CubanaDanza Repertoire

Son, Cha Cha Cha, Mambo

SON

Son is the predominant musical force in Cuba and is almost regarded as a symbol of the island, unifying its European and black culture. It reached Havana around 1909 and came to prominence after American companies started recording groups like Sexteto Habanero. Cuban radio hastened its spread from 1922, and today the greatest sonero of them all is Beny Moré a seminal bandleader beloved by Cubans, who performed through the 50s and 60s until his early death in 1963.

Son is a less energetic dance than salsa, performed with a partner, and is thought by many to be more elegant, classic and refined. It takes many forms and can be heard in the more traditional rustic groups or in the big brassy hard-edged Cuban timba. Sones (the plural of ‘son’) have a common form. Structurally and lyrically they comprise two parts: an opening verse or set of verses, followed by a section in which the sonero is answered by a chorus who sing the refrain. Sones, like rumba, are centred on the clave rhythm.