PE

• The Cha Cha dance originated as one of the figures within the Mambo, with three quicker steps followed by two slower steps and weight changes on each step
• The basic step for the Cha Cha was born out of Mambo dancing
• Cha Cha dancers, like Mambo dancers, keep their feet close to the floor, move their hips a lot, and keep their upper bodies erect
• In the 1950s, Cha Cha dancing started to spread internationally
• English dance teacher Pierre Lavelle brought his version of the Cha Cha to the British Isles in 1952 after visiting Cuba
• American dancer Arthur Murray simplified the Cha Cha dance to a 1-2-3 rhythm for his studio students, giving it a slower, more mechanical feel
• The Cha Cha dance is known for its playful and flirtatious nature, with vibrant energy
• Although traditionally danced to up-beat music with a Latin or Cuban beat, the Cha Cha can now be danced to various styles of music including Top 40, Pop, and R&B
• Cha Cha music is in 4/4 time
• Steps in the Cha Cha dance are small and compact, with most movement happening in the hips and pelvic areas
• The Cha Cha dance involves a series of sliding steps with weight constantly shifting from one foot to another
• The dance typically commences on the music’s second beat
• The lead begins with the left foot, while the follower begins with the right foot
• The Cha Cha dance has roots in the Afro-Cuban community in Havana and developed from a fusion of rumba music and American jazz
• The Cha Cha dance has become one of the most popular Latin dances in the world
• Basic steps in Cha Cha dance include:

  • Basic in place
  • Rock step
  • Triple step/Triple side step
  • New York step
  • Reverse of New York step
  • Spot turn
  • Forward and Backward steps
  • Triple Cha Cha Chas
• Cha Cha Basic:

  • Performing the Cha Cha step in a single position or without a change of place
• Rock Step:

  • Leaders start by stepping back with the right foot, shifting their weight to be on their right hip, and tapping the left foot
  • Followers do the opposite, stepping forward with the left foot and tapping with the right foot
• Triple Step/Triple Side Step:

  • The leader brings their right foot back next to the left, then lifts and replaces first their left foot then right foot
  • This right-left-right action is the triple step and the motion that gives the cha-cha cha dance its name
  • The follower mirrors this motion
• New York:

  • A step added to the basic Cha Cha step where the foot is crossed in front of the other while facing to the side with arms extending
• Reverse of New York:

  • Partners alternate from left to right side-by-side position
  • Instead of taking a forward break, they take a back break
  • The turn on count one is taken in the opposite direction than that of the New Yorker
• Spot Turn:

  • Two forward steps and a chasse danced solo by a man or lady
  • Circling either to the left or right, to the count of 2, 3, 4&1
• Forward and Backward:

  • An open or closed facing position that can be taken in forwards and backward lock steps
• Triple Cha Cha Chas:

  • A series of three consecutive forward or backward lock steps
  • When the man dances forward, the lady dances backward, and vice versa