Cha Cha music

Cha cha is one of the easiest dances to find music for when building a playlist. It is written in 4/4 time, the most common time signature in today's music.

The typical tempo for cha cha is around 125 beats per minute (BPM). If your not a musician with the background in figuring out BPM, you can download this nifty tool to do it for you at MixMeister. Remember that BPM translate directly into steps per minute for your dancers, so you should be cognizant of their ability to keep up with the tempo.

Below is short list of some songs you might know, but not as cha cha songs:
(I should note that Ballroomdancers.com has a very extensive list its worth checking out)

Link disclaimer: So that you could click and actually hear some of these song I've linked to You tube. You should note all of these video have nothing to do with ballroom, they are for musical purposes only.

• Kiss the girl- The little mermaid
  
• I'll Die another Day - Madonna
  
• Smooth- Santana
  
• Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
• All I want to do -Sheryl Crow
• Rhythm is Gonna get you -Gloria Estefan
  

First Dates and Cha Cha

If Rumba is for passionate lovers and tango is for the lovers quarrel, then cha cha is for first dates. Not the awkward awful 'I can't even make conversation with him' first dates but the first dates with playful eyes, teasing giggles, and not-so-hidden winks. Cha cha is cheeky, flashy, and flirty.

This video is of Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj who are dancing international Cha Cha. They are professional dancers so the level of difficulty is in moves and styling in this video is very high, but you can still see some basic moves like the chase.

Change in events

Two quick changes in the weeks events

1) Swing club's Monday night lesson has moved to the Tate Gallery. It is still at 8 p.m.

2) Swing at the Ritz is canceled this week but should be back to normal next week.

Blast from the Past

I really can't talk about Lindy Hop at all with out posting this clip from the 1941 movie Hellzapoppin'.Its probably the most known clip of Lindy, and its insane.

Learning Lindy

In the 20s and 30s, Harlem was bursting with new life. Jazz, the black literary renaissance and new swing dance the Lindy hop swept through the city and the nation forever changing American culture. Lindy hop or the subway swing was a fusion of popular swing dances like the Charleston's and African dancing. The name Lindy hop was thought to be coined when famous dancer Shorty George, while dancing in 1928 dance marathon, was asked by a New York Times Reporter what he was dancing. With out missing a beat he replied,"The Lindy Hop... Were flyin' just like Lindy did!" He was referring the Charles Lindbergh's famous quote about flying non-stop from New York to Paris as doing the 'Lindy hop.'

The dance is most recognizable by its sling shot movement in which the the lead throws out and pulls back in the follow in one basic count. The the most prominent styling is a very cool, grounded, with a kind of gorilla bounce. In this video Randall Barnes and Rachel Holland teach the basic footwork and styling technique.

Dancing in Athens

Regular Weekly Updates
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No Partner or Experience Necessary

Sunday Night Dance Lesson - Sunday, November 11
Lesson: Tango
One hour lesson at 7pm; Dancing till 9 pm
Memorial Hall Ballroom
$2

Rueda Lesson- Sunday, November 11
(Rueda salsa is like group salsa)
Lesson starts at 6:30 p.m. before the Sunday Night Lesson
Memorial Hall Ballroom
Free

Swing Club - Monday, November 12
Lesson: East coast, West coast, Balboa or lindy hop
Lesson at 8 p.m.
Memorial Hall Ballroom
Free

"Swing & Ladies" - Tuesday, November 13
Lesson: east coast, west coast, Lindy or Charleston
Doors open at 8:30 p.m. - Lesson at 9 p.m.
The Ritz, downtown Athens
$3 cover

Casino Salsa (aka Rueda Salsa)- Tuesday, November 13
Lessons are available
Dancing is from 8-10 p.m.
The Upstairs bar at Transmetropolitan, downtown Athens
$10 cover

"Salsa @ The Ritz" Wednesday, November 14
Lesson: Salsa by Spicy Salsa
Doors open at 8:30 - Lesson 9 p.m.
The Ritz, downtown Athens
$4 Cover

Near Future
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Friday Night Dance- November 16th

Salsa w/Grogus and Macuba (both floors)
Tasty World - November 17

10 steps to being lame

Ladies, we've all met this guy around town, that guy who is fabulous at (insert amazing talent here) ... and knows it.

Its not that he is bad at what he does, after all give credit where credit is do, but we don't need a press release of your greatest and latest accomplishments. Instead I would much rather discover your ever present amazing-ness on my own, after all if your that great I should be able to tell.

To be honest I think that every dance community has one or maybe more of these types within them. I know that I've had the "pleasure" of dancing with a few here in Athens myself. Its important to note that they might not be that way about all dances, maybe its just their favorite dance. That being said it might a good tactic to know what dances make people tick and plan according, if he only dance waltz his best waltz buddies maybe you don't really want to dance waltz with him.

The Dance Primer posted a list of the "10 Steps to becoming that guy NOBODY wants to dance with" which I'm reposting here.

Ladies: this list is an all to true statement of the way those guys are, so enjoy it
Gentlemen: Take heart, we'd love to dance with you but please check the ego at the door

1. Stare at your feet. Or, if you are dancing with someone wearing a low cut blouse - simply look down…
2. Don’t apologize, or even notice, when you throw you partner directly into another moving couple.
3. Do your largest, flashiest, fanciest tricks as often as possible. If your follow doesn’t do it well, make sure everyone knows she’s the one who messed up.
4. While dancing, scan the room for girls you’d rather be dancing with.
5. Ensure your follow always does exactly what you want her to at all times. Use force when necessary. Realize it’s her fault if she gets hurt, ’cause she just not following right.
6. Teach your partners how they should be dancing. Don’t forget to be giving constant feedback.
7. Ensure everyone knows that you know you are the best dancer in the room. When sitting on the sidelines, make sure you talk about how terrible the DJ is, what a bad job the organizers are doing, and how nobody in this town is any good at dancing.
8. Be highly selective about who you’ll dance with: young hot single girls, or only the best follow in town.
9. Offer free lessons to the newest girls, to ensure some alone time with them, and then make sure they know you’re interested in more than just dancing with them.
10. Only smile if your partner is up to your high standard, which, unless she’s going out with you, nobody in this town really is.