The Birth of Chachacha

In the late 1940's, 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 MAMBO.  A dance was developed to the new mambo rhythm, dance 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 once called the "chatch" which involves three quick changes of weight carried the identifying verbal definition, "cha-cha-cha". The cha-cha inherited much of its styling from its parents dances, the rumba and the mambo. Loke most Latin dances, it is done with the feet remaining close to the floor. The dancer's hips are relaxed to allow free movement in the pelvic section. The upper body shifts over the supporting foot, as steps are taken.