CHA CHA FIGURES

Cha—4 beats/measure; 26 - 34 meas/min

Along with the rumba and mambo, the cha cha developed in Haiti and in Cuba and migrated to the United States in the 1950s. These rhythms are closely related, as we can think of the mambo as a fast rumba and the cha cha as a triple mambo. These three rhythms have many figures in common.

The cha cha is a popular Latin rhythm that is danced with a loose hold and with smooth, flowing movements. The tempo of cha cha is about the same as that of rumba, but we are fitting five steps into a measure instead of only three in rumba, so cha cha feels a good bit faster. Where the rumba is danced quick, quick, slow; the cha cha is danced quick, quick, quick/and, quick; or 1, 2, cha/cha, cha; In good cha cha music, you can hear the "cha-cha-cha."

Most steps are taken ball-flat, although the quickest steps might be taken ball only. Step with the left, press into that step without weight, straighten the left knee and smoothly roll your weight onto the left leg, and bend the right knee. This will move the left hip to the side and back. Again, step foreward with a ball/flat/straighten/hip, and back ball/flat/straighten/hip to get the rhythmic and rolling Cuban or Latin hip action. Use the inside edge of the ball of your foot and big toe, and this will move the non-supporting knee in front of the supporting knee and add even more to the Cuban hip, but don't exagerate. Don't "wiggle your hips." The hip movement is not independent but comes from the feet and knees. The whole body is flowing with the music.

Some of these figure lists are long, and I have tried to organize figures in related groups rather than in alphabetical lists. To look for a specific figure, use your "find" function under the "edit" drop-down menu (in Internet Explorer). If you can't find a figure you need, try the site's new location, or just let me know.

FIGURE AND COUNT	Steps (In the abbreviations, a comma separates two beats of music, a semi-colon marks the end of a measure, and a slash (/) indicates a split beat, two things occuring in a single beat of music.)	In Freestyle, You Could Follow With --
Basic (or Closed Basic) 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In closed position, step forward L, recover, side/close, side; back R, recover, side/close, side; Don't take big steps. On forward steps, keep your body upright, and don't overwhelm your partner. Sometimes, she can feel like an ocean swimmer suddenly tumbled over by a big breaker. Similarly, on back steps, maintain forward poise. The first measure of a basic can be cued "forward basic," and the second measure can be cued "back basic," the "forward" and "back" referring to the man's first step.	In the Moores' Cha Cha Torrero, there is a basic;; half basic to a fan; alemana;; to an open break and hold;;
Open Basic 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	With its side chasses (side/close, side), the closed basic is a tighter figure than the open basic, which is done forward and back, rather than side to side. Usually in open facing position, lead hands joined, the man steps fwd L (woman bk R), recover R, back/lock, back; back R, recover, fwd/lk, fwd;
Walk 1,2,3&4;	In almost any position and with either foot, step forward, fwd, fwd/close, fwd;	In the Rumbles' Bahama Mama, we are in left open position both facing line (woman on inside of circle) trail feet free, and we walk to line; new yorker to line; underarm turn man face center; to an open hip twist; and fan; still facing center.
