Beginning Cha Cha Technique Note

It is common mistake when doing basics or cha chas in place to do a press walk, and then actually commit weight. The problem with this is it becomes too easy to forget to fully change weight, and you may easily end up on the wrong foot relative to your partner. On each step, do a full weight change, and avoid this confusion.

Cha Cha Cha: Basics, Turns, Alemana, Hockey Stick

Back basic step on count "2": ack step on count '2': put body weight on LF and settle, which pulls the RF in and back to 'catch' the body.

Switch Turn (Left or Right): 1/4, 1/2, then 1/4 

Spot Turn (Left or Right): the difference from Switch Turn is all in the amount of turn.

• "2" - almost 3/8 turn to R, LF cross RF tight
• "3" - over 1/2 turn to R to almost face partner, feet positions are not changed. Think of pulling up the body, 2 thighs tight together
• "4&1" - side chasse to L side.

Underarm Turn (Left or Right): like Switch Turn, but done under Man's raised arm.

Alemana - turn to R. This is a 3-point turn. 1/8 to partner's side, then 1/2, brush RF to LF, away from partner, then LF brushes RF, 1/2 turn to R toward partner's R, LRL lock step.

Hockey Stick - turn to L. On count "3" put Man's hand on Lady's Left shoulder and then turn.

Shoulder to Shoulder - do not turn upper body much, just step foot behind the other.

Cha Cha Cha: Basic, Alemana, Closed Hip Twist

Cha Cha Basic Movement: when stepping back, the size of the step is just as big as what the ball of foot can reach when 2 knees are together. Then, straighten back leg first, before putting weight on it. (This is different from American style which is more like "pressed walk".) More technique on backward step in Latin dances.

In International style, the feet are a lot more "grounded" (constant pressure) than in American style. It's not good to see feet "loose" without tone under the knee.

Cha Cha Alemana to Closed Hip Twist: 

• Alemana
• step 8, count "4", Lady's LF fwd step, this is already facing Man.
• count "&", lock step (with ball of RF, not just toes, L leg should still be straight, a bit awkard feeling)
• count "1": LF fwd, small step - don't start turning to Man at this step yet, step fwd, not toward Man. 
• count "&": Wait for Man's signal to turn on count "&". 
• Turn should always be sharp (even when music is slow).
• Closed Hip Twist:
• count "4": This is pressed with RF fwd (it's really a fwd step, throw L hip back. hip should not be flat), knee bent.
• count "&": LF closed to RF, both knees bent.
• count "1": RF to side, slightly back, still facing Man at this moment.
• count "&": turn 1/2 to R.

Cha Cha  Closed Hip Twist to Alemana:

• Alemana step 3-5 is a lock step passing Man, then a sharp turn to do step 6, LF fwd to Man's L side.
• Lady's steps are the whether the follow is cHockey Stick or Alemana. The way Man can give hint it how his LH holds Lady's RH.

Different types of cha cha chassés, checks and cuban crosses.

The routine we were working with consisted of

1. Forward break to back lock.
2. Three cha chas forward.
3. Split cuban breaks
4. Cuban break to the right
5. Cuban break to the left.
6. Forward break to Rondé Chassé
7. Back break to Hip Twist Chassé

Points of Chasse technique:

• Feet always have pressure into the floor.
• On a check step, go to split weight, back foot has ball pressing into floor. Back knee bends, knees touch, as weight transfers to back leg, heel stays up, ball pressing into floor. Back leg straightens, hips go back over leg. Step on 2, knee bends on &, back leg straightens on 3. The ball of the back foot does not move. This was emphasized repeatedly, whether for forward breaks, New Yorks, Cuban Breaks, the ball of the back foot on the checked step stays in the same spot. The instructor said she began to appreciate over the last few months how "sticky" the feet of the best pros are.
• On Rondé Chassé, when left foot releases on 3, momentum is used to propel the left leg into the rondé. On 4, the foot lands under the body, straight leg, on the ball of the foot. On &, RF moves to bring feet together, on balls of both feet, knees bent, height of head hasn't changed. On 1, push off RF, straighten both legs, pushing off inside edge of ball of RF.
• On Hip Twist Chassé, on 4, hips rotate around spine, so RF is forward in a pressed walk. On &, bring LF together with RF, on balls of feet, knees bent. On 1, push off LF to step back on RF.

