HOPE -3
GRADE 12
BALLROOM DANCE
(CHA-CHA-CHA)
Quarter 1 Week 8
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Ballroom dancing is a form of couples’ dance which are enjoyed both socially and
competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment
aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
The term “ballroom” is derived from the word ball which in tun originates from the
Latin word ballare which means to dance (a ball-room being a large room specially
designed for such dances). I time past, ballroom dancing was social dancing for the
privileged, leaving folk dancing for the lower classes. The definition of ballroom dance
also depends on the era: balls have featured popular dances of the day such as the
Minuet, Quadrille, Polonaise, Polka, Mazurka, and others, which are now considered
to be historical dances.
Brief History of the dance Cha-Cha-Cha
The cha-cha dance originated from Cuba was originally known as the cha-cha-cha.
The dance gained popularity around the 1950’s and was created from two other
dances – the ‘mambo’ and the ‘danzon’. Enrique Jorrin, a violinist and composer,
realized that most of the crowds related the danzon-mambo rhythm to a much slower
mambo dance and thus had hardship adopting the syncopated rhythms. He decided to
compose music that strongly focused on the first downbeat such that the rhythm
became less syncopated. This caused the crowd dancers to develop a triple step,
creating the sound ‘cha-cha-cha’ with their shoes, thus the cha-cha-cha was born.
CHA-CHA-CHA
Style: International Latin
Music: Mediun-tempo Latin music
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: 128 beat per minute
Basic Rhythm: 2, 3, 4&1, 2, 3, 4&1 (accent on count 1)
Cha-Cha Dance Syllabus
BEGINNING BRONZE SILVER GOLD
1a. Closed Basic 16. Open Hip Twist 24. Advanced Hip Twist
Movement 17. Reverse Top 25. Hip Twist Spiral
1b. Open Basic Move 18. Opening Out from 26. Turkish Towel
ment Reverse Top 27. Sweetheart
1c. Alternative Basic 19. Aida 28. Follow my Leader
Movement 20a. Aida 29. Foot Changes
1d. Basic Movement In 20b. Curl
Place 20c. Rope Spinning
2. New York 21. Cross Basic
3a. Spot Turns 22. Cuban Breaks
3b. Underarm Turns to R 23. Chase
&L
INTERMEDIATE
BRONZE
4. Shoulder to Shoulder
5. Hand to Hand
6. Three Cha Chas
7. Side Steps (Chasses)
8. There and Back
9. Time Steps
FULL BRONZE
10. Fan
11. Alemana
12. Hockey Stick
13. Natural Top
14. Natural Opening Out
Movement
15. Closed Hip Twist
Four Basic Steps of Cha-Cha-Cha
1. Forward Step
2. Backward Step
3. Side Step
4. Rock Step
Note: you may watch the link to fully understand the four basic steps of cha-cha-cha:
https://youtu.be/PWiLi22Cq8w
