The Cha-Cha-Chá Music: A Sexual Revolution in Cuba

By: Catherine L. Keithley

This week we are changing gears... I'm writing about Cuba and the cha-cha-chá music that has made Cuba famous for its sexy, vivid music, and racy dancing. When most people think about Cuba they might think about Ricky Ricardo from the hit sitcom, "I Love Lucy," that would come on Nick at Night every evening. Another stereotype of Cuba are movies Hollywood has produced to depict Cuba in such way that we think of Cuba today, such as, "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights."

Enjoy an excerpt from "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights"

Cuba's cha-cha-chá first developed from the Cuban dance music entitled, "danzón." the debut of the cha-cha-chá first broke out on the scene in Havana, Cuba at the Silver Star Dance Club in the early 1950's. The rhythm is slightly faster than danzón and is usually composed of two rapid beats followed by a longer (two eighth notes followed by a quarter note. In the book, "Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music," author Eric Weisbard states, "In the United States we would not even recognize American music if we did not inherit music from Cuba and Jazz music from Africa traveling to New Orleans" (Weisbard 6). Many times people recognize Desi Arnaz as his character Ricky Ricardo in "I Love Lucy" to recall what Cuban music really is. Sure cha-cha-chá music uses lots of bongos and fast paced beats but surprisingly enough there is actually many flute sounds incorporated in cha-cha-chá music. Besides the flute, other instruments used to create cha-cha-chá music include; strings, piano, bass and percussion.


Desi Arnaz as "Ricky Ricardo" in "I Love Lucy" portraying Cuban Stereotyping

Weisbard, Eric. Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music. 1st ed. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2007. 6-10. Print.