Progressive or Kiki Walks 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	Step fwd, fwd, fwd/cl, fwd with little swiveling of hips; The chasse could be done as a fwd/lock, fwd. In the plain walk (above), we walk on two parallel tracks, feet side by side. A kiki walk is done on one track, as if you are walking on a rail, one foot in front of the other.	In Lefeavers' Hippies's Cha (sic) there is a half basic; whip to low butterfly man facing line; progressive walks to line twice;; One could then walk four curving to face the wall; and go into a strolling vine;;
Cha Cha Wheel 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In a right-hand star position, step forward L (woman fwd R), fwd R, fwd L/lock R in back of L, fwd L circling RF 1/2; fwd R, fwd L, fwd R/lock L in back of R, fwd R again circling RF 1/2; making a complete circle.	In the Shibatas' La Cuca Cha Cha Mixer, we begin in a right-hand star with the man facing the wall. We dance a cha cha wheel; continue, woman spin RF to face partner and COH; basic;; cross body;; to a new yorker;
Side Walk 1,2,3&4;	In a facing position, step sd, cl, sd/cl, sd;	In the Schmidts' I Need To Know, there is a hand to hand; aida; switch cross; side walks;; and a cucaracha;
Crab Walks 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In bfly cross in front, side, XIF/sd, XIF; sd, XIF, sd/cl, sd;	The Prows' Like I Love You begins part A with a sliding door to face center; crab walks toward line; fence line; spot turn to open; sliding door to face wall; crab walks toward reverse; fence line; to a whip to triple chas;;
Cha Box 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In butterfly position, step fwd L, sd R, XLIF/sd R, XLIF; bk r, sd L, XRIF/sd l, XRIF;	In Scotts' Then What, part A begins with a cha box;; vine two, face-to-face; vine two, back-to-back;
New Yorker 1,2,3&4;	in butterfly both step through to side-by-side, rec, side/close, side; photo	In Oren's He Ain't Worth Missin', there are crab walks toward reverse;; new yorker to end in open position facing line; walk 2 and cha; circle away and together;; alemana;;
Quick New Yorker 1&2 or 3&4	The New Yorker is a leisurely figure. In comparison, Quick New Yorkers move. In butterfly, both step through to a side-by-side position. Recover quickly, and step side to butterfly again.	Of course, two quick new yorkers, one to reverse and one to line will put some excitement into your routine, and Bill and Carol Goss have created a great sequence that begins that way, in their "disco" cha, You Should Be Dancing: quick new yorkers; new yorker ronde transition; ronde chasse; hip twist chasse; solo fence line with arms; spot turn arms up' solo fence line with arms; spot turn arms up transition; ending in facing position wall. If you want to try this sequence, you'd be wise to get the cue sheet, but we enjoyed it so much on the ballroom floor, that I'll give you a few notes. The new yorker ronde transition is a regular new yorker to reverse for the woman, and the man takes four steps only to end in open position, line of dance, left foot free for both. Now, release hands and do the ronde chasse and hip twist chasse facing line with same footwork. These two figures are described at the bottom of this page. Finally, the solo work begins in open, no hands joined, facing line, left feet free. Man and woman do the same thing: lunge left foot in front of right, and at the same time move your right hand in a CCW circle, wrist leading, and ending with a sharp pointing of the index finger diagonally downward, about 45 º. Time this sharp pointing to occur at just the moment that you lunge occurs. All this happens during beat 1. Then recover and side cha. The spot turn is LF, so cross right in front of left, turning 1/2 and at that moment point your right index finger diagonally upward, toward center of hall and ceiling. To get just the flavor of this pointing, rent Saturday Night Fever and watch John Travolta. On beat 2, recover to face line and side cha. Repeat.
