The Cha Cha Cha

It should come as no surprise that in the West we have some of the best Cha Cha dancers on these Islands. I happen to be talking about American style Cha Cha Cha, breaking on the loud noise. How did that happen? Where on earth did it come from?

"You are the sound of the ocean - the breath of fresh air - The brightest light

and the darkest corner - You are a collective of every experience you have

had in your life - You are every single day - and it will end, all too soon."

Many years ago, in the West Indies, there are certain plants that produce seed pods called cha cha or (depending on the island) tcha, tcha. These were used to make a small rattle also known as a cha cha. In Haiti, (French blacks) the typical voodoo drum consists of three drums, a bell and a cha cha. The cha cha is used by the leader as a timing instrument or "metronome" to set the time in secular dancing as well as in religious music or singing. The drums follow as any other instruments.

"Mi Cha Cha Cha" by Rene Touzet

But even during the popularity peak of the mambo, many dancers did not care for it because, they claimed, it seemed to go against the natural rhythm of the music. In particular, many cultural dancers criticized the fast mambos for having the acrobatic character of jitterbug rather than the smooth movements usually associated with Latin dance.

In the early 50s, the Cuban orchestra "America" started playing the time honored Danzon with a new syncopated beat. This sounded like a very slow mambo and Cuban dancers used a chassé on the slow count. They added triple hip undulation too.

Gradually it evolved into a rock step and a chassé and the Cha Cha Cha was born. The Cha Cha Cha was introduced into the US in 1954 and by 1957, it arrived in Hawaii and picked up by Aiea Ballroom Dance Club, islanders going ga ga over it as well as throughout the world.

Most dancers in West Oahu have become more comfortable with the Cha Cha Cha rhythm than with the Mambo or Salsa rhythms and it lends itself very easily to most variations available in Mambo or Salsa. Today almost sixty years after its inception, it remains one of the most popular dances in our island Cultural community. Just needs the right music, that Latin sound.

Pub's Side Note: A dance blog is what all dance websites would like to be, updated on a regular basis, containing content that is of interest to a select or target audience. Information easy to update and change. Our readers are gradually picking up on this action. Whenever you are ready.