Latin Dance in the Night Clubs.

Cha Cha Cha became popular in the 1950's and is generally considered an offshoot of mambo and many of the dance steps are borrowed from mambo and rumba. Cha cha music has a similar but also a very distinctive beat to mambo and slower. Some good cha cha music is used in Bachata. Today cha cha is danced to many styles of music including latin, rock and roll, hip hop and country western. Cha cha music is typically 110 to 130 beats per minute. For many, in the American, Country or International styles of dance, consider it the most fun dance in the world. It has over 600 documented step patterns.

"Social dancers know, that they have the opportunity to have fun practicing

 what they have learned, putting it all together and learning how to

navigate  a floor filled with your fellow dancers."

Mambo is a faster Rumba and a fusion of swing and other types of Cuban music. It's creation is attributed to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana night club in Havana in 1943. However it was not until Prado recorded "Que Rico Es Mambo" in Mexico City in 1950, that it took the US by storm. The Mambo evolved through the Caribbean and finalized in New York City years later in the 60s at the famous New York Palladium, And it is still played with gusto in many of our dance functions on Oahu. Perez Prado eventually was proclaimed,"King of the Mambo."

"Que Rico, El Mambo" por Perez Prado.

Rumba was influenced by both Spanish and Cuban aboriginal music. The Indian Rumba was amalgamated with the Son, a popular dance of the Cuban middle class in the first half of the 20th century. The American Rumba has alwsys been considered a variation of the Son. It was first introduced to the United States by Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer in 1913. Rumba became popular beginning in the Great Depression in the US. It is still considered as one of the most beautiful dances in the world today. The Bolero-Rumba music is listened to all over the world. The organizations at the top have been tearing it apart with "who's right." The only salvation may be the Cultural dancers.

There is more? You bet. And the Peripherals have a lot of new fad dances, but this can give you an idea of a good basic set for a Latin Night Club.

"There's a couple of heels following us" said one toe to the other.