The history of dance in cuba

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Modern Cuban dance styles emerged when European settlers and African slaves came to Cuba in the 16th century. African and Europeans fused traditional dances to form a distinct and unified Cuban culture.

1. Habanera

   • Named after its 19th century birthplace in Havana, the slow and graceful habanera dance has roots in English contradanza performed in ballrooms. The opera "Carmen" has a number called "habanera."

   Danzó-n

   • The danzó-n, introduced in the late 1870s, became the official dance of Cuba and contains off the beat and slow, but flirtatious, steps.

   Rumba

   • Slightly faster than the danzó-n, the rumba emerged during the 1920s as a frantically paced dance for its time.

   Son

   • Son began in the 1930s with rural Cubans who danced close together and off beat while accentuating hip movement. It later influenced mambo, cha-cha and salsa dancing.

   Mambo

   • This up-tempo dance became popular during the 1940s among North American vacationers to Cuba. Mambo utilizes the same diamond pattern of foot movements as the rumba.

   Cha-Cha

   • An offshoot from the mambo, the cha-cha of the 1950s uses off the beat steps in 4/4 time with exaggerated hip movement and foot shuffling.

Source: www.ehow.com

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