The conga or conga line dance, as we know it, originated as a street dance in Cuba in

the early 20th century. Its full history goes back much further – with the roots of
African slaves who were forcibly brought to the Caribbean. The dance also became
associated with the Santeria religion and Easter traditions of the islands. The conga --
both the dance and the style of music it is generally danced to -- became popular in
the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, largely due to the influence of bandleaders
Xavier Cugat and Desi Arnaz, both then working in Hollywood on a series of Latin-
themed musicals.

Types of Conga
There are several conga dance variations. The most familiar is the single file line
dance in which the dancers hold on to the hips of the dancer directly in front. The line
then zigzags around the dance floor – and off – with the dancers kicking alternating
legs on the beat as they move forward. The conga version for couples resembles the
mambo or any of the other Latin ballroom styles, with the couple holding hands but
switching hands on the beat and turning occasionally.

Big in Cuba
As a street dance, the conga had political implications in pre-revolutionary Cuba. At
different times, the dance was banned or restricted as a way of discouraging mass
assembly. At other times the dance was associated with annual Carnival and Easter
celebrations and performed as a kind of processional. The dance is executed to a
distinctive drum rhythm. Conga music holds an important place in the Latin and North
American cultural landscape.

Popular in the West

Conga dancing became popular in the nightclubs of Paris first and then became
fashionable State-side in the 1930s. All things Latin were in vogue at the time –
Hollywood cranked out one Latin music and dance movie spectacular after another,
nightclubs were Latin-themed and offered lessons in dances like the conga and
mambo. Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz – who married comedienne Lucille Ball and
starred with her on the TV series "I Love Lucy" – became a huge star associated with
the conga craze and is credited with introducing it to Los Angeles and New York.

Pop Culture Conga

Like the “Macarena," the conga and conga line dance has become a staple of the
wedding dance floor. Its mass familiarity was ensured by its ease of execution and its
ubiquity. The conga line has been a recurring theme in cartoons and comedies on
television and in the movies throughout the 20th century. And Miami Sound Machine’s
Gloria Estefan had a hit with her single “Conga” in 1985, further securing the conga’s
place in American popular culture.