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The conga is a Latin American carnival march that became popular in the United
States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It
has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead
of the fourth beat.
Some say was originated by African slaves doing the dance while chained together, and has important associations with Afro-Cuban Santería religion. Others say that Conga was not slave-chain dance, but the dancing and chanting during Easter when the “Congos” (name after the African country named Congo) or Congoleans during the festivities, followed the processions of the Virgin Mary that usually originated in different towns to a church.
The name “Conga,” as it is refers to the Cuban drum was a name given in the United States, rather than its original name.
Conga: Large procession of dancers. It generated to what is known today with the name “Comparsa,” a carnival-type street dance.
In 1930s it was introduced to the American public by Desi Arnaz. In the 1950s a variation known as the bunny hop became popular.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.