Junior dance competition in the Czech
Republic.
Cha-cha-cha is the name of a
Latin American dance of Cuban
origin. It is danced to the music of the same name
introduced by Cuban composer and violinist
Enrique Jorrín in 1953. This rhythm was
developed from the
danzón by a
syncopation of the fourth beat. The name is
onomatopoeic, derived from the rhythm
of the
güiro (scraper) and the shuffling
of the dancers' feet.
Origin
The modern style of dancing the cha-cha-chá derives from studies
made by dance teacher
Monsieur
Pierre (Pierre Zurcher-Margolle), who partnered
Doris Lavelle.
Pierre, then from London
, visited
Cuba in 1952 to find out how and what Cubans were dancing at the
time. He noted that this new dance had a split 4th beat, and
to dance it one started on the second beat, not the first. He
brought this dance idea to England and eventually created what is
known now as
ballroom cha-cha-cha.
The validity of his analysis is well established for that time, and
some forms of evidence exist today. First, there is in existence
film of
Orquesta Jorrin playing to a cha-cha-cha dance
contest in Cuba; second, the rhythm of the
Benny More classic
Santa Isabel de las
Lajas written and recorded at about the same time is quite
clearly syncopated on the fourth beat. Also, note that the slower
bolero-son ("rumba") was always danced on the second beat.
Description
Cha-cha-cha may be either danced to authentic
Cuban music, or
Latin
Pop or
Latin Rock. The
music for the
international ballroom
cha-cha-cha is energetic and with a steady beat. The
Cuban cha-cha-chá is more
sensual and may involve complex
polyrhythms.
Styles of cha-cha-cha dance may differ in the place of the
chasse in the
rhythmical structure. The original Cuban and the ballroom
cha-cha-cha count "two-three-chachacha".
Basic step of cha-cha-cha
The basic pattern involves the lead (the man) taking a checked
forward step with the left foot
retaining some weight on the right
foot, the knee of the right leg must stay straight and close to the
back of the left knee, the left leg having straightened just prior
to receiving part weight.
This step is taken on the second beat
of the bar. Full weight is returned to the right leg on the
second step (beat three.) The fourth beat is split in two so the
count of the next three steps is 4-and-1. These three steps
constitute the
cha-cha-cha chasse. A step to the side is
taken with the left foot, the right foot is half closed towards the
left foot (typically leaving both feet under the hips or perhaps
closed together), and finally there is a last step to the left with
the left foot. The length of the steps in the chasse depend very
much on the effect the dancer is attempting to make.
The girl takes a step back on the right foot, the knee being
straightened as full weight is taken. The other leg is allowed to
remain straight. It is possible it will shoot slightly but no
deliberate flexing of the free leg is attempted. This is quite
different from technique associated with
salsa, for instance. On the next beat (beat
three) weight is returned to the left leg. Then a cha-cha-cha
chasse is danced RLR.
Each partner is now in a position to dance the bar their partner
just danced. Hence the fundamental construction of Cha-cha-cha
extends over two bars.
The checked first step is a later development in the International
Cha-cha-cha. Because of the action used during the forward step
(the one taking only part weight) the basic pattern turns left,
whereas in earlier times Cha-cha-cha was danced without rotation of
the alignment. Hip actions are allowed to occur at the end of every
step. For steps taking a single beat the first half of the beat
constitutes the foot movement and the second half is taken up by
the hip movement.
Over the history of the dance, there have been two schools of
dancing the Cha-cha-cha chasse. In one school, both knees are
allowed to be flexed on the count of 'and' to eliminate an increase
in height as the feet are brought towards each other. In the other
school the leading foot is placed with the checked knee and the
"bopping" is eliminated by hip action.
Footwork
In general, steps in all directions should be taken first with the
ball of the foot in contact with the floor, and then with the heel
lowering when the weight is fully transferred; however, some steps
require that the heel remain lifted from the floor. When weight is
released from a foot, the heel should release from the floor first,
allowing the toe to maintain contact with the floor.
Hip movement
In traditional
American Rhythm
style, Latin hip movement is achieved through the alternate bending
and straightening action of the knees, though in modern competitive
dancing, the technique is virtually identical to the
International Latin style. In the
International Latin style, the weighted leg is almost always
straight. The free leg will bend, allowing the hips to naturally
settle into the direction of the weighted leg. As a step is taken,
a free leg will straighten the instant before it receives weight.
It should then remain straight until it is completely free of
weight again.
International Latin style Cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha is one of the five dances of the "Latin American"
program of international ballroom competitions.
As described above, the basis of the modern dance was laid down in
the 1950s by Pierre & Lavelle and developed in the 1960s by
Walter Laird and other top competitors
of the time. The basic steps taught to learners today are based on
these accounts.
In general, steps are kept compact and the dance is danced
generally without any
rise and fall.
The modern ballroom technique of Cha-cha-cha (and other ballroom
dances) does undergo gradual evolution, particularly in competition
dancing, but in essence is still firmly based on its Cuban origin
in the 1950s.
References
External links
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