Cha Cha Cha

Pre-Bronze/Student Teacher
1. Basic Movements
2. New York
3. Spot Turns Left and Right
4. Shoulder to Shoulder
5. Hand to Hand
6. Three Cha Chas Forward
7. Side Steps
8. There and Back
9. Time Steps
Compact Chasse
Alternative Compact Chasse

Bronze/Associate
10. Fan
11. Alemana
12. Hockey Stick
13. Natural Top
14. Natural Opening Out Movement
15. Closed Hip Twist

Silver/Licentiate
16. Open Hip Twist
17. Reverse Top
18. Opening Out from Reverse Top
19. Aida
20. Spiral Turns
21. Cross Basic
22. Cuban Breaks
23. Chase
Ronde Chasse
Twist Chasse
Slip Chasse

Gold/Fellow
24. Advanced Hip Twist
25. Hip Twist Spiral
26. Turkish Towel
27. Sweetheart
28. Follow My Leader
29. Foot Changes
Runaway Chasse
The following figures may be used in a short amalgamation
when using same foot as partner: Closed Basic Movement; no turn,
Ronde Chasse; Twist Chasse; Open Basic Movement; Spot or Switch Turns;
Three Cha Chas Forward and BackForward; Backward Runs;
Time Steps with or without Guapacha Timing; Cuban Breaks; Split Cuban Breaks

When the English dance teacher ierre Lavelle visited Cuba in 1952, he realised that sometimes the Rumba was danced with extra beats. When he returned to Britain, he started teaching these steps as a separate dance.The name could have been derived from the Spanish 'Chacha' meaning 'nursemaid', or 'chachar' meaning 'to chew coca leaves' or from 'char' meaning "tea', or most likely from the fast and cheerful'Cuban dance: the Guaracha..

This dance has been popular in Europe from before the turn of the century. For example it is listed on the program of the Finishing Assembly in 1898 of Dancie Neill at Coupar Angus in Scotland .It has also been suggested that the name Cha Cha is derived onomatipeically from the sound of the feet in the chasse which is included in many of the steps. This would account for it being alled the 'Cha Cha Cha' by some people, after the rhythm: whereas others call it the 'Cha Cha' after the rhythm: These differ only as to which beat of the musical bar is stressed by the dancing: beat 4 in the first case, beat 1 in the second.

In 1954, the dance was described as a "Mambo with a guiro rhythm". A guiro is a musical instrument consisting of a dried gourd rubbed by a serrated stick.The Mambo was originally a Haitian dance introduced to the West in 1948 by Prado. The word "Mambo" is the name of a voodoo priestess in the religion brought from Africa.Thus the Cha Cha Cha had its origins in the religious ritual dances of West Africa.

There are three forms of Mambo: single, double, and triple. The triple has five (!) steps to a bar, and this is the version that evolved into the Cha Cha Cha.The "Cha Cha" is danced currently at about 120 beats per minute. The steps are taken on the beats, with a strong hip movement as the knee straightens on the half beats in between. The weight is kept well forward, with forward steps taken toe-flat, and with minimal torso movement. The chasse on 4&1 is used to emphasise the step on beat 1, which may be held a moment longer than the other steps to match the emphasis of the beat in the music.

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