Travolta &1&2&3&4;	Speaking of John Travolta (just above), we now have a figure named after him. It is done in a "press" position—weight is on the trail foot, trail leg locked at the knee, lead foot a bit forward with just a little pressure into the ball of that foot, heel off the floor. The right hip (woman's left) is thrust to the side (the locked knee should do that automatically). Your lead arm is diagonally across your body, the index finger of the lead hand pointed diagonally down in front of that outthrust hip. Now, look at the pointed finger. This is the Travolta position. Now, lift the left hip (woman right) and bring the right hip in. On the "1" count, point that lead index finger diagonally up to the left (woman right), look at it, and pop the right hip back out again. On the "&", bring the trail hip in, and on the "2" bring the index finger back to the hip and pop it out again. Repeat on counts 3 & 4.	In the Ashendens' Disco Cha, part B begins with a vine 2 sd/cls press to the "Travolta" position; Travolta; vine 3 to line & clap; vine 3 to reverse & clop; repeat;;;;
New Yorker in 4 1234;	In facing position, step thru, recover to face partner, step side, recover;	In the Woodruffs' Sergeant Preston, part A begins with a basic;; new yorker in 4; new yorker; thru vine 8;;
Hand to Hand 123&4;	In butterfly, both cross behind and open to side-by-side, recover, side/ close, side;	Again, single measure figures are often repeated; or you could follow with an alemana turn
Shoulder to Shoulder 123&4;	In bfly he rocks forward and she back on diagonal, rec, sd/cl, sd;	In the Warners' A New Day Has Come, part B starts with half a basic; lady to fan; alemana to face, no hands;; shoulder to shoulder twice;; time step twice;;
Fence Line or "Fencing" Line 123&4;	In butterfly position, both dancers cross in front and lunge with a soft knee, recover, and cha with a sd/cl, sd to face; As you lunge, extend your arms on that side as in a thrust with a fencing foil. That is, if you are facing wall and doing the fence line to reverse with the lead feet, you would thrust with your trail arms, also to reverse. photo	In the LaBaus' Forever In Blue Jeans, the introduction begins in butterfly with tow fence lines;; to a chase;;;; Part A then goes into a traveling door twice;; to a full basic;;
Fence Line Four 1234;	In butterfly, cross in front with a bent knee, recover, step side, and close; May be done with either foot.	Do a new yorker; spot turn; fence in 4; to a half basic; and crab walk to line;
Break 123&4;	From a facing position and with either foot, step behind to a designated position, recover forward, and forward/close, forward; You might be in butterfly wall, lead feet free. The cue might be, break back to open.	Break back to open; thru to aida;
Open Break 123&4;	Hold lead hands both rock apart on lead feet trail arms up, recover, sd/cl, sd; Some dancers like a softer, less explosive, look to the "break," given by extending the trail arms horizontally to the side or just a bit diagonally upward.	In the Prows' Like I Love You, the dance begins with an open break; spot turn; back break to open; swivel and cha; sliding door to face center; crab walks toward line; fence line;
Alemana phase IV or 1/2 Basic to an Underarm Turn Phase III 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In facing position, step forward, recover, side/close, side. During the chasse (the sd/cl, sd) the man raises his lead arm, thus leading the woman to turn RF under that arm. During the second measure, the man rocks back and recovers while she walks L, R in a RF circle back to face. Then both chasse sd/cl, sd; Sometimes the underarm turn part of this figure is referred to as an alemana turn, as in "half basic to an alemana turn." Often, an alemana is done from a fan position. The woman closes her right foot, steps forward L, forward R/For L, and forward R beginning to turn RF. Meanwhile, the man has raised his lead arm, leading the alemana turn as usual. photo	In the Lawsons' Gazpacho Cha, part A begins with an alemana;; hand to hand twice;; back break to open; swivel two and cha; circle away and cha; circle together and cha; In the Worlocks' Hola Chica, the dance begins with an open break; to an underarm turn; back break to 2 chas down line;,,
Reverse Underarm Turn 123&4;	In bfly cross in front with lead woman turns left face, recover woman completes turn, sd/cl, sd;	underarm turn
Curl phase VI 123&4;	Begin in left-open-facing position and step forward L (woman back R), recover R, bk L/close R, step L and lead woman to step fwd R and start a LF turn under lead hands (woman fwd R turning LF 1/2 to 5/8, -; End in tandem or shadow or wrapped position both facing wall. The Curl is really a rumba figure, and you can read more there.
