cuba and was
first referred to as the cha-cha-cha. The dance gained popularity in the 1950s and
evolved from two other dances, the'mambo' and the 'danzon'. In Cuba, while working
with the charanga group 'Orquesta America,' he performed at Havana dance halls.
Enrique Jorrin, a violinist and composer, recognized that the majority of the
crowds associated the danzon-mambo rhythm with a much slower mambo dance and thus
had difficulty adopting the syncopated rhythms. He decided to write music that was
heavily focused on the first downbeat, resulting in a less syncopated rhythm. The
crowd dancers responded by developing a triple step, making the sound 'cha-cha-cha'
with their shoes, and thus the cha-cha-cha was born. The dance is performed to
authentic Cuban music, Latin Rock, or Latin Pop, and consists of two slower steps
followed by three quick steps, i.e. cha-cha-cha in a 'one-two-cha-cha-cha' dance
rhythm. Despite the fact that the modern ballroom version of cha-cha dancing
evolves with each dance competition, it remains strongly based on its Cuban roots
from the 1950s.
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First introduced to the United States in 1954, the popular dance was at one time
referred to as Cha Cha Cha. By 1959, the dance movement gained so much popularity
that it eventually replaced the Mambo as the most popular dance. By this time the
name has been reduced to the famillar Cha Cha. By far the biggest reason of the cha
cha explosion is its versatility. Allowing dancers to create their own hybrid
dances.
The basics moves of the cha cha are very simple. The leader starts off with their
left foot and the follower starts with their right foot. During the next beat, the
follower counts one or three of the measures. At the same time, the leader would
adjust their movement to the follower’s location on the dance floor. The follower
walks forward in the first two beats of each pattern then steps three times at the
end of the movement. This is known as the anchor step.
There are two versions of the origin of the name Cha Cha. The first gives credit to
a Cuban violinist named Enrique Jorrin. Jorrin coined the term “Cha Cha” to vocally
mimic the shuffling sound of the dancer’s shoes when it hits the dance floor.
Pierre Lavelle is credited as importing the Cha Cha to the continent of Europe.
During the 1950’s Lavelle would travel to Cuba to observe and study the culture’s
style of dance. He noticed how the dancers added additional steps to the normal
Rumba and Mambo dances. When he returned home from Cuba, he began teaching this
hybrid dance we all know now as the Cha Cha.
The second version of the origin of the Cha Cha states that it hails from religious
ritualistic dances from the West Indies. Historical studies show that Voodoo band
leaders used small rattles created from Cha Cha plants to create a unique sound.
The distinct rattle combined with bells and drums were used as a metronome to
measure time when dancing and singing.
Different Styles of Cha Cha Dance
When dancing the Cha Cha there are two distinct styles being performed,
International and American Rhythm. The international style is mostly used
competitive dancing and is more advanced. It is recommended that a dancer should
learn the American rhythm style before trying to master the international. Both
styles share similar characteristics such as:
• Steps are small, most movements coming from hips and pelvic area
• Danced to a steady 4/4 beat
• usually dance to some form of Latin style music
No matter the style of Cha Cha you choose the basic dance steps remain the same:
1. With your left foot forward, slide and shift your weight to the left
foot. While keeping the right foot still in its place.
2. Now shift weight onto your right foot
3. Place weight back to the left foot, slide left




