Hi!

Just for my curiosity, what is the meaning of alemana in cha cha cha ?

Thanks

It's basically a walk-around under-arm turn for the lady...but are you asking what "Alemana" itself means? I'm guessing it refers to "German," since the French word for German is something like "Allemange." And then there was the Latin, which I think was something like "Allemania."

Alemana simply comes from the french term Alemand meaning to turn under the raised joined arms.

In the basic Cha-Cha alemana lady does under arm turn (spot turn) to the right.

Be carefull here. If you do a Spot Turn it is not a Alemana. It will become a Underarm Turn. For want of a better explanation in an Alamana Turn there is like a slight Ronde type action with the right foot. I was told to think that I was walking around a manhole or a small dustbin lid, high instep and normal Rumba Walk action with the right foot passing close to the left foot. Todays dancers aim for the mans left side which is a bit different than in my old technique book. And do not spin on the left foot, Walk.

There's no ronde. The turns are made over one foot, the walks are straight and taken in between the turns. So there's no chance to go "around" anything.

I did say Ronde type action just to simplify or to illustrate the point. If you go to the Spot Turn on video in the Cha on this site, you will clearly see that it doesn't resemble a Alemana in any shape or form. In one the right leg stays in place if a Spot Turn is done to the right. In the other the right foot is moving. Quote Left foot foreward turning to the right. Right foot foreward continue to turn to the right. Left foot foreward to Chasse still turning to the right. Rumba has the same action. See Revised Technique Of Latin American Dancing ISTD.

This is most helpful. Thinking of the Alamana as a walk fits so much better with what I already know and will now allow me greater confidence and better technique - thanks QS

The spot turn/underarm turn comes from a side step for the lady. The alemana comes from a fwd walk.

"Alemana" is a spanish word, an adjective for a "German female".

Let's not further confuse the original poster.

There are so many different ways to do alemana. Different teachers will show you yet another fine techniques to do this turn in a different way. As to 3 alemanas then you will involve other techniques with spiral turn, switch turn, lady turn left, lady turn right, etc.

As to the terminology of "alemana" that was coming from a spanish word(phrase) makes more sense to me. I tend to believe originally some teacher was using the phrase "a la mana" which just simply was called to do the "under arm turn". Somehow over the years the term had became "alemana". Just think many of the dancing terminology were quite silly indeed such as "cucaracha", "Kiki walk" or "Turkish towel". :)