Cha-cha-chá
A Cuban dance and music style created in the early 1950s by Enrique Jorrín, evolving from the danzón-mambo tradition in charanga orchestras.
- Origin: Derived from danzón-mambo to be more accessible for dancers.
- Invented in Havana around 1953 by Enrique Jorrín.
- Named after the sound of the dancers’ triple step (cha-cha-chá)
- Performed by charanga ensembles (flute, violins, piano, bass, güiro, timbales)
- Features simplified rhythms compared to mambo"> mambo, making it easier for social dancers
- Became an international ballroom craze in the 1950s
- Blends Afro-Cuban syncopation with European elegance
- Global spread: Quickly gained international popularity.
Mambo
In Cuban music, especially in salsa and son,
the " mambo" section typically refers to a brassy, rhythmically intense instrumental break,
often featuring repetitive horn lines, call-and-response patterns, and building energy toward the climax of a song.
Mambo
In Cuban music, especially in salsa and son,
the "mambo" section typically refers to a brassy, rhythmically intense instrumental break,
often featuring repetitive horn lines, call-and-response patterns, and building energy toward the climax of a song.
Evolved from son and danzón, popularized in Havana but rooted in eastern Cuba’s rhythms.
Lees meer >Cuban Dances Originating in Havana
Havana, the cultural heartbeat of Cuba, played a central role in the creation and evolution of several iconic Cuban dances. Some were born directly in the capital, while others were transformed there into the forms we know today.
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The güiro is central to danzón, cha-cha-chá, son, and salsa, and is a standard feature of charanga orchestras that popularized Cuban dance music in the 20th century.
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