Promenade position, both facing line of dance (counterclockwise floor direction); lady standing on the Man's right side; each will have heels together; his left hand will hold her left hand either in front of his left shoulder, in front of and slightly higher than his waist, or in front of the lady's left shoulder; his right arm will reach behind the lady and hold her right hand in his right hand slightly to the right of her right shoulder (he leads the entire dance with the right hand) Dance starts with steps the same for the Man and lady. Where different, the Man's counts will be given first, lady's second.
BASIC CHA-CHA PATTERN WITH THE THREE CHA-CHA STEPS DANCED IN A SYNCOPATED TWO-COUNT OF THE MUSIC
1
Left foot step forward and rock body forward with the weight transferring to the left foot and right foot rocks forward with the ball of the foot remaining in place or just slightly off the floor
2
Rock weight back onto right foot
3-4
Left foot step to close beside right foot, right foot step in place, left foot step in place
MODIFIED CHA-CHA PATTERN WITH BODY TWIST TO THE RIGHT AND SYNCOPATED CHA-CHA DURING ½ TURN TO THE LEFT
5
Right foot step back ¼ turn to the right (the body will twist with the right foot) and the arms will go to full extensions straight as an airplane's wings-the right will point to the right and down-the left will point to the left and up and the heads will turn to the right permitting the eyes to look at the right hand hold
6
Rock weight back onto left foot and drop left hand hold and right hands are brought forward over the lady's head in a circle as the turn is completed until the end of count 8 when the lady has the man in a hammer lock behind his back
7-8
Right foot close to left foot; left foot step in place ½ turn to the left, Man's left arm stretches out to the left and is aimed slightly higher than the lady's forehead; right foot step to close to left foot, lady's left hand catches Man's left hand and guides his outstretched arm behind her head, just slightly above the shoulders (the Man cannot see his hand approach the lady's head, the lady must catch his hand and guide it)
CHA-CHA PATTERN WITH SYNCOPATED CHA-CHA DURING ½ TURN TO THE RIGHT
9
Left foot step backward and weight shifts backward; right foot may lift slightly off the floor but must remain in position
10
Weight shifts to right foot and release left hand hold (do not join left hands until count 1 on the repeat)
11-12
Left foot step to close to right foot, right foot step ½ turn to the right, left foot step to close to right foot and Man's right arm will reach behind the lady and hold her right hand in his right hand slightly to the right of her right shoulder (his left hand rests on his left hip)
MAN'S STEPS-BASIC CHA-CHA PATTERN
13
Right foot step back and right hands lift higher than the lady's head and slightly backward
14
Rock weight forward on left foot and lead lady's right hand in small to the left circle over the center of her head finishing on count 16
15-16
Right foot step to close to left foot, left foot step in place, right foot step in place and the Man should place his left hand (palm faces forward of his left shoulder) where the lady's left shoulder should be when she finishes her spin
LADY'S STEPS-CHA-CHA PATTERN WITH SYNCOPATED CHA-CHA DURING WALKING FULL TURN TO THE LEFT
13
Right foot step back and right hands lift higher than the lady's head and slightly backward
14
Rock weight forward on left foot
15-16
Right foot step 1/3 turn to the left, left foot step 1/3 turn to the left, right foot step 1/3 turn to the left(lady will move from the man's right side to a position directly in front of the man) and stop when lady's left shoulder spins into palm of Man's hand
Steps for the lady and Man are identical.
Stay with the heavy beat and ignore the cha-cha syncopation.
17
Left foot step left and body turns slightly left
18
Right foot step in place ¼ turn to the right and right hands stretch forward and high enough to clear dancers' head
19
Left foot step forward under outstretched arms and hands
20
Pivot on balls of feet ½ turn to the right and Man's right arm will reach behind the lady and hold her right hand in his right hand slightly to the right of her right shoulder