Like most modern music, Cha Cha music is 4/4 time (4 beats to a bar of music, and therefore four dance steps to a bar of music.The fourth beat of the music screams for you to step side and close - this step, with the drag of the foot side, then the drag of the foot to close, produces the characteristic Cha Cha sound, from which the name of the dance is derived.
There is a confusing movement for beginners which is slow, slow, quick-quick, slow... Instead the teachers should make the students think "rock, rock, side-close, side", which makes it far more easy to understand.
In most Latino dances, you commence your steps on the 2nd beat of the music and change weight from one leg to another between the beats. In Cha Cha your feet only move on the 1st, 2nd and 4th beats. The change of weight which gives the dance its look and feel occurs half way through the 1st and 2nd beats, on the 3rd beat, half way through the 4th beat and on the 1st beat.
Counting from the 2nd beat of the music, my preferred count is 2 & 3, Cha-Cha, 1 - try the basic movements and this will become meaningful.
There are more than one part to timing, TWO. There is a static metronome beat that flows though the entire track, which in turn dictates when it's time to move your feet. Another one is the actual tempo of the song. The tempo is what makes you take a certain step, pause for a period of time or how fast you should spin and turn. Understanding this will make you a preferable cha cha dancer.
It's almost impossible to miss a Cha Cha beat in a song. You'll always hear two slower beats and three faster ones. The quick beats determine how you'll move from side and close, then cha cha cha.
There is a confusing movement for beginners which is slow, slow, quick-quick, slow... Instead the teachers should make the students think "rock, rock, side-close, side", which makes it far more easy to understand.
In most Latino dances, you commence your steps on the 2nd beat of the music and change weight from one leg to another between the beats. In Cha Cha your feet only move on the 1st, 2nd and 4th beats. The change of weight which gives the dance its look and feel occurs half way through the 1st and 2nd beats, on the 3rd beat, half way through the 4th beat and on the 1st beat.
Counting from the 2nd beat of the music, my preferred count is 2 & 3, Cha-Cha, 1 - try the basic movements and this will become meaningful.
There are more than one part to timing, TWO. There is a static metronome beat that flows though the entire track, which in turn dictates when it's time to move your feet. Another one is the actual tempo of the song. The tempo is what makes you take a certain step, pause for a period of time or how fast you should spin and turn. Understanding this will make you a preferable cha cha dancer.
It's almost impossible to miss a Cha Cha beat in a song. You'll always hear two slower beats and three faster ones. The quick beats determine how you'll move from side and close, then cha cha cha.
About the Author:
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