Class Notes: November 2011

These are the class notes for November 2011 Tango classes in Berkhamsted.

6th November: The embrace and the walk

Beginner class: Close embrace and the walk

We spent some time working on the close embrace, ensuring that we could establish a good, clear and close connection with our partner.

The main concept of this is to focus on the key point that the connection is the most fundamental aspect of the dance - and that the closeness of the embrace is not something to avoid, it's something to, well, embrace...

We spent some time for the followers, practicing walking backwards by ourselves, getting the posture and the movements correct.

Key points:

  • Don't hold back, but wrap yourselves into the embrace. Don't "pull" your partner in to the embrace, but "push" against them
  • Walk smoothly - don't stop and start
  • Keep level - don't bob up and down
  • When you stop / start keep the feet together
  • Weight is always on one foot or the other - not both
  • Close embrace dancing is all about variations of simple steps, not about complex movements
  • Leaders: provide a stable and secure embrace for your follower. Don't rush off too early

Improvers class: Rocksteps and pivot steps

We then looked at the leader, and worked on providing a solid, secure lead for our partner to follow.

The sequence of events for leading and taking any step is:

  1. The leader signals his intention by moving his chest (centre) in the direction he wants the follower to go - for example, forwards
  2. The follower extends/moves her free foot in that direction - for example, back
  3. The leader starts his step, extending his leg into the space that the follower has made available
  4. Leader and follower both then transfer their weight onto the extendeded leg

Using the close embrace, we looked at applying this concept to the following basic movements:

  • Walks: forwards for the man, back for the lady
  • Pivotting walks: to get around corners
  • Rocksteps: like a forwards / back change of weight, rather than a cut-down step

More information:

13th November: Posture and steps

Beginners class: walking, posture, embrace

We spent some time walking in "practice hold" - hands on each others' shoulders.

We worked on the posture for leaders and followers: both need to adopt a "forward intention" - the upper body closer to the partner than the legs.

Once we had that working, we moved into a close embrace, walking within that embrace and using the posture we'd learnt during the class.

Key points:

  • Followers need to have a solid contact with the leader, from the abdomen to the upper chest.
  • Leaders need to move their chests first, and the followers need to move their legs in relation to the leaders moving their chests

Improvers class: core movements

We spent some time working on the sidestep, the change of weight, and the rockstep, and mixing these steps together to create the dance.

Key points:

  • Think of the rockstep as being like a forwards / back change of weight, rather than a cut-down step.
  • Change of weight: lift and transfer. Sidestep: lower and side.
  • Don't lead changes in tempo with changes in energy - think "lift" and "lower" rather than "push harder / softer"

More information:

20th November: Ochos and Decorations

We looked at basic technique for leading and following forwards and back ochos, then at a sample of decoration movements for the follower.

Beginners class: Forwards and back ochos

Ochos are simply steps and pivots. If you step forward (on the inside leg), then it's a forward ocho, if you step back (on the outside leg), it's a back ocho. So far, so simple...

Initially, we worked on forward ochos, working on leading with the chest (pivotting without stepping), and the followers walking "in a circle" around the leader (keeping the same distance from your partner at all times).

For followers: to expand on this a little, for a forward ocho, do not simply walk in a straight line, ending up further away from your partner - or, this is what not to do:

Instead, what you should do is to think of an ocho as being a step around your partner, in a circular manner. You're tracing the first part of a circle around your partner.

For example:

This means you'll be keeping yourself at the same distance from your partner at all times during the step.

After this, we then worked on back ochos, with the leader side-stepping in parallel to the follower.

We worked on an example sequence, to show how this might work:

  • Leader takes a sidestep to the left, follower sidesteps to the right.
  • Leader changes weight, follower does not.
  • Leader pivots to the left, follower pivots also.
  • Leader takes another sidestep to the left, follower backsteps.
  • Leader reverses pivot (pivoting to the right)
  • "Rinse and repeat"

Key points:

  • Leaders: always lead the pivot first, then the step. Don't try to do both at the same time.
  • Leaders: the step after the pivot is in the same direction as the pivot. Forward ochos are taken with the inside foot (the foot closest to the leader), back ochos with the outside foot (foot furthest from the leader).
  • Followers: pivot first, then step. They are two separate motions - don't rush into one before the other.
  • Followers: keep your chest facing towards your leader (that's the "dissociation" thing).

Improvers class: Decorations with ochos

Improvers class: Ocho decorations

Adornments (or "Embellishments" or "decorations" - all the same thing) are general actions which make the dancing look and feel better - they're the icing on the cake.

A key point about decorations is exactly that - they're icing, they're not the cake. So these should not ever interfere with the connection or the basic step. If you're not comfortable doing the basic step, then don't do decorations.

Decoration 1: Hook step ("Amague" / "Saludo")

For any forward or back step, followers can "hook" their feet into a back or forward cross position, before taking the step.

We worked on this with forwards and back ochos - hooking behind in forward ochos, hooking in front with back ochos.

Here's an example of an Amague as used on a back ocho:

Decoration 2: Rulo / lapiz step

The "rulo" step basically involves the follower increasing the dissociation ("twist") part of the pivot, keeping the chest pivoting to face the partner whilst leaving the legs in place, then "whipping" the free leg around at the end of the pivot movement.

This can create some lovely patterns, and can allow the follower to "resist" a pivot movement, so allowing her to input some ideas and musicality into the movements.

Here's an example of a Rulo as used on a forward ocho:

Decoration 3: Tap step ("Fanfarron" / "Golpes")

You can simply tap your foot to mark the beat, as part of the collection movement, just before the pivot, for effect.

Here's a general set of examples of decorations available with ochos:

More information: