Cha Cha Cha - Hockey Stick

This move begins from the Fan position. Ladies, you are basically retracing the steps from the Open Hip Twist into Fan. Guys,whilst leading your lady and assisting her movements, you are also going to be adding in your more complex chasses. Make sure your leads are definitive and timed at the right moments.


Leaders'/Men's Footwork


As usual, most of your footwork with this step is based around the basic, however we are throwing in complex chasses now rather than the more simple compact chasse that you would be used to. Start this movement in Fan position, standing with your feet apart and on a slight diagonal towards your partner. You are going to do one basic movement stepping forward on your Left foot (Count 2), replacing the weight on your Right (Count 3), and then a Slip Chasse on the 4, and,1 count. (In a Slip Chasse, place your foot - in this case your Left - behind you with part weight, slightly slide your Right foot backwards and then replace the Left foot beside the Right.) You should do all this and accomplish a small amount of turn to get you back to facing a wall instead of a diagonal by the end. As you do this you need to bring your Left hand (the one that is in contact with your partner) forward and in towards your body to make your partner move forwards and by the end of this set of steps you should have your hand drawn across your face, the back of your hand towards your forehead and there should be a window created with your and your partner's arms so that you can see each other.


As you move into the next set of steps, you need to move your hand over your partner's head so that your hand is resting with hers on or near her Left shoulder. You then have another basic movement, stepping backwards this time onto your Right foot on Count 2, transferring the weight forward again onto your Left on Count 3, and then using a lock step chasse forward (following your partner) with your Right foot on Count 4, and, 1.


Followers'/Lady's Footwork


You have a bit of a tricky set of steps to describe, so hopefully with the combination of the words here and the drawn steps, you will get the idea. I have numbered the steps in your diagram rather than labelled the counts as i thought that would be less confusing. So please don't do the rhythm based on the numbers on the diagram!

You are standing in fan with your Right foot extended diagonally towards your partner and weight on your Left. On count 2, bring your Right foot in to your Left foot, put the ball of your foot on the floor (your Right knee should be bent and crossed slightly in front of your left) and change weight so that you end up with your Right foot flat on the floor with a straight leg and your Left foot is now on the ball of the foot with the knee slightly bent and crossed. All of that is on count 2!

Then you have a walk forward towards your partner on your Left foot on count 3 and a lock step forward leading with your Right foot on Counts 4, and, 1. Your partner should lead you straight forward directly in front of him and bring your arm up in front of you so that there is a window between you and your partner when you reach the end of this set of steps. You are facing the wall to his Right.


He will then lead your arm over your head so that your Right hand is holding his and resting on or close to your Left shoulder. With your next two steps (Counts 2, 3 - Left, Right), you actually make a total of a 90 degree turn (some variations are closer to 45 - depends on preference and following steps) and walk away from your partner. At the end of the second step (on count 3) you are wound in your own arm and can only get out of it by unwinding - bringing your Left shoulder back and around - turning on your Right foot before you then step back onto your Left foot for a lock step on Counts 4, and, 1.


Notes for both the Leader and the Follower:


- When you get more comfortable with the steps, you can make the leads sharper and slightly delayed - especially the final turn on count 3. But that requires both partners to be secure in their steps and paying close attention to the leads.

Ballroom vs Social Dancing

The Ballroom Dance world in comparison with many other dance styles out there, seems to have a different mentality about its social side. If you look at Salsa, Swing/Lindy Hop, Argentine Tango, Ceroc, and many other dance styles that are out there, you will quickly see a big difference in generally accepted practices, and personally, I sometimes feel that is to the detriment of the Ballroom and Latin community.

One of the biggest differences between those other styles that I mentioned and Ballroom is the lack of social dancing associated with classes. In the Ballroom world, it seems to be the norm that classes are taught and then people go home; if they want to dance socially, they go to a specific event or gathering that is primarily for that purpose. However, in almost every other social dance genre, classes are interwoven into full evenings in which dancing and practising what you have just learned is not only possible, but easy to do and highly encouraged! This facilitates people actually digesting and retaining what they have learned and propagates actual dancing -not just copying the steps you are learning in class.

