These days when people doing social dance, many don't care to have correct posture, and they only want to have 'great moves' every time they come to class. However, correct posture is nevertheless very important because it helps you move across the floor easily, without hurting yourself or your partner.
First, not to go stiff. You should feel nice, free, easy, all muscles and bones are free to move. If we split the body into three groups: the legs, the body and the head. Then please aim to line them on top of each other so that the body weight centralizes towards the heels but not on the heels, i.e. body on top of legs, head on top of body, and the whole body is still free, still easy, free flowing.
Mind that if we line the body too far back, it'll be difficult to make fast steps in cha cha cha; contrarily, if the body is lined too far forward, we are falling onto the steps. We dance mainly on straight legs (& hips) in cha cha cha (also in rumba), but even when we partner up and take a step back or forward, we still focus on the free and easy body, no restriction & tightness in the body. Therefore, not to raise the head too much nor expose the chest.
Nine Cha cha cha chasse:
side chasse, lock chasses forward, lock chasse back, turning chasse, chasse crossing in front, compact chassr, ronde chasse, hip twist chaschasse, slip chasse. Among all, side chasse and lock chasse are the most popular. Details of the chasse include timing, rhythm, hip action, footwork.
Pay attention that the feet don't really close on cha cha cha chasse, if we do, we have too much progression. Unlike paso, waltz, chasse in those really demand you close foot because they are looking forward to move. But cha cha cha a small step dance developed in night club environment which is a compact and crowded, we don't have the enjoyment of moving across the floor.
Also try not to get the two tracks too close which will then restrict your hip movement. You always have two tracks until you cross the legs to do a lock. Then the next step you resume the two tracks so the back leg is free to move straight to the front to commence the next step.
Body movements
Move the hip in order to release the legs to commence steps, we need to lead the body with lower force.
Body speed and leg speed, leg speed is fast because of the music (although the music has slowed down considerably through time), but we don't want the body move as fast as the legs. So the two speeds are different, with the more continuous movement of the body. For instance, you make a forward walk, the foot arrives before the body, then the body continues to move until body weight is over the foot, and then the rear foot commence the next step.
The beauty of movement comes when you are able to move on harmony and in consistency of music. The couple once are connected, they develop a centre(where the hands were held), then each individual commence the walk paying attention to each own centre. They move by feeling each other's resistence, not actually pulling, nor pushing. The trick is to get the two bodies in the same motion to a quick music. Without interfere the bodies' movement, we still want to create the one one half half one timing (SSQQS rhythm).
Rotation of the body is necessary, as you stand in place, you will be completely square, then it is hard to move the body on time. So we put one foot forward, and then that side of the body will point to the front so that body weight is slightly directed to the front as well. With this position, when we commence a walk, the shoulder on the same side of the moving leg will naturally come forward. Same will happen as we change direction or even move back, the shoulders are in the same direction of the legs. When the couple starts, the lead changes the rotation of the upper body, moving shoulder and that side of the body into his desired direction, the follower should reflect the movement in her body. The body rotation is limited when it is forward and back, however, when they do a turn, like open hip twist into the fan, the rotation is much greater.
Partnering, leading & following
The leader is to give information for the lady which direction he wants her to go, and it is 100% up to her whether or not to follow. So, leading should be clear enough and the man is not pulling and pushing the lady, only when the lead is good enough and the follower decides to accompany the leader to move, then they can dance a harmonious dance.
Forward walk is very important, esp for gentlemen in order to lead the lady. To ensure a check forward walk, make sure the weight is in centre (not too far forward, not lean forward that you bend, keep spine upright straight) , front foot is slightly turned out.
Speed should not deter or should not interfere the movements. Speed is accomplished from the leg and body movement. Delay the leg, rotate the upper body, turn, then the legs catch up, then there is much speed in the turn and we arrive on time on balance. Speed, however, is not only how fast you can get in the music, nor how fit you get steps with music, it is also how you play with the music to create that 'vibrato'.
Characteristics, as today's music has slowed down considerably, it sometimes looks like a quick rumba, but keep the idea of keeping very small steps, quick action is the idea of cha cha cha. Because of the tempo of the music, we are not doing a lot of rolling.
Body rotation becomes more important if you need the two bodies in motion move in harmony. Say for instance, the natural top, if the man keeps moving the shoulder, the lady can't stay upright, she will be falling back when man does the turning lock with her in a small frame. When the couple comes out from the natural top to the maybe let's say opening out and to a fan, when the man turns the shoulder and pull her out to the fan using his arm, she will be falling forward. So man needs to transfer weight to the hip (always initiate action from the hips), then rotate the body alignment, and at the same time not to use the arm to lead.
When both know the steps, both make steps at the same time, that's on time but that's empty as the lady just moves and the man has no partner to lead. If you think about the connection, lady will need the information from the man(messages passing onto the lady through his body), the she moves slightly later than him but should still arrive at the same time.
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