Cha Cha Cha

The cha-cha-cha (also called cha-cha), is a dance of Cuban origin.
[1][2] It
is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban
composer and violinist Enrique Jorrin in the early 1950s. This rhythm
was developed from the danzón-mambo. The name of the dance is an
onomatopoeia derived from the shuffling sound of the dancers' feet
when they dance two consecutive quick steps (correctly, on the fourth
count of each measure) that characterize the dance.[3]
In the early 1950s, Enrique Jorrín worked as a violinist and composer

with the charanga group Orquesta América. The group performed at
dance halls in Havana where they played danzón, danzonete, and
danzon-mambo for dance-oriented crowds. Jorrín noticed that many of
the dancers at these gigs had difficulty with the syncopated rhythms of
the danzón-mambo. To make his music more appealing to dancers,
Jorrín began composing songs where the melody was marked strongly
on the first downbeat and the rhythm was less syncopated.[4] When
Orquesta América performed these new compositions at the Silver Star
Club in Havana, it was noticed that the dancers had improvised a triple
step in their footwork producing the sound "cha-cha-cha". Thus, the
new style came to be known as "cha-cha-chá" and became associated
with a dance where dancers perform a triple step.[5]
The basic footwork pattern of cha-cha-cha (one, two, three, cha-cha-

one, two, three) is also found in several Afro-Cuban dances from the
Santería religion. For example, one of the steps used in the dance
practiced by the Orisha ethnicity's Ogun religious features an identical
pattern of footwork. These Afro-Cuban dances predate the
development of cha-cha-cha, and were known by many Cubans in the
1950s, especially those of African origin.[6] Thus, the footwork of the
cha-cha-cha was likely inspired by these Afro-Cuban dances.[7]
In 1953, Orquesta América released two of Jorrin's compositions, "La
Engañadora" and "Silver Star", on the Cuban record label Panart. These
were the first cha-cha-cha compositions ever recorded. They
immediately became hits in Havana, and other Cuban charanga
orchestras quickly imitated this new style. Soon, there was a cha-cha-
cha craze in Havana's dance halls, popularizing both the music and the
associated dance. This craze soon spread to Mexico City, and by 1955
the music and dance of the cha-cha-cha had become popular in Latin
America, the United States, and Western Europe, following in the
footsteps of the mambo, which had been a worldwide craze a few years
earlier.[8]
Description
Cha-cha-cha is danced to authentic Cuban music, although in ballroom

competitions it is often danced to Latin pop or Latin rock. The music for
the international ballroom cha-cha-cha is energetic and with a steady
beat. The music may involve complex polyrhythms.
File:Dance reedit 2.webm
A cha-cha-cha dance video
Styles of cha-cha-cha dance may differ in the place of the chasse in the
rhythmical structure.[9] The original Cuban and the ballroom cha-cha-
cha count is "one, two, three, cha-cha", or "one, two, three, four-
and."[10] A "street version" comes about because many social dancers
count "one, two, cha-cha-cha" and thus shift the timing of the dance by
a full beat of music. Note that the dance known as Salsa is the result of
a similar timing shift of Mambo.
Pattern
In the International School of Ballroom Dance, the basic pattern

involves the lead (usually the man) taking a checked forward step with
the left foot, retaining some weight on the right foot. The knee of the
right leg must stay bent and close to the back of the left knee, the left
leg having straightened just prior to receiving part weight. This step is
taken on the second beat of the bar. Full weight is returned to the right
leg on the second step (beat three).
The fourth beat is split in two so the count of the next three steps is 4-
and-1. These three steps constitute the cha-cha chasse. A step to the
side is taken with the left foot, the right foot is half closed towards the
left foot (typically leaving both feet under the hips or perhaps closed
together), and finally there is a last step to the left with the left foot. The
length of the steps in the chasse depends very much on the effect the
dancer is attempting to make.[10]
The partner takes a step back on the right foot, the knee being
straightened as full weight is taken. The other leg is allowed to remain
straight. It is possible it will shoot slightly but no deliberate flexing of
the free leg is attempted. This is quite different from technique
associated with salsa, for instance. On the next beat (beat three) weight
is returned to the left leg. Then a chasse is danced RLR.
Each partner is now in a position to dance the bar their partner just
danced. Hence the fundamental construction of cha-cha-cha extends
over two bars.
The checked first step is a later development in the "international cha-
cha-cha" style. Because of the action used during the forward step (the
one taking only part weight) the basic pattern turns left, whereas in
earlier times cha-cha-cha was danced without rotation of the
alignment. Hip actions are allowed to occur at the end of every step.
For steps taking a single beat the first half of the beat constitutes the
foot movement and the second half is taken up by the hip movement.
The hip sway eliminates any increase in height as the feet are brought
towards each other. In general, steps in all directions should be taken
first with the ball of the foot in contact with the floor, and then with the
heel lowering when the weight is fully transferred; however, some steps
require that the heel remain lifted from the floor. When weight is
released from a foot, the heel should release from the floor first,
allowing the toe to maintain contact with the floor.
In the American School of Ballroom Dance, the basic step spans two
measures of music (frequently counted "one, two, three, four-and, five,
six, seven, eight-and" with "five" marking the beginning of the second
measure. The leader steps sideways to the left on count 1, back onto
the right foot on count 2, forward with the left foot on count 3, then a
cha-cha consisting of a step sideways to the right on count 4 followed
by a step in place on the left foot on "and" between count four and
count 5 to permit another step sideways to the right on count 5 (or
count 1 of the second measure), a step forward with the left foot on
count 6, a step backward with the right foot on count 7, and a cha-cha
to the left on the "eight-and" to set up another step sideways to the left
to begin the next repetition of the pattern.
Hip movement
A couple dancing cha-cha-cha. The woman moves her hips while

holding the torso relatively still.
In traditional American Rhythm style, Latin hip movement is achieved

through the alternate bending and straightening action of the knees,
though in modern competitive dancing, the technique is virtually
identical to the "international Latin" style.
In the international Latin style, the weighted leg is almost always

straight. The free leg will bend, allowing the hips to naturally settle into
the direction of the weighted leg. As a step is taken, a free leg will
straighten the instant before it receives weight. It should then remain
straight until it is completely free of weight again.
International Latin style cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha is one of the five dances of the "Latin American" program

of international ballroom competitions.
As described above, the basis of the modern dance was laid down in
the 1950s by Pierre and Lavelle[11] and developed in the 1960s by
Walter Laird and other top competitors of the time. The basic steps
taught to learners today are based on these accounts.
In general, steps are kept compact and the dance is danced generally
without any rise and fall; this is the modern ballroom technique of cha-
cha-cha (and other Latin dances).

Cha Cha Cha

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Cha Cha Cha

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The cha-cha-cha (also called cha-cha), is a dance of Cuban origin.

In the early 1950s, Enrique Jorrín worked as a violinist and composer

The basic footwork pattern of cha-cha-cha (one, two, three, cha-cha-

Cha-cha-cha is danced to authentic Cuban music, although in ballroom

File:Dance reedit 2.webm

A cha-cha-cha dance video

In the International School of Ballroom Dance, the basic pattern

A couple dancing cha-cha-cha. The woman moves her hips while

In traditional American Rhythm style, Latin hip movement is achieved

In the international Latin style, the weighted leg is almost always

International Latin style cha-cha-cha

Cha-cha-cha is one of the five dances of the "Latin American" program

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