A Message from Remos Reynosa, ISTD, USISTD :

I would continue the article in last month’s Ask the Coach regarding the Cha Cha.  I explained why I believe it is very important to break on the proper beat of the music when dancing any dance, but Cha Cha must be danced breaking on the two beat if a dancer wants to be able to excel at Cha Cha.  Please refer to last months article so you understand what this article is about.  (Click Here)

Many times the Cha Cha is murdered on the dance floor by dancers that are either taught by instructors who do not understand the reasoning behind some fine points required to make this dance look like it should look, or it was picked up while watching other dancers that do not understand the reasoning behind the techniques I would like to discuss here. 

There are many theories or conceptions of how Cha Cha should be danced.  The explanation I am giving here was taught to me by Gordon Delano, who was a special instructor for the chain studio I was employed by at the time.  He also choreographed for many Broadway shows in New York and was considered to be an expert in Latin dance.  At the time I thought I was a real cool Cha Cha dancer, and after showing him my “stuff,” his answer was, “Well, not bad.”  But then he proceeded to show me his “stuff,” which after watching, I went from 12 feet tall to closer to about a foot tall.  He told me I was very good but I had no discipline, so he proceeded to explain how the beats of the music were broken down. 

1.      The 2 beat is what is called a breaking step and should be a small step.  The three beat is a recover step the highest percentage of the time, keeping the 2 and 3 beat separate from the 4 and 1 beats.  Yes they are in the same dance but must be danced sharply and distinctly separated.  The 4 beat is my stronger step to the side.  The 4 beat is a closing step, the 1 beat moves to the side from the strength of the 4 beat.  In other words if I take a strong step on 4, the 3 and 1 beats almost happen by themselves.  Cha Cha should be counted 2 – 3, 4 and 1, 2 – 3.  Many times I hear instructors count, “Cha Cha 1 2 Cha Cha Cha.”  This is why students run all the steps together with no distinction between step, and most of the time no Cuban motion and consequently no styling…and a lot of bounce and skip, and I ask the instructor, “Why do you bother to teach it that way?”  He says, “At least they are moving.” 

It seems to me to be no more difficult to teach them the proper way from the start so there will be no retraining required should the student ever decide to compete or just simply wants to become excellent social dancer.  Relearning everything is extremely difficult and time consuming not to mention the frustration for the student that it causes.  Most of the time students decide to quite dancing rather than relearn styling and techniques that they have already spent their time and money to learn. 

When I teach Cha Cha to beginners, I teach a side basic Cha Cha, not the forward and back basic.  The majority of the basic steps are done sideways, such as cross over, 5th positions, etc., etc., etc.

Cha Cha steps should be danced precisely with each step danced individually, finishing each step before continuing the pattern so that steps and movements do not run together in a blur.

2.      Cuban motion is absolutely necessary to dance a decent Cha Cha.

3.      There should be no bounce or skipping steps in Cha Cha.  (Please refer to Item Number 1 to explain how the 4 and 1 beat should be danced, instead of skipping or bouncing through the 4 and 1 beat.  Remember this is Latin Cha Cha not Swing.)

4.      Cross over steps in Cha Cha, like other dances, should be done with the man and lady’s foot making a upside down V diagonally to each other with the inside foot.  Most dancers step 1/4 of a turn on a cross over step instead of 1/8 of a turn like they should.  Crossing 1/4 makes it very difficult to keep up with the music or to come back to their partner.  When dancers cross over 1/4 they start to move away from their partner, and when doing a switch turn (or sometimes referred to as a solo turn), end up too far away from each other.

It is difficult to explain in too much detail (without writing a book) how Cha Cha should be danced, but these are some of the most obvious problems and the bare minimum requirements for dancing a good Cha Cha.

If you watch championship dancing, please note how sharp their steps are, how much Cuban motion is being used, how basic the steps are that the competitors are using, and notice how square the dancers are when executing their side basics.  Note how each step is completed before beginning the next step.

Perfecting your basics is absolutely the best thing you can do to improve your Cha Cha.  You can learn every Cha Cha step ever invented, but until you perfect your basics you will be just an average Cha Cha dancer.  When I was competing we spent most of our practice time practicing basics and arm movements in time with each other, day in and day out.  Sounds boring but it will make or break your Cha Cha.

To read or review my first article about Cha Cha, click here.