Colorado Cha Cha.com

Youtube Music Playlist

Choreographers: Manny & Alice Rodela, 28 count, 4 wall, improver line or partner dance — danced to standard freestyle Ballroom Cha Cha rhythm.

This page last modified 6/27/2021

CONTENTS – below on this page
A. Quick Walkthrough Videos
B. Three Videos By Us (Rita and Jim)
C. Walk Through Videos
D. Demo Videos
E. Our Step Sheets
F. Step Sheets on Copper Knob & Kickit
G. Youtube Playlist 425 (Music for This Dance)
H. Music for This Dance
I. Practice Music for This Dance
J. Seven Reasons Why You Should TRY The  Colorado Cha Cha
K. About The Colorado Cha Cha

A. Quick Walkthrough Videos

QUICK WALK THROUGHS:

* Our quick WALK THROUGH at 12:05 of both single and partner versions. (Our whole dance DEMO at 26:19.)
* A 37 sec. quick Walk Through posted by Cindy Pruett

• To find this dance on Youtube, you can search for  “Colorado Cha Cha”, “Stationary Cha Cha”, “Denver Cha Cha, “Texas Cha Cha”, and “Cowboy Cha Cha”.
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• All 14 of the following videos use the original, standard 28-count, 4-wall version that is danced in Colorado –using choreography as recorded by Manny & Alice Rodela of Colorado Springs.    Be aware, Youtube contains many other VARIATIONS that are a DIFFERENT dance; those are not included on this page.

B. Three Videos By Us (Rita and Jim)

1. DEMO: {James R. Ingram (AZ), 3:15} 424 Colorado Cha Cha 1/3 DEMO, aka Stationary Cha Cha, Denver Cha Cha, Cowboy Cha Cha, Texas Cha Cha  We do “4 walls” of the Colorado Cha Cha, then at 00:50 we switch to ballroom dance frame and finish the song with freestyle Ballroom Cha Cha patterns.
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2. WALK-THRU: {James R. Ingram (AZ), 31:43} 425 Colorado Cha Cha 2/3 TEACH, aka Stationary Cha Cha, Denver Cha Cha, Cowboy Cha Cha, Texas ChaCha    Our own 2014 how-to video.
   • Our quick WALK THROUGH at 12:05 of both single and partner versions. (Our whole dance DEMO at 26:19.
   .  .  . We “break the dance down” into 3 parts of 8 beats each (1&2, 3-4, 5&6, 7-8) plus Part 4 the “Sways” (1-2-3-4).  For us, this is the easiest way to count it.
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3. END-OF-WORKSHOP DEMO: {James R. Ingram (PA), 4:35} 426 Colorado Cha Cha 3/3 Workshop Practice Demo (aka Stationary Cha Cha) as Line Dancers & Couples — This video shows the last 4 minutes of a 90-minute 2014 workshop — showing PRACTICING as both singles and couples.
   

C. Walk Through Videos

4. {Calvin Senechal (CA), 2:39} Texas Cha Cha  Note he starts on the 1&2 left triple forward, the same as we do when we try to teach people this dance.  {Instruction, then demo w/97 bpm instrumental}
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5. {Cindy Pruett, 0:37} Stationary Cha Cha   (Starts on the 1&2 left triple forward.)  {Walk-thru only}
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6. {Cowboy Country Swing Club (Univ WY), 5:37} CCSC How to Cowboy Cha Cha  (Starts on the 1&2 left triple forward.)  {Instruction, then demo w/102 bpm Neon Moon}
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7. {djcurtisone, 4:35} (By Bob and Beverly Budzynski, Michigan) Learn the Stationary Cha Cha.  Note they start on the “sway” routine which would be “Part 4” on the below step sheet, but otherwise they’re using the “Colorado” footwork.  {Instruction, then demo w/132 bpm Lavay Smith \’I\’ve got A Feelin\’}  (Their tempo at 132 bpm is a bit \’rushed\’ for my taste.)
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8. {zdcMark, 0:36} Denver Cha Cha WalkThru2 and {13:48}  Denver Cha Cha Lesson .  Note he starts on the “R fwd rock” step Count 3, which is the technically-correct, but (in my opinion) a harder way to learn the dance.  {Instruction only}
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9. {Cathie Seifen, 0:56 min, 2019} Cowboy Cha Cha Colorado Line Dance Instructions
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10. {Bob Fuller, 2:37 min, 2014} WCSDC Workshop Stationary Cha Cha Jan 25, 2014 (also includes some intermediate variations)

D. Demo Videos

.                       (just dancing, no instruction):

11. {islandstation, 1:10} Stationary Cha Cha (Demo  Demonstrated by LINE dancers (& 1 couple).  They start on the usual Count 3, the rock step.  Note they do sort of a hitch step on 1&2 of the first part, but otherwise the standard “Colorado” footwork.
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12. {texdegarie, 4:03} Cowboy Cha Cha Keystone, CO.
13. {texdegarie, 3:30} Cowboy Cha Cha Dance Silverthorne, CO.  Note man does several variations.
14. {wolfliners, 3:30} Wolfliners – Colorado Cha Cha
15. {danceWithJanet, 0:54} Stationary Cha Cha
16. {19anoli56, 1:52} Colorado Cha Cha (Partner) linedance  The music is a bit fast and sounds more like rap music, but standard “Colorado” footwork.

