Dance History
History of the Ten Competitive Dances
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Cha-cha-cha
A dance with a famous name but a character which is not well-known to most pepople.
Here's a chance for you to learn about the triple step (chasse) and the link between the Rumba and this dance...
Cha-cha-cha - a short history of the dance
Cha-cha-cha
Beat: 4/4.
Temp: 30-32 measures per minute.
Count: "2-3-cha-cha-cha" or "1-2-3-cha-cha" and other variations.
Danced competitively since: 1952.
The name could have been derived from the Spanish 'Chacha' meaning 'nursemaid', or 'chachar' meaning 'to chew coca leaves', or from 'char' meaning "tea', or most likely from the fast and cheerful Cuban dance: the Guaracha. This dance has been popular in Europe from before the turn of the century. For example it is listed on the program of the Finishing Assembly in 1898 of Dancie Neill at Coupar Angus in Scotland.
The Mambo originated in Haiti.
In the late 1940s, Havana, Cuba, was one of the most popular resorts for North Americans, especially those residing along the east coast. The most famous American dance bands as well as the many outstanding latin bands native to Cuba played at the city's casinos. Some of these orchestras tried combining the American JAZZ beat with the Cuban RUMBA rhythm; The result was a new rhythm called the MAMBO.
(The word "Mambo" is the name of a Voodoo priestess in the religion brought by the Negroes from Africa. Thus the Cha Cha had its origins in the religious ritual dances of West Africa. There are three forms of Mambo: single, double, and triple. The triple has five (!) steps to a bar, and this is the version that evolved into the Cha Cha). In fact, Cha-cha-cha (or Triple Mambo) is danced to the tripled rhythm of Mambo.
A dance was developed to the new mambo rhythm, danced to the off beat rather than the traditional downbeat. For this reason, the dance was popular mainly with dancers thoroughly familiar with complex Afro-Cuban music.
However, among the many figures of the mambo was one called the "chatch", which involved three quick changes of weight preceded by two slow steps.
By the early 1950s, this figure had developed into a new dance comprised of many simple variations on the basic footwork. The dance acquired the name CHA-CHA ; its characteristic three-step change of weight carried the identifying verbal definition, "cha-cha-cha".
The Mambo was intoduced to the West in 1948.
When the English dance teacher Pierre Lavelle visited Cuba in 1952, he realised that sometimes the Rumba was danced with extra beats.
When he returned to Britain, he started teaching these steps as a separate dance.
(Lavelle, 1975, 2). The name could have been derived from the Spanish 'Chacha' meaning 'nursemaid', or 'chachar' meaning 'to chew coca leaves' (Smith, 1971, 161), or from 'char' meaning "tea' (Taylor, 1958, 150), or most likely from the fast and cheerful'Cuban dance: the Guaracha (Ellfeldt, 1974,59). This dance has been popular in Europe from before the turn of the century. For example it is listed on the program of the Finishing Assembly in 1898 of Dancie Neill at Coupar Angus in Scotland (Hood, 1980, 102).
In 1954, the dance was described as a "Mambo with a guiro rhythm". A Guiro is a musical instrument consisting of a dried gourd rubbed by a serrated stick.
The cha-cha inherited much of its styling from its parent dances, the rumba and the mambo. Like most latin dances, it is done with the feet remaining close to the floor. The dancers' hips are relaxed to allow free movement in the pelvic section. The upper body shifts over the supporting foot, as steps are taken.
There are three flavors of Cha-cha-cha dance, differing by the place of the chachacha chasse with respect to the musical bar. Ballroom Cha-cha and street Cha-cha-cha in Cuba count "two-three-chachacha". Country/western Cha-cha-cha and Latin street Cha-cha-cha in many places other than Cuba count "one-two-chachacha" or "chachacha-three-four".
Guajira, a product of triple Mambo via Danzon predates all the "social" versions.
The Guajira rhythm, is still used as the basis by Cubans and Puerto Ricans, who are of the belief, that the other versions were " anglicised " , to suit the American market. As is usual with the more authentic forms of dance, a very limited variety of steps, is used. It can still be seen danced in many South Florida night clubs.
The music for the ballroom Cha-cha-cha is energetic and with a steady beat. The "Latin" cha-cha-cha is slower, more sensual and may involve complicated rhythms. "Cowboy" Cha-Cha-Cha is danced basically to any "four to the floor" music.
In a Latin dance competition for amateur couples this dance is performed second - after Samba, while in a Competition for Professional couples it is danced first.