Cucaracha 123&4;	Step side with partial weight and twist on ball of foot (forgive me: as though you are crushing a cockroach), recover, cl/step, step;	spot turn
Spot Turn 123&4;	Facing each other both xif and turn away from each other, rec and complete full turn to face again, sd/cl, sd;	In Seurer's Stayin' Alive, part A begins with a new yorker to open position facing line; walk 2 and cha; slide the door;; circle away 2 and cha; together 2 and cha; new yorker; spot turn; sand steps;;;;
Lariat 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	Holding lead hands he steps in place two measures and she walks clockwise around him to face;; photo	In the Kammerers' C'est Si Bon III, part B starts with an alemana;; lariat;; to a new yorker to reverse; crab walks to line;; and a new yorker to line;
Rope Spin phase VI 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	This is a strange figure. The two measures concerned are really just a Lariat, but the cue "Rope Spin" also tells you to modify the last step of the previous figure by leading the woman to spiral RF. You can think that the Rope Spin is a Lariat that begins with a woman's spiral, as if the cowboy had given his "lariat" an extra twirl, but just realize that the spiral occurs at the end of the previous measure. So, the previous figure might have been an Alemana. On the last beat, the man should raise lead hands. She will take that last step L and spiral RF. If the man will take care to put his lead hand directly over her head with a little right sway, he will not pull her off the spot of that last step, and she will be able to spiral in place with better balance. At the beginning of the next measure, you will be in a left-open-facing position with the woman on the man's right side. He will step sd L, rec R, step/stp, stp (woman fwd R, fwd L, fwd/fwd, fwd clock-wise around behind man); then he does a cucaracha right while she continues to walk around to face.	In the Kincaids' Si Senor, there is an alemana to a rope spin;;;; cuddle twice;;
Chase 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In bfly fwd turn half release hands, recover forward on right woman follows, fwd/cl, fwd; fwd on right both turn half, rec, fwd/cl,fwd; fwd she turn half, rec,bk/cl,bk she chase; bk, rec, fwd/cl, fwd; (man turns in first measure, both turn in second, woman in third, and neither in fourth)	In the Bodes' Come a Little Bit Closer, part A has a fence line to reverse; crab walks to line;; underarm turn; to a chase;;;; time step; spot turn twice;; and another time step;
Chase Peek-a-Boo 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	Do the first measure of a chase; cucaracha right & look at your partner over your left shoulder (peek); cucarcha left & look over your right (a-boo); finish with second measure of chase; (man turns twice during figure but woman does not turn)	Glenn's Three Times Cha begins part A with a chase 1/2 to tandem wall;; women peekaboos;; and then finish the chase to butterfly;;
Parallel Chase phase IV 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In left or right shadow, skaters, or varsouvienne position and with same footwork, step side L turning RF, recover forward R turning RF, fwd L/close R, fwd L; side R turning LF, recover forward L turning LF, fwd R/close L, fwd R;
Time Step 1,2,3&4; or this is a good figure for guapa timing: -/&, 2,3/&,4;	Facing each other both xib no turn arms sweep back and low, rec, sd/cl, sd;	Do a spot turn; to an underarm turn and rope spin;;; and a guapacha time step twice;;
Whip 1,2,3&4;	In bfly back on right foot turn quarter left lead woman forward across man's left side, recover woman completes turn, sd/cl, sd; (man and woman change places) photo	Do a half basic to a whip, two cucarachas, another half basic and whip back.
Cross Body phase IV 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	You can think: half basic and whip, but this figure is done in closed position. Step forward L (woman back R), recover R man beginning to turn LF and so loosening the closed position. He does a side chasse, and she steps forward R/close L, fwd R to an L-position. During the second measure, the man steps back R continuing to turn and she steps forward L beginning to turn LF. He recovers L and she steps forward R completing a 1/2 turn. Both then do a side chasse in closed position, man facing center. Of course, you can begin in closed position center and end in closed wall.	In the Shibatas' Sunny Cha, part B begins with a cross body to a right-handshake facing center;; shadow new yorker; cross body ending to face wall; shadow new yorker; right hand underarm turn to man's skater;
Develope phase IV 1234:	In butterfly position, the man steps forward L checking outside partner, and holds; The woman steps back R, -, raises the L knee drawing the L foot up the side of the R leg, and then extends the L foot forward in a controlled kick as high as is comfortable; The develope is actually the woman's "knee, kick," and it can be done from almost any position, with either foot, with a variety of different entry actions, and occasionally even the man will attempt to do one.