E. Our Step Sheets

Counting Note: We start Count “1” on the first forward shuffle after the 4 Sways. Other step sheets start Count “1” on the first rock step after the 4 Sways,

Version 1: Our Latest Step Sheet

CLICK HERE to view PDF version of this file

Click below JPEG image to view it LARGER

Version 2: Original Kickit Sheet Plus Added Notes by Jim Ingram

CLICK HERE 2 to view PDF version of this file
Click below JPEG image to view it LARGER

Version 3: Diagram Showing Directions

CLICK HERE 3 to view PDF version of this file
Click below JPEG image to view it LARGER

F. Step Sheets on Copper Knob & Kickit

Counting Note: All these step sheets start Count “1” on the first rock step after the 4 Sways, whereas we start Count “1” on the first forward shuffle after the 4 Sways.

Copper Knob:

• Cowboy Cha Cha (Colorado) – Choreographer: Manny Rodela & Alice Rodela
• Stationary Cha Cha – Choreographer: Ozgur “Oscar” TAKAÇ (Oscar the Cowboy)

Kickit

• Cowboy Cha Cha (Colorado) – Choreographed by Manny & Alice Rodela
• Colorado Cha Cha – Choreographed by Unknown

G. Youtube Playlist 425 (Music for This Dance)

• The Youtube playlist “Dance Mix 425, ColoradoChaCha.com Dance Music – featuring ‘Tougher Than The Rest’ by Chris LeDoux” contains the 13 songs described in the next 2 sections.
• These same 13 songs are listed individually below in the next 2 sections.

H. Music for This Dance

• These are Youtube Videos. Some may have ADVERTISEMENTS at the beginning.
• This dance can be done to almost any slow Cha Cha with a tempo between 102 and 108 BPM. IMHO, the dance may feel “rushed” with songs faster than 108 BPM — especially on the PIVOT turns when doing it as a couple.
• HEARING: For people like myself who have really bad hearing, I try to use only songs with a really STRONG BEAT.

The Music

1. 104 BPM – ‘Tougher Than The Rest’ by Chris LeDoux (channel Leonardo Guedes de Oliveira)
   • This is our FAVORITE song for this dance. It was being used for this dance in Denver CO, when we last visited in 2015.
   • We use this song in our How-To Video #425
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2. 104 BPM – ‘Tougher Than The Rest’ by Urnus Human (channel Urnus Human)
   • This song sounds most SIMILAR to the Chris LeDoux version.
3. 100 BPM – ‘Tougher Than The Rest’ by Bruce Springsteen – 100 BPM ( channel Bruce Springsteen) (Bruce is the original writer of this great song.)
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4. 103 BPM – ‘This Pretender’ by Joe Diffie (channel Joe Diffie – Topic)
5. 102 BPM – ‘Neon Moon’ by Brooks & Dunn (channel Brooks & Dunn)
   • This may be one of the most-widely used songs for this dance.
6. 103 BPM: ‘I Should Have Been True’ by The Mavericks (channel countryback)
7. 102 BPM: ‘[There’s] No Gettin’ Over Me’ by Ronnie Milsap (channel Ronnie Milsap)
8. 108 BPM: ‘Can’t Stop My Heart’ by Brooks & Dunn (channel Southern Rebel)
9. 111 BPM – ‘She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind’ by Brooks & Dunn (channel Brooks & Dunn)
   • This tempo is just a bit rushed. We use this song in our Demo Video #424.
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10. “Tougher Than The Rest Live Ned Ledoux 9/7/19 Yavapai County Fair Prescott Arizona” – Ned Ledoux is the late Chris LeDoux’s son. This recording was captured on a cell phone, at a live outdoor concert, so the acoustics are probably not the best.

I. Practice Music for This Dance

These 3 songs are SLOWER than you would normally use for this dance. They may be useful for PRACTICE, when people are just learning the patterns.

11. 91 BPM – ‘Black Velvet’ by Alannah Myles (channel Alannah Myles)
12. 95 BPM – ‘Island’ by Eddy Raven (channel misstazbri1970)
13. 96 BPM – ‘Little Big Town’ by Pontoon (channel Marshie DeRosa)
    • We use the above 2 songs in our End-of-Workshop Video #426.

J. Seven Reasons Why You Should TRY The  Colorado Cha Cha

1. Singles: It can be taught and danced as a LINE dance (4 walls, 28 counts.
2. Couples: It can also be performed as a choreographed COUPLES dance, with NO change of footwork.
3. Two Ladies: It can easily be danced by two women, if sufficient men are not available — since the footwork is IDENTICAL for the leaders and followers.
   
4. Practice: The rhythm (1 & 2, 3-4, 5 & 6, 7-8) is the same as BALLROOM  Cha Cha — so the leaders are getting used to doing the BALLROOM cha cha rhythm — without having to worry about the leading.
5. Ballroom: You can TRANSITION from Colorado Cha Cha, to ballroom Cha Cha — and then later in the song, transition back to Colorado Cha Cha (demonstrated in videos #424 & #42).
6. Compact:  It doesn’t take up much space (stationary).  Therefore, you can be doing it in small area, while the rest of the floor is doing something else.
7. Travel: It also gives you a good reason to visit Denver, Colorado 🙂   — so you can dance this where the whole dance floor is doing the dance.

K. About The Colorado Cha Cha

• This dance as choreographed, can be done as either a line dance or couples pattern dance; the footwork is identical.
• HISTORY:  It was originally called the Cowboy Cha Cha and taught in Colorado in the early 1990’s.  The choreography was recorded by Manny & Alice Rodela.  
• Manny says he originally learned the dance in Denver, and later renamed it to Colorado Cha Cha when he sent in the written choreography — in order to avoid confusion with the more common “circular version” of the Cowboy Cha Cha.
• In other parts of the country, it is apparently called the Stationary Cha Cha, the Denver Cha Cha, and the Texas Cha Cha.  In Denver it is still often called the Cowboy Cha Cha.

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Original 2014 web page is archived at coloradochacha.blogspot.com