Origin

The Cha Cha evolved from one of three versions of the Mambo, a dance born in Cuba and introduced to the west in 1947. The “Triple Mambo”, one of those versions, became very popular in tge early 1950’s and was subsequently renamed the Cha Cha. As music always dictates the dance, the triple or split-beat steps were inserted when a slower version of Mambo music was being played.

Music

Danced in 4/4 timing, the music has 4 even beats with the accent on the first beat of the bar. Often the music also has an additional half beat between the fourth and first beat

Characteristics

The Cha Cha is a non-progressive, lively, fun dance which uses a “ball flat” foot action and keeps the body over the feet. The legs and hips are used to produce a strong rhythmical movement that compliments the music. This dance has closed position as well as single handhold and double handhold movements. Often at an advanced level, the couple may be in apart or solo position. Because of this dance’s easy adaptation to modern music, the Cha Cha is probably the most popular of the Latin dances.

A true “American Dance” and a decendant of Lindy Hop and Jitterbug, thus dance is also known as Triple Swing. It dates back to 1920 where the black community discovered the Charleston and Lindy Hop while dancing to jazz music. It followed the development of ”Ragtime” and then “swing” music. During World War Two the American Forces introduced this Dance to Britain, together with the popular orchestras of the day, such as benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, and of course Glen Miller. Sometime after war’s end, the faster version stayed in Europe and became known as the Jive. This dance continues to be popular with all age groups as music is available from all time eras.

Music - Danced  in 4/4 timing, the mnusic is fast and lively in the Swing style.

Characteristics - Basically a stationary dance, the East Coast Swing  may have some progressive movements. It should be lively, fast and full of fun. Weight should be kept to the balls of the feet so as to ensure a slight "bounce" effect. There are a variety of movements that can be danced such as spins, kicks, underarm turns and changes of rhythm.

West Coast Swing

The West Coast Swing is directly related to East Coast Swing and was undoubtedly born due to the style of music being played in the 1940's, and the need for a dance that did not take up so much room. The West Coast Swing has evolved into a "Slot" dance that allows more dancers into a small area, but encourages more individuality from the participants.

Music - Danced in 4/4 timing the music will basically be in a slow swing style. However good music for this dance has come from a variety of styles, Rock and Roll and Country Western being just two.

Characteristic - A slow swing danced in a slot, to a medium tempo of music. Smooth, without any bounce the partners will stay in the slot to a medium tempo of music. Smooth without any bounce, the partners will stay in the slot with the lady providing most of the movement across and past the man. Within these moves there is the opportunity for individuality by the use of various maneuver’s such as turns spins and different rhythms and footwork.

Your wedding first dance is one of the most memorable moments in your wedding. Many couples fret and worry over this part of their wedding. For whatever reason it may be their lack of experience dancing in front of a crowd, the general nervousness of the situation. Everything from song selection to getting your footwork correct is important in regards to the outcome of your first dance.

Lately we have seen more couples break away from traditional first dances with something a little more edgy and non traditional. A lot of time these couples dance to a specially selected song that involves some choreography. Some wedding entrances have involved choreography and appeared on youtube. Some of these performances are over the top for most people yet they make for great wedding videos.

Many couples are looking for a classy and polished first dance and take dance classes to ensure both partners are in perfect harmony on wedding day. Wedding dance classes give partners an extra opportunity to bond and shape up for their fist dance. Rehearsing ahead of time is one wedding activity that tends to reduce stress for couples. The earlier you start the sooner you and your partner will be instep. Most couples enjoy their dance lessons so much that they continue on and become lifetime clients of ours.

Dancing is a great way to improve your health while having fun. As with any exercise regime or physical activity we recommend consulting your doctor first, and then starting slow and gradually increasing your activity level especially if you haven't been active for a while. Salsa, Cha-Cha, and Quickstep to name a few are some dancing steps that are know to get your heart rate up. It's easy to see if you just watch an episode of Dancing with the Stars the transformation that takes place as the celebrities shed pounds through the course of the season.

A dance routine is an ideal way to lose weight since you will have a dance partner to keep you motivated and dancing is immensely more fun than running on a treadmill or jogging all by yourself. Dancing gives you a chance to learn a new art form, make fiends and burn fat all at the same time.

Dancing on a regular basis can increase you energy level, boost your stamina, improve posture, and amp up your strength and balance. Some sensual dances can be executed with a partner and lower your stress level. It is a know fact that touching can help your immune system while reducing stress levels. Dancing is also a great way to improve muscle tone. There are some studies that have purported that dancing can benefit your circulatory system even more than cycling or walking. After mastering the steps necessary to execute a dance successfully many will get a boost in confidence, after all learning a new dance sequence is no easy feat. Constantly learning new dance steps exercises your brain and helps improve coordination when done on a regular basis.

You can also mange your weight by dancing and eating a well balanced healthy diet. Sustained dancing can lead to burning between 200 and 400 calories every 30 minutes depending on the dance routine. Some quick things to keep in mind when starting a dance regime would include the following: Start out slow and work you way up especially if you have no been active for a while. Keep dancing at least 2 – 3 times per week on a consistent basis. After 8- 12 weeks you will begin to notice results.