Colorado Cowboy Cha Cha Line Dance

Dancing at the local honkey tonk can be a hoot. Boots scooting and cowboys rooting for the next song to play. Amidst the round dances are popular couples dances. In Denver, the Colorado cowboy cha cha line dance is the daddy of them all.

History of Cowboy Cha-cha

One of the most popular country line dances in Denver is the Colorado cowboy cha-cha. It seems like an oxymoron that cowboys would take to a dance with Latin roots. But a wise person once said that the answer to any “when did county” do this question is “when someone was drunk enough to try.”

Colorado Cowboy cha-cha was invented in the late 1980’s by an anonymous cowboy, who taught it to Manny and Alice Rodela, and they are credited with this choreography today. Manny took it upon himself to rename the dance the Colorado cha cha to avoid confusion with the circular version of the traveling cowboy cha-cha. It can be found under the names Colorado cha-cha, Denver cha-cha stationary cha-cha and Texas cha-cha.

Cowboy Cha-cha today

Other sources agree that cowboy cha-cha made a splash in the 90’s. Neon Moon hit charts in 1992 and cowboy Cha-cha made its home at western dance clubs. The cowboy Cha-cha has developed with many variations done solo and in shadow partnership position. At the Grizzly Rose in Denver it is one of the three most popular dances.

How to dance the Colorado Cowboy Cha cha:

Step Sheet Position: Horseshoe, Sweetheart, or Lady’s skaters position with lady on the man’s right
Start dancing on lyrics 1-2
1-2 Step forward rocking onto right foot, rock left back

3&4 Cha-cha or triple steps going backward (right-left-right)

5-6 Step back rocking onto left foot, rock right forward

7&8 Cha-cha or triple steps forward doing a 1⁄2 turn right (left-right-left)

1-2 Step back rocking onto right foot, rock left forward

3&4 Cha-cha or triple steps forward doing a 1⁄2 turn left (right-left-right)

5-6 Step back rocking onto left foot, rock right forward

7&8 Cha-cha or triple steps forward doing a 1⁄4 turn right (left-right-left)

1 Step right forward

2 Turn 1⁄2 left on balls of feet shifting weight to left foot

3&4 Cha-cha or triple steps forward (right-left-right)

5 Step left forward

6 Turn 1⁄2 right on balls of feet shifting weight to right foot