The Cha Cha is a social Latin dance characterized by lively, flirtatious movements driven by passion and energy. It involves small steps and hip motions performed to 4/4 time music. To dance the Cha Cha, partners must find the right music, attire, and dance position with the man's right hand on the woman's back and left hands joined at eye level. The basic step involves the man stepping forward on count 2 while the woman steps back, then they exchange weights on count 3 before moving sideways in tandem on counts 4 and 1. Proper Cha Cha technique keeps the feet turned out and weight fully transferred between steps.
2. What is Cha Cha Cha?
The Cha Cha is one of the most popular of the
social Latin-American dances. It is Lively and
flirtatious. It is also full of passion and energy.
The Cha Cha is a vibrant, flamboyant and playful
dance. The light and bubbly feel of the Cha Cha
gives it a unique sense of fun for dancers
throughout the world. The Cha Cha requires
small steps and lots of hip motion (Cuban
motion), as it is danced in 4/4 time.
4. Find A Good Cha
Cha Cha Music
Before starting, it is good to have a
Cha-Cha music available.
Remember that once you pick up a
wrong music your whole routine or
performance will be ruined.
8. Look For A
Partner
The Cha-Cha is a social dance,
meaning it is danced with a partner,
Work on the basic step can be done
alone, but to get feel of the dance
position and technique, a partner of the
opposite gender is necessary.
9. Dance
Position
Man : Place your Right hand on the woman’s back with the
head over the left shoulder blade. With your other hand, hold
the woman’s right hand at her eye level. The elbows should
be up and about a foot apart from each other.
Woman : Place your left hand on the outside of the man’s
right shoulder, with your arm on top his. With your other hand,
hold the man’s left hand at your eye level. Elbows should be
up and about a foot from the man’s. The woman should be
slightly to the right of the man so that when they step forward
and back, their knees don’t hit.
10. Break Step (Counts
Two-and-Three)
Man
Count “Two”: Take one step forward with your left foot,
placing all your weight on that foot.
Count ”Three”: Replace your weight onto your right foot.
Woman
Count ”Two”: Take one step backward onto your right
foot, placing all your weight onto that foot.
Count ”Three”: Replace your weight onto the left foot.
11. (Counts Four-
and-One)
Man Count
”Four”: Step to the left with your left foot about shoulder width from
your right foot
Count ”And”: Bring your right foot to your left foot
Count ”One”: Take another step to the left with your left foot about
a shoulder’s width from your right foot
Woman
Count ”Four”: Step to the right with your right foot about shoulder
width from your left foot
Count ”And”: Bring your left foot to your right foot
Count ”One”: Take another step to the right with your right foot
about a shoulder’s width from your left foot.
12. Another Break Step
(Counts Two-and-
Three)
Man
Count ”Two”: Take one step back with your right foot,
placing all your weight on that foot.
Count ”Three”: Replace your weight onto your left foot
Woman
Count ”Two”: Take one step forward onto your left foot,
placing all your weight onto that foot.
Count ”Three”: Replace your weight onto the right foot.
13. Another Cha-Cha-
Cha(Counts Four-
and-One)
Man
Count ”Four”: Step to the roght with your right foot about shoulder
width from your left foot.
Count ”And”: Bring your left foot to your right.
Count ”One”: Take another step to he right with your right foot
about a shoulder’s width from your left foot.
Woman
Count ”Four”: Step to the left with yur left foot about shoulder width
from your right foot.
Count ”And”: Bring your right foot to your left foot.
Count ”One”: Take another step to the left with your left foot about
a shoulder’s width from your right foot.
14. Technique
The final step is a list of technique issues to consider after you
have learned the sequence and placement of the steps
In the Cha-Cha the feet are kept turned out, meaning the heels are
together and the toes are pointed out to make a ”V” with the feet.
The turn-out shouldn’t be more than an eight of a turn.
When placing weight on a leg, all the weight should be on that leg
with the other leg bent inward under the body
Whenever placing a foot, the ball of the foot should touch the
ground first and then the heel should touch when the entire weight
on body is on that foot.