Open Hip Twist 1,2,3&4;	In left open facing position or in handshake, facing the wall, check forward and recover. On beat 3, step back, close the right foot, and step slightly back on 4, giving a little push to the woman to turn her 1/4 right face. On beats 3 and 4, the woman steps forward, locks her left foot in back of the right, and steps forward, swiveling 1/4 RF at the end of beat 4. A little refinement has the man reaching a little farther back on 3, pulling the right toward but not up to the left on the &, and then closing with the left. In this way, you hold your arm firm, and the body movement gives the little push, not the arm. Remembering the Latin hip, the timing then becomes for the man: fwd/hip rec/hip, reach bk/pull stp, close; and for the woman: bk/hip, rec/hip, fwd/lk, fwd/twist;	In the Goss' Todo Todo Todo, part A begins with an open hip twist; fan; hockey stick to triple chas toward reverse;;;
Fan phase IV 1,2,3&4;	In facing position, trail foot free, step back, and the woman steps forward. Recover on 2; the woman steps side and back, turning 1/4 left face. On the cha, the man does a small chasse to the right: side/close, side; and the woman does a back chasse: back/lock, back; (end in "L" position man facing wall woman reverse, lead hands held) From hip twist position (see immediately above), the man's footwork doesn't change, but the woman steps forward on 1 and turns slightly left, steps forward again and turns sharply left face 1/2, and then does the back chasse. A little refinement for the man (from Bill and Carol Goss) replaces the side chasse with a Single Cuban Break: cross right in front of left/recover left, side right; The crossing step moves the man's body a bit down line and so leads the woman's back chasse.	Do a half basic to the fan;; then hockey stick;;
Hockey Stick phase IV 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	From fan position, step forward and lead woman to close. Recover as woman steps forward. On beat 3 and 4, step/step, step in place as the woman steps fwd/fwd, fwd up to the man's shirt buttons, and raise lead hands allowing man to look through that window. In the second measure, the man rocks back and recovers, leading the woman to step forward and then forward with a sharp turn LF. Finally, the cha is a fwd/cl, fwd; for the man and a bk/lk, bk for the woman (woman's path traces an angled hockey stick, moving to reverse and then diagonally to reverse and wall during the turn; end in facing position, diag rev and wall). Often the cue will be "hockey stick to butterfly," in which case the reverse underarm turn is overturned, and the last cha is sd/cl, sd; end butterfly wall.	From fan position, do a hockey stick overturning to face partner;; new yorker to butterfly; spot turn;
Flirt phase IV 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	This one is sort of a half basic to varsouvienne position and then a back basic and slide over to left varsouvienne. Begin in facing position with a right-right handshake. Step forward L (woman back R), recover and woman turn LF to varsouvienne, and both do a side chasse; step back R (woman back L), recover, and side chasse during which the woman moves left to the man's left side;
Sliding Door 1,2,3&4;	In open or left open rock apart, rec, XIF/sd passing eachother woman in front,XIF end left open or open facing same direction as before;	In the Cunninghams' Cha Cha Dinero, part B begins with a sliking door both ways;; rock back, recover, roll 3 tripples to face reverse;; then rock, recover, and roll 3 triples back to open again;; sliding doors twice;;
Traveling Door 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In bfly both rock side, rec, XIF/sd, XIF remain facing;	In Grealy's Wonderful World, part A begins with a traveling door twice to open position facing line;; sliding door; cucaracha to face center; repeat to face wall;;;;
Umbrella Turn phase IV 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4; 1,2,3&4;	In left hand star position, man facing reverse, woman facing line, step forward L (woman back R), recover, bk/cl, bk; In the second measure, the man rocks back R and the woman steps fwd L and turns 1/2 RF under joined hands. Both are facing reverse, now, and both recover on the lead feet and step fwd/cl, fwd; For the third measure, both rock fwd on the lead and the woman turns 1/2 LF to left hand star position again. Both recover and step bk/cl, bk (woman fwd/cl, fwd) moving down line of dance. Finally, the man rocks back R (woman fwd L turning 1/2 RF under joined hands, the man recovers L turning LF 1/4 to face partner, and she recovers R continuing to turn to face partner, and both step sd/cl, sd. End facing partner and wall, lead feet free.	