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Cha - Cha
Posted by theeka
9/23/2015  10:32:00 PM
Hi,

Can you please explain why we start Cha-Cha on off beat. This count is 234&1. Why cant it starts on 1.?
Re: Cha - Cha
Posted by Voco
9/24/2015  10:46:00 PM
Hi Theeka,
This topic was extensively discussed on this site. Dont remember under what label. If you do some searching you will find some very good comments.
Re: Cha - Cha
Posted by terence2
9/25/2015  12:25:00 AM


It IS prepped on "1" .No matter the style you were/are, learning, American or Intern.
Re: Cha - Cha
Posted by Voco
9/27/2015  1:58:00 PM

Hi Theeka,

You can start a routine on any beat, there are no competition rules that would prevent that, and obviously none in social dance. However, if you do social dance, start whatever you expect your partner to start, it could depend what the studio teaches. In CC, usually on 1 the man closes the LF to the RF (prep.step), so he can start a basic figure with a back check on the RF on 2.

This is pretty safe, in social dance, as there is no chance to step on the lady's foot (at least not on the beginning) which is the principal law of social dancing. So if your studio has a definite tradition, follow that, otherwise you are safe with this suggestion.

With more advanced followers this is not a problem as they automatically follow, regardless on which beat you start.
You may notice that many Latin dancers first dance step (as a preparation step) is on 4 in International Rumba, not on 2. In Rhythm Mambo there is usually a prep-step on 1. Most International Standard dances use the last step of the prior measure as prep-step, before dancing the first figure.

The prep-step, in my mind, serves two functions: 1. Puts the body in motion; 2: helps with counting the beats.

Hope this helps. Good dancing.
Re: Cha - Cha
Posted by nloftofan1
9/27/2015  3:11:00 PM
You've already gotten some good answers. Here's another, based on the music, courtesy of one of our local instructors. You may know that music has "downbeats" and "upbeats." The 1 beat is the downbeat; 2 is an upbeat. Cha-Cha (and other Latin dances) is an upbeat (both in the colloquial and musical sense) dance. And it looks different if you were to "break" on the 1 beat. The instructor I mentioned convinced his audience by dancing a simple (American) Waltz box starting on the 2 beat rather than the 1 beat. It looked completely different.
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