The Cha Cha Slide, or Casper Slide as it is also known, was released in 1996 as a song/dance track developed specifically for Bally’s Total Fitness. The song became so popular at their gyms that the creator DJ Casper (aka Mr. C) decided to record it on his album Cha Cha Slide: The Original Slide Album. The album was released on September 19, 2000, and the dance became widely popular in North America, especially in Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Memphis, and Detroit.
The song has been very popular at elementary, middle, and high school events, as well as at dance clubs, parties, skating rinks, and weddings. The song acts as an updated replacement for the Electric Slide, which was popular in the 1980s.