Hi,

I am a total and complete starter at dancing, the only thing that i am interested in it doing the cha cha cha....international

Ok. to start off. What are the pre Cha Cha Cha lessons and Excersises?

I know Pilatis because of the Core stability etc...but i need to know also if i need to know how to do a full split and things like that??

Ok then i would like to know how to do the On the Spot and Progressive turns... what is the exact footwork on it....

I have been reading some of the topics and see alot of ppl who know their Dancing. so please assist me oh so clever people...

Thank you
Most willing to be a Cha Cha Dancer!
My email address for anyone who might be able to help me more indepthly it is....t.witches@webmail.co.za

First-- there are NO pre Cha cha lessons .
My suggestion--- enrol in a beginners Intern. Latin class.

You need to develop a basic, and a good foundation , before you add any thing new, to that sequence .

Hello,

If you have never done the splits before, you need to be very careful. A good personal trainer can help you get those muscles nice and loosened up.......you can cause some major damage if you are not ready to try them. I was a gymnast when I was in my teens........and learned to do the splits then.....I can still do them, but at 46........I need to do ALOT of warm up before. One thing that really helps is a technique called "self myofacial release".......it helps prepare the inner thigh muscles to acheive that stretch. You should seek the help of a professional......a personal trainer or a gymnastics coach....someone well versed in the dynamics of muscle movement. Good luck and have fun.

Terence2. I think the young lady, I say young and a lady because of the splitz she wants to do. I think she means the Basics with the Chasses which is the only thing that would qualify as a Cha excercise. Apart from that i would explain that a Front or Back Basic is a Walk Checked. A New York the same and a Spot Turn is a Walk Turning. You'll notice the Walk comes first. The Check or turn second.
I have no idea why Walley Laird in his book describes a Checked Forward Walk and at the same time the ladies step as a Backward Walk only. If we go to a New York for both we have a Checked Forward Walk. On a Spot Turn the Walk comes first. There probably is a reason which I can't see. Can anybody else.

Hi Serendipidy
Not quite sure what you are asking. Are you referring to the counter-part of a Checked Walk?

thanks for replies. :)

One more question i forget. Was about the ballet barre against a mirror.
What exactly is it called and where can it be sourced. ?

Thanks again ppl.

luv2dance. IDTA book.Page 129. Closed Basic. Mans step LF forward a Checked FWD Walk... Ladies Step RF back a Backward Walk. Surely it is a BKW Checked.
Whilst we are on the subject of technique. A turnout of the feet. This will encourage a student to turn the toe out. It should be turn the heel in and not the toe out. If I place my front foot on the Ball and then flat and then turn the toe out. My heel should turn in, not my toe out. Do you get the picture. Best Wishes.

Hello Serendipity,
This year, at the Blackpool Winter Gardens - straight after the British, I attended a lecture on the Latin technique by Ken Akrill, who is an examiner for the UKAPTD. It was their Congress. He explained that quite a lot of professional students did not understand the counter-part to the Checked Walk and why was it not named a Checked Backward Walk. To explain this, Ken said I know this is a childish way to explain this difference, but it does work. He said stand in poise, as lady, to do a Basic Movement. Now allow your shoulders to move back over your heels so that your body weight becomes back weighted. Now when you step back you will feel the body weight wants to continue to move back. Ken then said if this was the correct poise then we would need a Checked Backward Walk to counteract this. For the readers who are not familiar with the poise, the weight should be forward and not backward, so because of this the Checked Forward Walk was introduced. Ken continued to say that this often causes a problem by the gent who does not allow the arms in the hold to move forward to allow the lady to settle her weight into the back foot. Of course, the arms are returned to normal hold on the next step. Postscript. A couple asked a coach if he would teach them the 'YoYo' in the CCC. It turned out the couple had bought a Slavik and Karina DVD and in a routine Slavik dances a Checked Forward Walk and extends the arms forward to allow Karina to settle the hip. The move is danced very sharp and the return of the arms gives the impression of a YoYo. The new Latin technique book, with amendments, by Ken, should now be on sale from the UKA office, Blackpool. It's excellent value at £12.50. I know this site does not stock the book.

That variation ( yo yo ) has been danced for many moons-- often refered to as an " elastic band " feel and look .


As to Kens explanation,there are obvious hidden dangers, by getting the lady, too" back weighted " .

Also, the term " checked B/ward walk- may denote gramatically , that the following action , is going to continue in the same direction .

The return to any opposing direction, requires skills that most newcomers may not have already acquired .

These types of checked actions , are very prevalent in Salsa, where the speeds are appreciably faster .

Hi Terence2,

/* As to Kens explanation,there are obvious hidden dangers, by getting the lady, too" back weighted " */

I have to point out that Ken did not advocate that the lady should be back weighted. The example shown, in the lecture, was for all to see that it was not necessary to have a Checked Backward Walk because the weight of the body is forward. It would only become necessary if the body weight was back weighted. Sorry for not explaining it better.