She then continues the basic step beginning with her left foot and steps to her left (1), rocking backward this time on her right foot (2), replaces her weight back to her left foot (3), then steps to the right with her right foot, closes her left foot to her right (&), then begins again with her right foot and repeats.

Different Ways to Count -- For both partners, if you are counting the basic step using the typical "cha, cha, cha", the count is then "2, 3, cha, cha, cha". The "4, &, 1" counts are the "cha, cha, cha". The "2, 3" is always a rock step, forward or backward. Everyone has the misconception that the "cha, cha, cha" of the Cha Cha dance is 3 quick beats, when in fact, it is 2 quick beats ("4, &") and one slow beat ("1"). So the actual timing for the basic Cha Cha step is "slow (1) -- slow (2) -- slow (3) -- quick (4) -- quick (&). Then repeat.

You can use "quicks" and "slows" to count the basic step in order to demonstrate the tempo: "1" (slow), "2" (slow), "3" (slow), "4" (quick), "&" (quick). The" 2 , 3" count is the rock step, and the "4, &, 1" is what people think of as the "cha, cha, cha". The very last "cha" is a slow beat (the "1" count). If people count the basic step " 1, 2, cha, cha, cha" -- they usually wind up doing the basic step faster than they should.

Style in Cha Cha -- Cha Cha is a ballroom dance with lots of personality. Like other Latin dances, it is best danced using Cuban Motion. Quicker in tempo than Rumba, it should be lively and exciting and can bring out the sassiness in women and the orneriness in men. It is often the favorite of beginning ballroom dancers because it is a fun, sexy dance and has a definite beat.

Common Cha Cha Mistakes -- Whether you are a new dance member, in Variety program, Bronze or above, two of the basics of Cha Cha often overlooked by the new ballroom dance student, or forgotten by the more advanced dancers are: