I think it's an American vs. Int. Style difference. The description you gave is true for the Int. sample cha cha basic movement video clip on this site. However, the American style shows breaking on one to the left (the clip with Rudy Hernandez & Melissa Harper). The description for each is the same, but the videos clearly show two different starting methods.

It's the same basic movement regardless, so why would it matter where you start as long as you're on time?

Don't forget we've got a beginner here.

I could watch Donnie & Gaynor all day but they start in an advanced way.

In International style, with beginners in cha cha, to start, teachers often teach the man to take a beginning side step to the right on 1. This establishes the strong beat. But yes, after that the man steps forward with the left foot on 2. The 1s are the strong beat and will always be a side step for beginners with either foot. Donnie & Gaynor, of course, can start on any beat they feel like.

In International rumba I've often heard teachers tell students they do nothing on the 1. But that is not true. There is the hip settling action (for beginners something like standing in line at a supermarket and shifting weight from one foot to the other). After the hip settles the left foot goes forward on the 2. The difficulty is that beginners always want to do something on the 1. Counting it out loud worsens things as we naturally tend to want to move on the strong beat.

When my wife and I teach beginners for our Club we replace: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 with hip, 2, 3, 4, hip, 2, 3, 4 getting them to focus on settling the hip first and stepping later.

OB

Hi Bob - i like that Hip-2-3-4 idea. Good idea.

Phil another way is to count 2 3 stop
Hip. Now there is another problem. There should be up to a quarter of a turn on each basic, which means each step is a foreward or backward walk. On the completion of four basics you should have turned a full circle. No argument here, according to both David Sycamore plus Alen Fletcher.Also have a look at Wally Lairds Technique Book. So why do teachers not teach this correctly. It is because they don't want the class turning, so that the New York or whatever is going to a new alignment, which should happen after one full basic. The Hockey Stick is another which is more often than not taught incorrectly. With the correct amount of turn the lady. ( If the man starts facing the wall) the lady will finish backing the corner . Not a straight line finishing on the man's right side. This is a very lazy way of teaching.

Phil,

Thanks for the comment.

We find different words work better for some people.

I use "hip" most often but sometimes other images do the trick as well.

You just have to use a "hunt and peck" approach for some people.

OB

Yes, I am a beginner, but I am comfortable with all these different ways to start, as long as you end up cha-cha-cha on a count of 4-and-1.

The easiest way (for me) to start is with my weight on my left leg, right foot out to the right touching toe to floor - then on a count of 'one' the weight goes over to the right leg with accompanying hip action freeing the left foot to go forward on 'two'.

I think my question was prompted by confusing the 'step count' (starting on one) with the count of the beat in the bar.

Thank you all!

Since Cha Cha is really a Mambo with a chasse inserted, it would be reasonable to start on a one to the side and then do the Mambo's QQS (= rock step side), except of course that the "Slow" Side step of the Mambo has been replaced by Q&Q (=side side collect) in the ChaCha.

That way the rock step breaks on 2 in both Mambo and ChaCha.

Jerry

In Int.Nat.style the man starts with his left foot forward on step 2.
An easy way to start cha cha is as follow:
-wait until you hear the beat.
-bring your weight on the right foot on 1.
-step fwrd with the left foot on 2.
-then go on,counting 2-3-4&-1, 2-3-4&-1
Besides this standard timing, many figures in the Cha cha lend themselves to a variation whereby the step that is taken on the second beat of the bar is delayed and taken a half beat later. This is called the Guapacha-timing. Better leave this for a later time.

That's an easy variation: just count two-and-three, cha-cha-cha, two-and-three, cha cha cha - stepping on the 'and'.

Thanks

-A

I am sorry, but I do not agree with you Alec. One could count two, three, cha cha and step fwd (or bwd) on the two. But one can not count two AND three cha cha cha and certainly not step on the 'and'.