Exercise to develop flexibility of the foot: Stand on balls of feet, shoulder width apart, and then bend knees, and squat, keeping heels elevated.

Upper body is light, feet are heavy. Feet press into the floor, body is light.

Lesson on Cha Cha

Two key points of technique to work on: locks and spacing.

Locks

Most common problem is taking too big steps, in general, but specifically in locks. Backward locks are simpler. The legs remain straight at all times. On forward locks, footwork is ball-flat, ball, ball-flat. On 4, the front foot steps, pointing toe, and landing on a straight leg. Trailing foot crosses behind front foot on &, with feet turned out on ball, and knee bent. On 1, the trailing leg pops straight, lifting the trailing hip, and it is this motion that provides the impetus for the front leg to move forward, a little bit. When changing from left to right and right to left, as in the triple cha chas, a turning of the ribs should be used to effect the change. Do not swing the trailing leg around in a big arc, which is not very attractive.

Spacing

How far apart the man and woman can and should get: The anchor of the partnership in open position is the hand hold, and so the man and woman should not step further away from the hands than would allows for upright body posture, waist high hands, with bent elbows. A critical element of making this work is small steps. The previous point talks about how small the steps are for locks, but small steps are the rule in general. This goes back to a previous post on hand hold in a private lesson, where the instructor recommended a firm grip in open hand hold. This is the only way the man can effectively communicate how much travel is appropriate. It seems easy for the lady to travel too far without this hold in getting into, for example, the fan position.

Lesson on Cha Cha

Cha Cha technique points:

• Hand hold--In open positions, man should hold the lady's hand with thumb on the back of her hand, the first two fingers on the palm of her hand, with just tight enough a grip to clearly lead and communicate my position. Our instructor says that while little emphasis is given to the hand-hold in most instruction, he finds that if there is any uncertainty about hand holds, including how they change during a figure, his figures will not work right. It is incorrect to hold the hand as if it were holding a cup, the lady's fingers down inside the cup. This is not adequate for anything beyond a basic.
• Closed position--Fingers of man's left hand closed around lady's right hand. We try to create a large volume between us, slightly pushing away from each other. 
• Footwork--Heel has to be on the ground on the beat on 1, 2, and 3, but no heel leads. Steps should be small. Remember to step straight back, and not turn, when leading an underarm turn.
• Lead and follow--Man needs to lead where he wants lady to step. In open positions, he should try to keep his hand at the lady's waist level if possible. Hold the hand too high, and he will tend to tip her over at the top, rather than lead her feet to move.
• Sharpness in movement.--Torquing the hips. The hips should never be flat, except between movements. It is the hip rotation driving the steps, and in the settling action on the 2, that will lend sharpness to the movements.
• Natural Top--This happens in a closed position, shoulders square to each other, no hip action, the goal is to show off the amount of rotation. The man crosses behind, the lady has her feet pointing left relative to the shoulders, walking around the rim of the circle. The man and the lady have different footwork to avoid conflict in the feet.
• Hockey Stick--The hand goes up on 1, but remains to the right side of the lady. On 3, the hand is brought across the lady's face, causing her to turn 1/8. On the & after 3, the lady is turned a half-turn. 

Newcomer lesson on Cha cha and Waltz

Cha  cha

• On 'cha cha cha', stay on toes for first two cha's, leg doesn't straighten until last cha.
• Afro-cuban dances break on two so that the hip action is emphasized on one.
• On steps that break back, always point the front toe.
• On basic in place, try to open as big a gap as possible between the front knee and the back leg, while keeping feet turned out. In order to do this, it will be necessary to extend with the hips, enhancing the latin action.