Rather than suggest a dance sequence using the umbrella turn, let me describe the other common way in which we dance an umbrella turn (although this is not an official umbrella turn and maybe should be called something else, like a parasol turn). The original umbrella turn was created by Jerry Packman in 1982 for his dance, Domingo. It is a neat figure, but for some reason, it didn't catch on at the time. In 1990, Curt & Tammy Worlock put a modified umbrella turn into their dance, Sugar Sugar, and this dance really became popular, and their modified figure became widely used. It also starts in a left hand star position, and it goes like this: rock fwd L, rec R, bk L/cl R, bk L (woman rk bk R, rec L, fwd R turning 1/2 LF to face reverse/cl L, bk R and momentarily join R hands in front of man's chest); rock back R, rec L, fwd R/cl L, fwd R (woman rk bk L, rec R, release R hand hold fwd L trng 1/2 RF to face line/cl R, bk L); repeat measure 1; rock bk R, rec L trng LF to face wall & butterfly, sd R/cl L, sd R (W rk bk L, rec R trng RF to face ptr sd L/cl R, sd L); The two figures are the same in their beginning and ending positions, but the woman's turning is done very differently. In the Packman figure, she does her 1/2 turns on the rock, recover, part of measures 2, 3, and 4, and she turns right, left, and then right. In the Worlock figure, she does her 1/2 turns on the cha/cha, cha; part of measures 1, 2, and 3, and she turns left, right, and then left. In both there is the smaller turn to face in measure 4. I think either figure will work fine in most dances that use the umbrella turn. Well, I'll include a sequence, too: part of Sugar Sugar: The Worlocks have us do two shoulder to shoulders to a left hand star;; umbrella turns;;;; to a chase peek-a-boo;;;;
Single Cuban Break phase V 1&,2,3&,4;	In a facing position, cross in front, recover, and step side. Repeat with the other foot. May be done with opposite footwork, both partners crossing lead in front of trail, for instance, or with same footwork, with both crossing left in front of right.	In the Childers' You're the Top Cha Cha, part B begins in open position, facing line, trail feet free, with single cuban breaks;; spot turn to closed position wall; half basic; fan; alemana;; hand to hand; new yorker; quick new yorkers; new yorker; double cuban breaks;; spot turn; back basic; The Andersons' Love Potion #9 has a neat "box with cuban breaks" in it. The dance begins with three threes;;;; and box with cuban breaks twice;;;; Do a forward, side, single cuban with lead foot; back, side, single cuban with trail foot; repeat;;
Double Cuban Breaks phase V 1&,2&,3&,4; 1&,2&,3&,4;	Like the Single Cuban Break, but pick up the pace: XIF/rec, sd/rec, XIF/rec, sd; repeat with other foot; Again, may be done with opposite or same footwork.	In DeFore's Bailamos, there is this interrupted sequence: start Double Cubans; Spot Turn in Four; finish Double Cubans; Spont Turn in Four:
Continuous Double Cubans 1&2&3&4&; 1&2&3&4;	This is Double Cuban Breaks with the pause taken out of the middle. In a double cuban, notice that each step is half a beat except beat 4, where the step uses a full beat. At the end of the first measure of a double cuban, it feels like there is a pause or maybe a "slow," because the step does take a full beat, whereas the six previous steps took only a half beat each. In the continuous double cuban, all the steps are "quick" or half-beat until the very last at the end of the second measure: XRIF/REC, SD/REC, XRIF/REC, SD/XLIF; REC/SD, REC/XLIF, REC/SD, CL; In a double cuban, you end with the same foot you started with. In the continuous double cuban, you start with the trail foot and end with the lead foot free.	In Goss' La Pura, we do a half basic; continuous double cubans;; to an alemana;; closed hip twist; and a fan;
Sailor Shuffles 1&,2,3&,4;	In any position and with either foot, cross behind, step to the side, and step side. Repeat. This is an "up" sort of figure. The body should stay as stationary and upright as possible, while the feet push to each side under it. Certainly, there should be no rocking. The legs might be something like a clapper swaying beneath a stationary bell. I remember Fred Astaire adding hand movements that helped give the body lift. Starting with the left foot, he placed his right hand, palm toward belt buckle, and his left at the small of his back, fingers pointing down, and as he crossed behind, he slid his hands up, as if pulling up his pants. When crossing right behind left, the right hand went in front. Think: lift/push, push, lift/push, push; This is really a jive figure, but it has the triple timing, and it inserts a bit of calm into an otherwise latin sequence.	In Tucker's Won't You Be My Girl, there is a fence line twice;; two sailor shuffles;; to a chase;;;; Goss' La Pura does a lot with sailor shuffles, too. In part B, we have just done a chasse to reverse and have lead foot free, facing wall. Then, we point the lead to line for 3 beats, do 3 sailor shuffles, point trail foot to reverse, and 3 more sailor shuffles;;;; point lead, 3 sailors, point trail, 2 sailors, point lead;;;; to an open hip twist;
Rock Recover 1, 2,	In a Rock, move the foot forward or back, but don't lunge with the body. Press forward with the lead foot, and the hip will go forward in a nice Latin way, but the torso stays put. Rock back with a press, but keep your "up" poise. The recover becomes much easier, since you don't have to stop the momentum of whole body movement; it is quicker, more responsive. It's a press/hip, recover/hip, cha/cha, cha;	Many cha figures are a rock, recover, and then some kind of chasse; Don't make it a lunge, struggle to recover, and then late for your chasse.
