2. Description
Cha-cha-cha may be danced to authentic Cuban music, or
to Latin Pop or Latin Rock. The music for the
international ballroom cha-cha-cha is energetic and with a
steady beat. The Cuban cha-cha-chá is more sensual and
may involve complex polyrhythms.
Styles of cha-cha-cha dance may differ in the place of
the chasse in the rhythmical structure.[7] The original Cuban
and the ballroom cha-cha-cha count is "two, three,
chachacha" or "four-and-one, two, three". The dance does
not start on the first beat of a bar, though it can start with a
transfer of weight to the lead's right.[8]
Nevertheless, many social dancers count "one, two, cha-
cha-cha" and may find it difficult to make the adjustment to
the "correct" timing of the dance.
3.
4. Basic Dance Steps
There are two basic movements to the Cha Cha
- the Forward Basic Movement and the Back
Basic Movement. Variously coupled or
combined and often with small variations in
body position, these two movements create
the Cha Cha moves. A move is loosely defined
as any sequence of eight steps. When you
combine the two basic movements, they
make up the eight steps of the first move, the
Forward Basic.
5. The Lady facing the man, will perform
steps complimenting his. So if the
man moves his left foot forward, the
lady will move her right foot back and
visa versa. This is very sensible.
Otherwise, the man would probably
tread on her!
6. In the Forward Basic Move, the man
will perform the Forward Basic
Movement, followed by the Back
Basic Movement. Whereas, the Lady
will do the exact opposite. She will
perform the Back Basic Movement,
followed by the Forward Basic
Movement.
7. Another important move is the Back Basic. All
the fancy moves originate from it! Basically it
is the performance of the Back Basic
Movement twice. On the first step, the man
steps back onto his left foot mirroring the
woman's movements. After completing the
first movement, both the man and woman
step back. The man needs to push away from
the Lady to stop her from stepping forward.
8. Back Basic Movement
Right, Rock Back, on the 2nd beat of the music. Slide your
Right foot Back and change weight onto the Right leg.
Don't move your Left foot!
Left, Rock Forward. Change weight onto the Left leg.
Don't move your Right foot.
Right, Side and Close. Step forward side-right changing
weight onto the Right leg. As you change weight onto the
Right leg, drag your Left foot to close. Don't change weight
onto the left leg.
Right, Side. Change weight onto the Left leg, and step the
Right foot to the side (side-right) and change weight onto
the Right leg. Don't move your Left foot!
You are now ready to do the forward movement.
9. Forward Basic Movement
Left, Rock Forward, on the 2nd beat of the music. Toe first, slide
your Left foot Forward and change weight onto the Left leg. Don't
move your Right foot!
Right, Rock Back. Change weight onto the Right leg. Don't move
your Left foot.
Left, Side and Close. Step back side-left and change weight on the
Left leg. As you change weight onto the Left leg, drag your Right
foot to close. Don't change weight onto the right leg yet.
Left, Side. Change weight onto the right leg, and step the left foot
to the side (side-left) and change weight onto the Left leg. Don't
move your Right foot!
You are now ready to do the back movement.