Ballroom Glossary
A chassé is a light step-close-step action where one foot appears to chase the other. In ballroom and social dance, you may hear the term in Cha Cha, Quickstep, Jive, Swing, Waltz, and other step names—but the exact timing depends on the dance.
Chassé
A chassé is a dance action built around the idea of step, close, step. One foot moves, the other foot closes toward it, and then the first foot moves again.
In class, you may hear a teacher say “chassé,” “side chassé,” “progressive chassé,” or “chassé from promenade.” Those names do not all mean exactly the same thing. They share a chasing or closing action, but the count, direction, body position, and style change from dance to dance.
A chassé is a step-close-step dance action where one foot appears to chase the other. In ballroom, it appears in dances such as Cha Cha, Quickstep, Jive, Swing, and Waltz figures. The basic idea is simple, but the timing and technique vary by dance style.
Chassé is useful because it shows up in many beginner and intermediate dance conversations. You may see it in step names, syllabus figures, choreography notes, timing patterns, traveling actions, technique corrections, and music-counting explanations.
Learning the word helps you understand what your teacher, partner, or video tutorial is asking for. It also helps you avoid treating every three-step rhythm as the same movement.
At its simplest, a chassé feels like:
Move one foot in the direction of travel.
Bring the other foot toward the moving foot.
Continue or complete the action with the first foot.
The action may travel sideways, forward, backward, diagonally, or turn, depending on the figure. Keep the steps small at first. A chassé is usually easier to control when the rhythm is clear and the body stays calm over the feet.
Beginner note: Do not force the close. Think of the second foot arriving neatly under you, not slamming into place.
The count changes by dance. The word chassé describes a type of action, not one universal rhythm.
| Dance context | Example count language | Beginner note |
|---|---|---|
| Cha Cha | Often taught with “4 & 1” or “cha-cha-cha” language | Keep it compact and rhythmic; avoid bouncing. |
| Quickstep | A figure such as Progressive Chasse may use slow-quick-quick-slow timing | Let the slows and quicks organize the travel. |
| Jive | Chassés often feel like compact triple actions | Keep the feet light and the steps small. |
| Waltz | A Waltz chassé figure may use a split count such as 1, 2, &, 3 | Do not use Cha Cha timing in Waltz. |
The safest rule: learn the chassé inside the dance you are practicing. A Cha Cha chassé, a Quickstep chassé, and a Waltz chassé are related ideas, but they do not feel identical.
In Cha Cha, chassé language often appears around the compact triple action that gives the dance its “cha-cha-cha” feeling. You may hear teachers talk about side chassés, forward or backward chassés, lock-style actions, or other variations.
Beginner tip: Keep the steps small enough that you can stay on time.
Quickstep includes named figures such as Progressive Chasse. In this context, the chassé travels and uses Quickstep timing rather than a Latin triple rhythm.
Beginner tip: Do not rush the quicks. Let the timing make the movement light.
In Jive and some Swing teaching contexts, dancers may hear chassé and triple-step language close together. The vocabulary can vary by teacher, dance style, and syllabus.
Beginner tip: Keep the action springy but controlled. Small, clear steps are better than large, messy ones.
In Waltz, chassé appears in figures such as Chassé from Promenade Position. This feels very different from a Cha Cha chassé because the music, posture, frame, and timing are different.
Beginner tip: Keep your frame quiet and avoid turning the action into a Latin-style triple step.
The word chassé also appears outside ballroom, including ballet and other dance forms. Those meanings are related through the “chasing” idea, but the technique is not identical. On Ballroom Pages, use this page for the ballroom and social partner-dance meaning.
Ballroom Pages has a music playlist ecosystem for dancers. Use it to practice rhythm before you worry about traveling far.
Practice the compact rhythm you may hear as “4 & 1” or “cha-cha-cha.” Start slowly, clap first, then keep the step-close-step action small.
Listen for how quicks and slows organize traveling movement. Keep your practice steps small before trying to travel across the floor.
Use these playlists to hear a lighter triple rhythm. Focus on staying springy without making the steps too large.
Waltz uses a smoother 3/4 musical setting. Use this only for Waltz-context practice, not as a Cha Cha or Jive timing model.
Follow BallroomPages Music for playlist updates and dance-music ideas.
Learn the counts behind these rhythms in How to Count Ballroom Dance Music.
Taking big steps makes the close rushed and unstable.
Fix: Make the first step smaller so the closing foot can arrive on time.
The feet close, but the count disappears.
Fix: Clap or say the count before dancing it.
Looking down, collapsing the upper body, or pulling on a partner.
Fix: Keep the head lifted, the ribs quiet, and the connection light.
Pushing the floor aggressively or making the action heavy.
Fix: Think “neat and rhythmic” before “big and powerful.”
Treating all three-step rhythms as the same.
Fix: Use the term your teacher or syllabus uses for that dance.
Using Cha Cha timing in Quickstep, Jive timing in Waltz, or another mismatched rhythm.
Fix: Learn the count inside the specific dance.
Checking each step visually makes the upper body tense.
Fix: Practice slowly enough that you can feel the pattern without staring down.
| Term | How it is similar | How it is different |
|---|---|---|
| Chassé | Often a three-action step-close-step idea | Usually emphasizes one foot closing or “chasing” the other. |
| Triple step | Also uses three weight changes | A broader rhythm term; not every triple step is called a chassé in every dance. |
| Side step | May begin a chassé | A side step is one step; a chassé is usually a small sequence. |
| Lock step | Can also travel and use quick timing | A lock step crosses or “locks” one foot behind or in front, instead of simply closing. |
| Chassé turn | Uses chassé action with rotation | A turning variation; learn it after the basic action is comfortable. |
Use this as a rhythm drill, not a replacement for instruction.
Say the count out loud before moving.
Keep the steps small and even.
Practice the rhythm before traveling.
Let the feet move without collapsing your posture.
Some figures travel or turn, so ask your teacher which version fits your dance.
FAQ
Chassé means a step-close-step action where one foot appears to chase the other. In ballroom and social dance, it can appear in Cha Cha, Quickstep, Jive, Swing, Waltz figures, and other contexts.
Chassé is pronounced shah-SAY. The accent is useful in display text, but the URL uses the non-accent spelling chasse for stability.
Yes, chassé is used in ballroom and partner-dance vocabulary, but it is also used in other dance forms. In ballroom, the timing and technique depend on the dance.
You may see chassé actions or named chassé figures in Cha Cha, Quickstep, Jive, Swing, Waltz, and other ballroom or social dance contexts.
Not always. A chassé often has a three-action rhythm, so it can feel related to a triple step. But “triple step” is a broader term, and not every triple step is called a chassé in every dance.
It depends on the dance. Cha Cha may use “4 & 1” or “cha-cha-cha” language, Quickstep may use slows and quicks, Jive may use compact triple timing, and Waltz figures may use a split count such as 1, 2, &, 3.
Yes. The basic idea is beginner-friendly, especially if you keep the steps small and practice the rhythm first. More advanced styling, rotation, and technique should be learned inside the specific dance.
Either role may do a chassé, depending on the figure. Ballroom Pages uses leader/follower language because the action is role-based, not gender-based.
Editorial
This page uses dictionary and dance-education references for spelling, pronunciation, etymology, and dance-specific examples. Technique details should be reviewed periodically by a qualified ballroom instructor because chassé timing and styling vary by dance, syllabus, and level.
This is dance terminology, not medical advice. Ballroom Pages follows an editorial policy of education-first guidance. Questions? Contact us. Updated May 22, 2026.
