Huapango is a family of Mexican music styles . The word likely derives from the Nahuatl word cuauhpanco that literally means 'on top of the wood', alluding to a wooden platform on which dancers perform zapateado dance steps. It is interpreted in different forms, the most common being the classic huapango interpreted by a trio of musicians (un trio huasteco); the huapango norteño interpreted by a group (un conjunto norteño); and the huapango de mariachi, which can be performed by a large group of musicians.