I know that there is a larger overhead, most often, for Ballroom events as the space needed has to be of a certain size and without many obstacles to make it truly viable, and therefore it is either necessary to charge more or get more people through the door - sometimes both. And I think this is one of the main reasons that more classes aren't able to hold social dance practice sessions afterwards - the floor fee is simply too high to make it possible. For many other styles, space is not as much of an issue: any of the more stationary dances can easily be done in rooms that are oddly shaped or which have pillars or obstacles as well as it being possible to have more people on the dance floor at any one time - therefore more patrons able to enter in the first place.

There is also a bit of a stigma over the head of the Ballroom community. I will not hesitate to admit that shows like Strictly come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars have done a tremendous amount to bring Ballroom dancing back into the public consciousness. And I think that the movements created by these shows are doing a lot to keep Ballroom dancing alive and growing. But here in the UK at least, there is still a strong bias against it (often in the male part of the general public) and as much as these shows have opened a lot of doors, they have also propagated the stereotypes of sequins and fake tan which make Ballroom seem inaccessible and foppish to the average person.

As someone who has trained professionally in a number of styles of dance, but who came to Ballroom out of an interest to learn and to continue developing my dancing personally, I have focussed my whole experience within it as a social dancer - not a competitor. Too often I feel that the Ballroom world gets so hung up on the competition side of things, that it forgets that it can be equally as satisfying, enjoyable, and worthwhile for the social dancer as it may be for the competitor. Its focus on the glitz and glamour of it all, as well as the tendency for some to simply learn routines - and not build from basics - in order to compete, creates a divide between the competitive and social dance scenes which no other dance genre seems to have as strongly. This creates two main issues as far as I see it. Firstly, it means that when social events Do occur, they are populated partly with people that only know how to dance with their one partner, and only do the routine they have been taught - regardless of the music or the people around them. The other issue is that people who don't feel comfortable with competitive styling are often scared off by the showiness; when in reality they enjoy the dancing and should be allowed to do it in a way that expresses them - not one that is all about extravagant arm flourishes and tidal wave hips.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against the competitive side of the Ballroom world - many people I know and love are entrenched in it - but I do have a problem with social dancing that is no longer given an opportunity to be social. When a couple uses competitive routines and styling on a social floor (and ends up doing the same routine to every song that is a Cha Cha, for example) I have to wonder where their enjoyment is coming from - this is a social floor, not your practice time... especially after the competitions are finished! Personally, I love when you get your dancing to a level that you feel comfortable playing with the music as you hear it, you react and adapt to what your partner is giving you in your connection, and  the whole dance becomes more than just the steps - and this doesn't just apply to more advanced dancers. I think it is very important for developing dancers to be given the chance and the opportunity to mix up the moves they are being taught... dance them in their own patterns and follow the music as they hear it. It is that sort of experience which strengthens lead/follow capabilities as well as musicality, and it makes the dance yours; which is why we all want to dance in the first place, isn't it? So what is it that stops Ballroom and Latin dancing from encouraging that? When and where did this massive divide between the people who love these dances occur?

In relation to all the other social dances, Ballroom has simply seemed to lose its social nature. And though shows such a Strictly have helped restart the ballroom community, I also feel like it is creating a voyeuristic aspect to Ballroom which precludes a person's own enjoyment of the dance. Because these dances that we love originated on the social floor.... what is keeping them from it now?

A little shameless self promotion

I have always tried to make this blog as generally useful as possible, but it cant hurt to throw a little self promotion in every now and again too. I will keep it short and sweet, I promise!