Chasse 1&2 or 3&4	In facing position, step side/close, side. As you see above, this is often the way the "cha-cha-cha" is danced in cha figures.
Compact Chasse 3&4	Small step to side, almost close, small side; This is almost a step/step, step, in place and makes a figure such as the alemana more smooth.
Slip Chasse 3&4	Back L, slip R almost to L and take weight, close L. Since the slip ends a bit forward, the final closing action becomes a tiny forward step. If the man stands tall with good tone, the slip chasse will lead a hip twist well (see above).	As you dance more and more cha-chas, the man will get bored with repeated "sd/cl, sd" while the woman gets to do all the hip-twists, spirals, and turns. These chasse variations can add interest to a lot of different figures.
Ronde Chasse 3&4	Ronde L to the side and back, XLIB of R. Take small step to side R, side L. Incorporate this into your forward basic, and it is a rock forward, recover, and a little sailor shuffle.	Use as the first measure of a basic, alemana, or hockey stick.
Hip-Twist Chasse 3&4	XRIF of L turning hips LF. Close L to R turning hips RF, and step side R. Incorporate this into your back basic, and it is a rock back, recover, and a little cross/close, side. The footwork automatically produces a little hip twist. Where the slip chasse in the man leads a hip-twist well in the woman, the hip-twist chasse leads her fan well (see above).	Use as the second measure of a basic or half-basic to a fan. In the Dois' Lover's Concerto, part A begins with an alemana, woman overturned and man transition to end side by side facing the wall both with R foot free;; hip twist chasse; ronde chasse; hip twist chasse; and a hockey stick ending man transition again to end in left open facing position wall;
Break Back to Triple Cha phase IV 123&4; 1&23&4;	In butterfly, rock back on lead to a butterfly semi, recover on trail, fwd/lk, fwd; for first triple. Now trail feet are free. Turn away from partner, swinging trail hand thru and fwd/lk, fwd. Finally, turn back toward partner, swinging trail hands back to butterfly position and fwd/lk, fwd; ending with trail feet free. The movement of the trail hands is pendulum-like. At the same time, pat the lead hands as you face partner. So, on first triple, pat lead hands and extend trail hands back. On second triple, swing trail hands thru and turn away. On third triple, turn back and pat, trail hands extended back again.	Follow this with a rock fwd, rec, back triple cha, again patting lead hands and extending trail arms back on the first and third triples. End total of four measures with lead feet free.
Natural Top phase V 123&4;	As in rumba, the complete figure is called the Full Natural Top (3 measures), so this one measure figure is sometimes cued, "Natural Top 3," but not always. It usually begins in closed position, diagonal reverse and wall, trail foot free. Turning RF, the man crosses his right in back of left, and the woman steps side L. On 2, the man steps side L, and the woman crossed R in front of L, continuing to turn. Finally, the cha is XRIB of L/sdL, cl R for the man and sd L/XRIF of L, sd L for the woman to closed position facing wall lead feet free.	In the Worlocks' Hola Chica, part A begins with a basic to a natural top;; In this combination, the initial half basic turns 1/4 RF to set up a comfortable position for the top. Follow it with a break back to triple cha;;
Full Natural Top phase V 123&4; 123&4; 123&4;	The one measure natural top is simply continued for two more measures, completing two full RF turns, again to end facing wall, lead feet free: XIB trn, sd trn, XIB trn/sd trn, XIB trn; sd trn, XIB trn, sd trn/XIB trn, sd trn; XIB trn, sd trn, XIB trn/sd trn, close; while the woman alternates side steps and crossing in front and a final close to face wall in closed position; two full turns.
