Conga bar

On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This article is about the international novelty dance. This conga bar needs additional citations for verification.

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. A conga line formed during a Christmas disco party. The conga line is a novelty line dance that was derived from the Cuban carnival dance of the same name and became popular in the US in the 1930s and 1950s. The conga dance was believed to have been brought over from Africa by enslaved people in the West Indies, and became a popular street dance in Cuba. The style was appropriated by politicians during the early years of republic in an attempt to appeal to the masses before election. The conga dance style is more of a march, which is characterized by its distinctive conga drum rhythm.

It differs from the Cuban rumba, which uses movements considered “hip” and shows the sensually aggressive attitude of each dancer. The basic dance steps start from left leg 1-2-3 kick then repeat, opposite. Originally, a band member wearing a drum would venture onto the dance floor and begin zig-zagging around while drumming out the rhythm. Dancers would start joining up behind the drummer, forming a line that moves like a snake in an open circle. 1940s, it became very popular due to Hollywood’s “Latin” musicals.

With its simple march step, the interlinking of dancers circling about in single file, and one-two-three-bump rhythm with the fourth beat strongly marked, the dance was not only attractive but also readily accessible to US and other foreign audiences. The dance started to gain a foothold in the US around 1929, when the original La Conga nightclub opened its doors in Manhattan. It is believed that the La Conga was at Broadway and 51st Street. The widespread popularity of the dance resulted in many cultural references in contemporary media. For example, the conga line was a recurring theme in Warner Bros.

This music and dance form has become totally assimilated into Cuba’s musical heritage and has been used in many film soundtracks in the US and Mexico. The 1955 musical film adaptation of My Sister Eileen features a conga line as a recurring gag. In the 1963 film Billy Liar, a scene at the Locarno Dance Hall in Manchester features the conga line. In 1984 the British band Black Lace reached number ten in the UK charts with the song “Do the Conga”.