Cha Cha Congelado

A Cha Cha pattern dance that introduces a Latin rhythm, with slip steps, crossed touchdown steps and frequent changes between outside, hand-in-hand, closed, open and Kilian holds.

dance

Not checked yet. The mechanics on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.

The dance

Cha Cha in 4/4, 116 beats a minute. The hold is outside, then both hands joined from step 6, closed from step 10, open from step 13, closed from step 16, open from step 19, one hand joined from step 22, Kilian from step 26, open from step 37b. The partners skate different steps. 41 steps and 64 beats to one pattern.

Steps for the lead the follow

One sequence on a 60 x 30 metre rink, drawn upright as the rulebooks draw it, starting at the dot and travelling anticlockwise. The two partners skate side by side on one track; the switch shows where each one's steps fall and on which edge. The faint half is the same steps skated again. Rinks vary, and on a smaller one the pattern shrinks to fit. Measured from the diagram in U.S. Figure Skating 2026-27 Rulebook, page Dance-78.

Step	Hold	Lead	Follow	Beats
1	Outside	RFI-Pr	LBI-Pr	1
2		LFO	RBO	1
3		LF-Rff Slip Step	LB-Rff Slip Step	0.5
4		RF-Lff Slip Step	RB-Lff Slip Step	0.5
5a		LF-Rff Slip Step	LB-Rff-Slip Step	0.5
5b			XB-LBO	0.5
6	Both hand-in-hand	XF-RFO with L-Td	XF-RBI with L-Td	1 + 1
7		XF-LFO with R-Td LFO-Rk	XF-LBI/R-Td /LBI3	1 + 1
8		XF-RBI with L-Td	XF-RFO with L-Td	1 + 1
9		XF-LBI with R-Td	XF-LFO with R-Td	1 + 1
10a	Closed	RBO	RFI ClCSt	1
10b		LFI		1
11		RFI LFO	LBI RBO	4
12		RFI-SlCh	LBI-SlCh	2
13	Open	LFI	RFO	2
14		XB-RFO	XB-LFI OpCSt	1
15		LFI-Ch	RBI	1
16	Closed	RFO	LBO	2
17		LFO3	RBO	1 + 1
18		RBO	LFO	2
19	Open	LFO	RFI	2
20		RFI	LFO	1
21		LFO	RFI	1
22	One hand-in-hand	RFO LFI-Ch	LFI RFO-Ch	1
23		RFO Sw-ClCSt	LFI Sw-ClCSt	3
24		LBO	RBI	2
25		XF-RBI	XF-LBO	2
26	Kilian	LFO RFI-Ch	RFI	2
27		LFO with R-Td	LFO with R-Td	1 + 1
28		XF-RFI with XB-L-Td	XF-RFI with XB-L-Td	1 + 1
29		LFO with R-Td	LFO with R-Td	1 + 1
30		XF-RFO	XF-RFO	1
31		XB-LFI	XB-LFI	1
32		RFI LFO-Ch	RFI LFO-Ch	1
33		RFI	RFI	1
34		LFO	LFO	1
35		XB-RFI	XB-RFI	1
36		LFI SwR	LFI SwR	4
37a		RFI	RFI OpCSt	1
37b	Open		LBI	1
38		LFO	RBO	2

The steps are in the rulebook's own notation: foot, direction and edge, with Pr for a progressive, Ch for a chassé, SwR for a swing roll, XB and XF for a cross step behind or in front, 3 for a three turn, CSt and SSt for C and S steps, Op for open and Cl for closed. From the step chart in US Figure Skating's 2026-27 rulebook.

The Cha Cha Congelado brings a Latin rhythm to dancers early in their development, and US Figure Skating wants that rhythm felt through the body as well as the feet. The opening slip steps give the count of “1, 2, cha-cha-cha”, and couples may add their own Cha Cha styling provided steps, free legs and holds stay intact.

The holds change often: outside, both hands joined for a run of crossed touchdown steps, closed, open and Kilian. The rulebook singles out the follow partner’s step 5b, a cross behind that many skaters leave out, and the very deep inside edge near the end, where retrogressing on the pattern is allowed.

British Ice Skating lists it at National 8 as one of five dances to choose from. US Figure Skating tests it at International level.

Appears in

In Australia's grades

None of the Australian level lists in this guide name it.