If you are based in London and have been giving these steps a go or are looking for somewhere to actually attend class, I currently help/teach classes in Maida Vale on Mondays and Thursdays along with Hanna Haarala of Strictly Come Dancing Series Three (though she is off touring with Brendan Cole's Live and Unjudged at the moment). We are currently in the middle of a session, however a new set of 6 lessons will be starting during the week of February 28th and we would be more than happy to see you there!

I am also available either in Maida Vale or South Kensington for private lessons or Wedding Dance sessions.

For more details on any of the above, feel free to send me a message and I will get back to you right away!

Cha Cha Cha - Open Hip Twist into Fan

Much like the Hip Twist and Fan in Rumba, this step follows the same patterns but in a Cha Cha rhythm. This is a very standard step and one which sets the slightly more experienced student from the absolute beginner.


Leaders'/Men's Footwork


There are a couple of different options for you guys with this step. I am going to start giving you some of the different types of chasse that you can and should be starting to use by this point. If you ever feel a little overwhelmed, go back to a basic simple chasse (three steps in place) until you have the rest of the movement and feel confident to try the complex chasses again.

Starting in open position (one hand hold), with your weight on your Right foot, you will step forward onto your Left foot on count 2. Bring your weight back onto your Right foot on count 3. Here is the first of our complex chasses - a Slip Chasse. Touch your Left foot back behind you with part weight, slip your Right foot slightly towards your back foot (similar to the movement you would have used in your samba walks), and then place your Left foot beside your Right foot (4, and, 1). Try not to take your body weight back over the foot placed behind you - keep it over your Right foot and make sure you still keep a solid connection with your follower to allow her to turn in her Hip Twist.


Now, take your follower into Fan Position by leading her to move forward (your Left) as you step back onto your Right foot (Count 2), replace the weight on your Left foot on count 3 (start thinking about angling your body slightly to the diagonal towards your partner), and then we have our next complex chasse - a Hip Twist Chasse. (Though there are many styling options here, I am going to explain the easiest version.) Cross your Right foot forwards and across your body - hips and lower body turning more than your shoulders (Count 4), uncross your feet placing your Left foot beside your Right (Count 'and'), Step to the side onto your Right foot facing the diagonal (Count 1). You and your partner should now be in Fan position.


Followers'/Lady's Footwork


Starting in open position (one hand hold), with your weight on your Left foot, step back onto your Right foot (like in the basic) on count 2 and then replace your weight to the Left foot on count 3. Your partner should lead you to do a lock chasse forward using your Right foot, coming towards him as he stays in the same place (4, and, 1). The lead arm therefore becomes a lot more compact. Dont allow your elbow to get behind your body at any point. As you come forward there will no longer be room for you to travel and this will cause you to pivot on your Right leg (just after you count and step "1") and finish facing the wall that was to your right. You should still have connection with your partner through your Right arm, but it is also wrapped in front of your body at this point.


You then have two steps forward (Left, Right) before you cant really go any further whilst still holding on to your partner! So at the end of the second step (on Count 3) you will unwind with half a turn on your Right leg. Step backwards into a lock step with your Left foot (4, and, 1). Ending in Fan position.


Notes for both the Leader and the Follower:


- The final pivot for the Follower must not be rushed into and also needs to be distinctly created by the Leader. In order to make this transition the most effective, both parties, need to be very aware of their arm placement and the connection between them.

- As the Follower has quite a few steps in this sequence which lead away from the Leader, it is important that both people are aware of how far they are getting away from each other and that the joined arms are not overstretched.

Waltz - Closed Impetus

(Awaiting new drawing with correct amount of turn! - descriptions have been correct for Closed Impetus from the start... sorry for the confusion- I even confused myself this time!)

The Slow Foxtrot is full of heel turns for the lady but the Closed Impetus in Waltz is one of the occasions that it is necessary for the man to complete this slightly tricky move. The ladies footwork is very much like that of the Spin Turn. I am going to put it within a sequence so that you know one way of getting in and out of it.