Waltz

• On each pattern, first step is driving step, third step is collection
• Sway is used on second step to step much longer than one could stepping with flat hips. It is also used to slow down sideways momentum and to bring feet together.

Cha Cha Bronze Level Practice Routine

Bronze Level International Cha Cha practice choreography:

1. Basic Movement In Place (234&1 23)
2. Open Basic Movement (4&1 234&1) lock step
3. Closed Basic Movement (234&1) quarter turn to L
4. New York LSP (234&1)
5. Underarm Turn To R (234&1)
6. Fan (234&1 234&1)
7. Hockey Stick (234&1 23)
8. Three Cha Cha Chas Forward (4&1 2&3 4&1)
9. Open Basic Movement (234&1)
10. Natural Top (234&1 234&1 234&1)
11. Natural Opening Out Movement (234&1)
12. Closed Basic Movement (234&1 234&1)
13. New York LSP (234&1)
14. Three Cha Cha Chas Forward (2&3 4&1)
15. New York RSP (234&1)
16. Three Cha Cha Chas Forward (2&3 4&1)
17. Spot or Switch Turn To R (Lady to L) (234&1) Lady timestep
18. Spot or Switch Turn To L (Lady to R) (234&1) Man does time step
19. There And Back (234&1 234&1)
20. Closed Basic Movement (234&1)
21. Underarm Turn To R (234&1)
22. Side Step To Right commenced with LF (234&1)
23. Fan (234&1)
24. Alemana (234&1 234&1)
25. Closed Hip Twist (234&1 234&1) end in open position
26. Open Basic Movement (234&1)

It uses ISTD Cha Cha Newcomer and Bronze Syllabus steps.

Cha Cha Technique, Newcomer Figures

General Technique:

• Legs are straight except when moving/turning.
• Turn the body between beats, on '&'.

Basic: when stepping forward on 2:

• body is lifted on 2: weight on front leg, pushing off ball of back foot to extend higher
• check step on &: bend knee of back leg, as if some poked the back of the knee with a stick, back hip comes even, weight settles on front leg. Keep knees close together.
  
• 3: push off front leg, move hip back, straighten back leg before placing weight on it

New Yorker:

1. (previous beat) &: turn body 90 degree
2. 2: forward step
3. & check step, see above
4. 3: weight on back foot
5. &: turn 90 to face
   
6. 4 (side) - & (together) -1 (side) - & (turn 90) [repeat #2]
   

Hand to Hand: it's like "reverse" New Yorker, don't over turn, be precise.

Should-to-shoulder: don't think of it as a turning step. face your partner, body slight turn, step outside partner.

Some international style coaches consider American rhythm dances are the lazy version of the international dances, because the knees are always bent.

Cha Cha Newcomer Practice Routine

Newcomer Level International Cha Cha practice routine:

1. Basic Movement In Place (234&1 234&1)
2. Open Basic Movement (23)
3. Three Cha Cha Chas Back (4&1 2&3 4&1)
4. Closed Basic Movement (234&1) w/ quarter turn
5. New York LSP (234&1)
6. New York RSP (234&1)
7. Spot Turn To R (Lady to L) (234&1)
8. Hand To Hand LSP (234&1)
9. Hand To Hand RSP (234&1)
10. Underarm Turn To R (234&1)
11. Shoulder To Shoulder Left Side (234&1)
12. Shoulder To Shoulder Right Side (234&1)
13. Spot Turn To R (234&1) Lady: does time step.
14. Spot Turn To L (Lady to R) (234&1) Man: does time step
15. There And Back (234&1 234&1)
16. Closed Basic Movement (234&1 234&1) last measure do quarter turn.
17. Open Basic Movement (234&1 23)
18. Three Cha Cha Chas Forward (4&1 2&3 4&1)

It uses all the ISTD Cha Cha Newcomer Syllabus steps.