‘Cha-Cha Slide’ creator DJ Casper dies at 58. How the iconic line dance came to be

DJ Casper, best known for his global dance hit the “Cha-Cha Slide,” has died, multiple outlets report.

He was 58.

The Chicago native died Monday, Aug. 7, after a seven-year cancer battle, his wife told WLS-TV.

“Casper was a fun-loving, giving person,” she said in a statement. “He was a genuine, family oriented man. He loved Chicago with all his heart. He will be greatly missed.”

His iconic dance was created in the late ‘90s on the city’s South Side, where it gained traction as a “local party song,” according to WTTW.

The track, peppered with Casper’s voice, instructs partygoers to slide, step, and hop their way to a good time, then “cha cha real smooth.” It culminates with a clear directive: “Everybody clap your hands!”

The dance remains a staple at weddings, birthdays, school dances and sporting events — no dance floor required.

Casper, born Willie Perry Jr., said he never imagined the impact it would have. In fact, it wasn’t even a dance when he came up with it.

“It started off as an aerobic exercise,” Casper told the “Every Little Thing” podcast in 2018, noting that it was a favor for his nephew who worked as a trainer for Bally Fitness at the time.

“I just handed him a piece of paper with the steps wrote down like, ‘to the left, move to the right,’ “ he said. “It wasn’t no music to it or anything.”

From there, Chicago’s WGCI radio station caught wind of it, WTTW reported. It was the first to play the song on air, and the rest is history.

The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001 and spent four weeks on the chart, where it peaked at #87, according to Billboard.com.

It also slid its way to the top of the U.K. charts and even made waves in China, Casper recalled to WTTW.

“I have one of the biggest songs that played at all stadiums: hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics,” the DJ told WLS-TV. “It was something that everybody could do.”

Casper soon found himself touring all over the world, according to the station. Even after his cancer was diagnosed in 2016, Casper vowed to keep fighting and Cha Cha sliding.

“If you know me, you know I’m not going to stop,” he told WLS-TV. “I’m going to continue to go. I’m going to continue to go until I can’t go.”

Tina Turner, singing icon known as the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ dies at 83

Dolly Parton says no to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. ‘I must respectfully bow out’

Tyler Perry reveals past suicide attempts: ‘Don’t let the darkness stop you’