Leaders'/Men's Footwork

Begin with the first three steps of your Natural Turn. (Forward on your Right, commencing to turn to the right, side on your Left, close the feet together. At this point you should be facing the wall which was to your Right when you started.) Count 1, 2, 3

Step back onto your Left foot. Swing your Right foot back to join the Left as you pull your right side around and transfer the weight from your Left foot to your Right heel. This should have turned you to face diagonally into centre (3/8ths of a turn). Push forward onto your Right to as you continue to turn your body, releasing your Left foot in a step "backwards" which leaves you backing diagonally to centre and having turned another 1/4. Count 1, 2 (and), 3

You can then finish with 4-6 of your Reverse Turn. Step back on your Right commencing to turn to the Left. Step side onto your Right and close your Left to your Right ending facing Diagonally to Wall again (where you should have started). Count 1, 2, 3

Follower's/ Lady's Footwork

Much like the spin turn, you start with the first three steps of a Natural Turn. Step backwards onto your Left foot, commencing to turn. Step side onto your Right foot and close your Left foot to the Right to face LOD. Count 1, 2, 3

Step forward into your partner with your Right foot. Step to the side (around your partner) with your Left foot. Brush your Right foot towards your left as you continue to turn (with no weight) and then step forward on it, facing Diagonally Centre. Count 1, 2,3

Finish with 4-6 of the Reverse Turn. Step forward onto your Left foot, starting to turn to the Left, side on your Right foot and close your Left foot to your Right to finish backing diagonal to wall.

Notes for Both the Leader and the Follower:
- Be aware of where your partner is needing to finish each of the steps. When the man is doing the heel turn, ladies, do not try to pull them in any way as they will not be able to move to keep up with you. Same goes in reverse as the gents come out of the heel turn as this is when the ladies are doing their brushed step.
- All of these steps should be taken in line with your partner!

We're Back!

It has been a while since my last post and it was the lovely comment that came through to me today that reminded me why I started this blog and why I should continue. I still firmly believe that people need to have a place that they can come to when they are looking to solidify the steps they are learning/have already learned and that that resource should be free and accessible.

Dance is something that is entering the public consciousness more and more and for that very reason, I believe that there is a genuine desire to explore - one that should be encouraged, not discouraged. Classes are an integral part to learning any dance style, but it is also easy enough to be in a class and do the routine that your teacher has given you. To feel that you are truly dancing, you need to understand what the individual steps are and how they can be put together and then listen to the music ... and just go!

I do value your feedback and love to hear from you when you have questions and thoughts. Those of you that have been in touch by email or through the comments on here have been greatly appreciated and I hope that you will continue to return despite my recent absence!

In all honesty, my future posts may not hit the schedule that I set out before, however I will do my best to at least regularly add something new for you and to keep the dances as well rounded as possible.

The best bit of advice that I can give you though, is to get out and dance whenever you can. There are socials and events all over the place and anywhere with music and an open space can be somewhere to dance. Don't be afraid of dancing in front of people that you may not know or who may not know you dance. Don't be afraid of dancing. Enjoy it.

Samba - Style

The style of Samba is one that is very different from the rest of the Latin Dances. Based more on the bounce motion that is integral to the movement, Samba uses the forward and backwards movement of the pelvis in conjunction with the bend and stretch of the knees rather than purely side to side hip movement.

As many people know, Samba originated in Brazil and though formalized in the Ballroom and Latin syllabus, should still bring to mind a party spirit and a sense of fun.

One of the hardest Ballroom/Latin dances to dance socially, the Samba has a lot of movements that are done out of the closed hold and which generally require the partners to be very clear with and aware of what their partner is doing. There are tonnes of variations on the basic steps and attention should be taken to make no assumptions about which variation will be done.

One of the key elements to making the Samba feel correct is the bounce which should go down on the full count (1, 2, etc) and up on the half beat (&) or delayed until the "a" - which occurs on the last quarter beat. This bounce is then used to drive the movements and is manipulated to create the different rhythms within the dance.