Continuous Natural Top phase VI 123&4; 123&4; 123&4;	This one is a full natural top with a woman's reverse underarm turn inserted into both measures 2 and 3: The first measure is like the full: the man steps bhd, sd, bhd/sd, bhd; and the woman steps sd, XIF, sd/XIF, sd; turning RF. In the second measure, the man continues his sd, bhd, sd/bhd, sd; On that first step, he raises his lead hand and moves it to his right to signal the reverse underarm turn, and the woman steps forward R making a full left face turn under joinded lead hands and then steps fwd L to closed, and fwd R/L, R; continuing the RF couple motion. In the third measure, the man steps bhd, sd, bhd/sd, cl; again raising the lead hand to signal the second reverse underarm turn, and the woman steps forward left, forward right making a full LF turn to face partner, and fwd L/R, side left; End in closed facing wall. This one usually makes almost 3 full turns.
Full Reverse Top phase VI 123&4; 123&4; 123&4;	In a facing position with trail feet free, the man steps forward and side R turning LF, and the woman crosses L in back of R also turning LF. He swivels on his left foot, continuing to turn, and she steps back R turning. During the first cha, he steps R/swivels on L, and steps R; and she crosses L in back/steps back R, and croses L in back; This is the first measure: step R, swivel L, step R/swivel L, step R for the man; and XLIB, back R, XLIB/back R, XLIB for the woman; The second and third measures continue this stepping pattern. The man will begin the second measure with a swivel on the L and then step R. The woman matches him on these two beats with a back R and then XLIB. You continue to turn as a couple about two full turns. The choreographer will designate a destination or a subsequent figure.	In the Andersons' Banana Boat Cha, part A begins with a half basic to a natural top;; natural opening out with woman's spiral; to a reverse top but only two measures yielding a little more than one complete turn to face reverse;; and then plaits, a samba figure that is essentially a styalized back walk six;; In the Goss' Bandido Cha, there is a natural opening out; to a two-measure reverse top;; to an aida; rock and cha to face; spot turn; single cubans; double cuban; spot turn;
Aida phase IV 123&4;	In open facing, trail feet free, step thru and begin to turn RF (woman LF), step side continuing to turn to a back-to-back V-position facing reverse, and finally do a back/lock, back; May be done from other positions. May be done to reverse, beginning with lead feet. photo	In the Scotts' Hello Mary Lou, part A goes like this: half basic; aida; back basic; walk two to reverse and cha; aida; switch cross; crab walk; and spot turn to end facing partner and wall;
Switch phase IV 123&4;	In a V-back-to-back or Aida position, lead feet free, and lead hands joined and extended to reverse, turn sharply LF to face partner and step side L (woman turn RF and step side R) drawing lead hands thru to open facing position, recover side R, cross L in front of R (woman R in front of L)/side, XIF moving to reverse; This figure is also cued "switch cross." See the switch rock below.	In the McGees' Intako Cha, part B begins with an alemana to a lariet;;;; hand to hand three times;; back into the aida; switch to a single cuban break; spot turn; and shoulder to shoulder twice;; This sequence emphasizes that the "switch" is really that first side step to face, and then a variety of things can follow.
Switch Rock phase IV 123&4;	In a V-back-to-back or Aida position, lead feet free, and lead hands joined and extended to reverse, turn sharply LF to face partner and step side L (woman turn RF and step side R) drawing lead hands thru to open facing position, recover side R, and both do a side chasse toward line;

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A while ago, there was a long, threaded discussion on the Dancescape site on how the different dance rhythms should feel. They asked, what sort of "look" should you be trying to convey? Here are a few of those comments.

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Cha cha - fun, teasing, bouncy and uplifting

Cha Cha, let's see, well, sexy first off (of course, it's Latin), I get the feeling playful may be more the American style, although probably it is also playful in International, fiery (although that just might be an empty buzz word), and exciting (that's probably part of fiery).