  The dynamics of five-dimensional Chern-Simons theories is analyzed. These
theories are characterized by intricate self couplings which give rise to
dynamical features not present in standard theories. As a consequence, Dirac's
canonical formalism cannot be directly applied due to the presence of
degeneracies of the symplectic form and irregularities of the constraints on
some surfaces of phase space, obscuring the dynamical content of these
theories. Here we identify conditions that define sectors where the canonical
formalism can be applied for a class of non-Abelian Chern-Simons theories,
including supergravity. A family of solutions satisfying the canonical
requirements is explicitly found. The splitting between first and second class
constraints is performed around these backgrounds, allowing the construction of
the charge algebra, including its central extension.
