Jade Dance - The History of Dance

The music of cha-cha-cha evolved from mambo. In 1951, Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín introduced the cha-cha-cha rhythm to Cuban dance floors while playing with Orquestra America. Some say that he came to this idea as early as in 1948 while being with Antonio Arcaño's orchestra. According to Jorrín, the sound made by the shoes of the dancers on the floor sounded like "cha-cha-cha", while they tried to follow the new rhythm that, at the beginning, was simply called "mambo-rumba". In 1953, his La Engañadora and Silver Star became recorded hits.

In early days, this dance and its music were both known as "triple mambo" or "mambo with guiro rhythm". The latin cha-cha is a very famous ballroom dance. Created in Cuba, it contians African and Cuban rhythms that meld into a latin beat. It's characteristic counting "two, three, cha, cha, cha" has made it famous. The name 'Cha-Cha' is the component of a bell which kept the dancers in time and made a 'cha' sound. (like a metronome) The dance was developed from the mambo. It was invented by Enrique Jorrin, a Cuban violinist in 1954. The Cha-Cha requires small steps because of its rhythm. The Cha-Cha part of the rhythm is a small gliding step. It is danced to 4/4 time. meaning that there are four beats in a bar. The count is slow-slow-quick-quick-slow. Turns can be used. The Cha-Cha requires a lot of hip motion. The basic step of the cha-cha is: the male steps forward on his right foot while the female steps back on her left, then , the male steps again with his left foot in the same position and the female does the same with her right foot, then the male and female do three steps on the spot(cha-cha-cha). This is repeated but this time the female steps forward and the male steps back. The forward step of the cha-cha is: instead of the male stepping forward on his right foot he puts his left foot to his right while the female does the same but she puts her right foot to her left, then they both step back in and do the three steps on the spot. This can be repeated as many times as you want rotating sides. The backward step of the cha-cha is pretty much the same as the forward step but instead of using you’re inside foot and stepping forward you use your outside foot and step backwards. The cha-cha turn is: the male does a basic cha-cha step but when he does the three cha-cha’s on the spot he does them while moving to the side then he does it again moving back to his original position. While he does this the female does a normal step but instead of the three cha-cha-cha’s she does two quick turns whichever way the male is going then she does it again to end up back in her original position.

The cha-cha was created in Cuba by a Cuban violinist called Enrique Jorrin in 1954 When dancing the cha-cha very small steps are needed because of its rhythm. The cha-cha part of the rhythm is a series of small gliding steps that barely touch the floor. A huge variety of fancy footwork can be added to the dance. Weight has to be moved carefully to make motions look gliding. The cha-cha includes a lot of hip motion. The pelvis is held in one position and left free for this motion. Even though the cha-cha uses smaller steps, dancers in competitions usually make their movement slightly longer to travel across the floor. The Cha-cha became hugely popular in the United States as did the mambo in the 1950's. Dancers began inventing new steps and turns to win competitions.