My teacher said I should delay the beat 3 so that I wont look like running when dancing cha cha cha, is that right? Besides, Should I syncropate the beat 2 & 3 & while doing the basic?

Best regards

One of neat things about Cha Cha Cha music is it's catchy syncopations. Yes, 4&1 is most prominent, but 2&3 is also clearly (in 'real' cha cha cha!) heard. Thus, while watching dancing to this music it seems more 'clean' to be sure to separate the two sections to which the dancers often chasse (either 2&3 or 4&1, or both.) Thus making sure the 3 and 4 are clearly defined is helpful in showing this rhythm.

Of course it is true of most dancing that the cleaner the dancer demonstrates the music structure the better that dancer will appear.

-dan

take a look at rumba. In basic you finished your move at the beats 2,3,4. remember that the timeframe between these steps have the same lenght! only the frame between 4 to 2 is longer. Between these beats you have time to dance your body and prepare your next step, that means at 2&,3& you have to do your hip movement to prepeare the the next step ( at 1& its similar, too ). most dancers forget the 3& and so they are do the step to beat 4 too early... BTW a lot of people forget the 1&,too, and rush too early to beat 2 they arrive at 1&alittlebit... and so the rythmic looks unsharp and weak. also you have no change to do an optimal body presentation on the "full(2,3,4)" beat.

In Chacha its very similar. the time frame between the steps 1,2,3,4 have all the same lenght and so you have to prepeare your step with body movement (hip) at 1&,2&,3&. If you forget to dance the hip movement at 3& your rythmic looks unsharp. The steps done here are same as rumba.
The special thing in Cha Cha is the 4& step. its both a body movement and a step in one thing. so you do your step at 4& and move your hip on the same beat. Thats why you have both knee flexed. For experiance dancers : with some practicing you will be able to show a exact timing of the 4& 1 steps, demonstrating closed legs and one side high hip for a moment at 4& before rushing to 1. When you arrive at 1 all is normal like rumba. full count is "step finished" & count is "preparation".

My hint: start with very very slow basic steps and count clearly every full and "&" beat. Be sure that on every 1&,2&,3& (especially the 3& and 1&) count you do a body action (hip).