Cha Cha

Cha cha is a fun, flirty dance with a distinctive look that is great for any dancer.

In the early 1950s, Enrique Jorrin, a dance hall musician at the Silver Star Club in Havana, noticed dancers having trouble keeping up with the complex syncopations of the most popular dance music at the time and changed the way he wrote new songs. His songs continued to use the complex rhythms and emphasis on off beats, but he kept these embellishments very regular, making the signature cha-cha-cha rhythm fall consistently on the 4 & 1 beats of the music. The dancers picked up on the consistent beats in the music and began dancing with the triple step that gives cha cha its distinctive look. This triple step pattern was used by Afro-Cuban dancers before 1950s, and likely many of the dancers in Cuba borrowed much of their new cha cha moves from dances in the Santeria region.

Nowadays, cha cha is danced at ballroom and salsa dances all around the world. It is loved for its high-energy, playful style that allows for quick turns, plenty of styling and even chances for dancers to break out of their usual frame and “chase” each other around. It may take some time to master the syncopated cha cha rhythm, but once the basics feel comfortable, there is a lot to explore and play with.

In ballroom dance competition, there are two styles of cha cha, International and American (AKA “Latin” and “Rhythm”), but elements from both styles can be found on the social dance floor.

If you’d like to learn cha cha, we have many different lesson options. Want to learn in a dance studio near you? Try out our Preferred Location Service. Want to learn in the comfort of your own home? We have an In-Home Concierge Service. Prefer a social setting? See if there are cha cha lessons coming up in our Group Classes.

Cha cha Music

• “Let’s Get Loud” - Jennifer Lopez

• “Sway” - Pussycat Dolls

• “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” - Shakira

• “Timber” - Pitbull feat. KE$HA

• “Can’t Stop the Feeling” - Justin Timberlake