| The Cha Cha is hard to miss. Those three distinctive | | | | movements their distinctive look and feel. Weight |
| beats of the dance moves have partners side by side | | | | changes take place halfway through the 1st and 2nd |
| and close as they cha cha cha together. Bold creative | | | | beats, on the 3rd beat and halfway through the 4th |
| dancing moves are permitted within the mastery of | | | | beat and again on the 1st beat. So, counting from the |
| the dance's two basic moves. Partners are | | | | second beat of the music, the preferred count is 2 |
| flamboyant, creative and suggestive as they strut their | | | | & 3 Cha-Cha, 1. |
| stuff. | | | | There are two basic moves; the Forward Basic |
| The dance uses the popular 4/4 time, which is typical | | | | Movement and the Back Basic Movement. The |
| of most Latin dances. The movement begins on beat | | | | dancers execution of these two movements defines |
| 2. On the fourth beat, the dancers step side and close | | | | the dance. The Cha Cha is composed of any |
| to each other. This is accomplished by a drag of the | | | | sequence of eight steps. |
| step foot followed by a drag of the other, closing foot. | | | | When the man leads with his a left foot forward, the |
| When this move is complete, the dancers have just | | | | female moves her right foot backwards. When the |
| performed the distinctive step. | | | | man performs the Forward Basic Movement, the |
| Many instructors count this particular dance with | | | | woman is performing the Back Basic Movement. The |
| slow-slow-quick-quick-slow but that can be confusing. | | | | man's Forward Basic Movement is followed by his |
| New dancers may have better luck considering the | | | | Back Basic Movement. |
| rock-rock-side-close-side count. That count not only | | | | The most striking steps initiate from the Back Basic |
| draws the proper rhythm but also highlights the proper | | | | Movement. After the man steps back on his left foot |
| step image. | | | | and the woman steps forward on her right, they both |
| As in most Latino dances, the dancing commences on | | | | step back from each other. To create this move, the |
| the 2nd beat of the music. Dancers change weight | | | | man pushes the woman back as if to prevent her |
| from one leg to another between beats. In the dance, | | | | from stepping forward. Now, the dancers are in |
| the dancer's feet only move on the 1st, 2nd and 4th | | | | position to perform their most passionate steps. |
| beats. It is the change of weight that gives the | | | | |
