Tango Foundations course, January - February 2010

What's it about?

This is six-week course focussing on the tango foundations. Each week will focus on a separate concept or step in detail, allowing students to learn and refine their technique for that specific area.

Who should attend?

This course is suitable for
  • Beginners wishing to start with Tango
  • Improvers wishing to revise and develop their technique

What makes this course special?

  • Small class size: I keep the class size small, typically with a maximum of 12 people (6 couples). This allows me to give you individual attention, helping you to progress rapidly, quickly resolving any issues.
  • Gender-balanced: I ensure that the course attendees are gender-balanced, so there should be no sitting-out time; all your time will be spent dancing.
  • Full class notes: Each week of the course will be fully written-up, with notes available online, to help you remember the topics covered and revisit them at any time in the future. Or if you miss a week, these can help you catch up. In addition, there will be supplementary materials available on my website, which should help explain each concept and step in further detail.
  • Practice at Ceroc Berkhamsted afterwards: the Ceroc venue in Berkhamsted runs a weekly Tango Practice session from 7-8pm, which allows you to review and practice the concepts you have learnt in the afternoon classes.

Course Outline

Concepts and steps covered will include:
  • Tango Walking
  • The Tango Embrace
  • Posture
  • Leading from the body
  • Connection
  • Forwards / back / side steps
  • Pivots and Ochos
  • Giros
At the end of the course, you should be able to dance all these steps, and use these concepts, in a social setting.

Week 1: Leading and Following

Technique

  • Connection / disconnection / reconnection exercises
  • Technique for leading / following a step
  • Being an attentive follower / sure leader
  • Establishing and transferring weight

Steps:

  • Weight transfers
  • Forwards / back steps
Detailed notes:

Week 2: Standing and Walking

Technique:

  • Posture and axis
  • Embrace (Open, Closed and Practice Hold)
  • Varying hold - connecting and re-connecting

Steps:

  • Sidesteps
  • Rocksteps
Detailed notes:

Week 3: Turning

Technique:

  • Dissociation
  • Pivotting

Steps:

  • Forward ochos
  • Back ochos
Detailed notes:

Week 4: Rotating

Technique:

  • More dissociation
  • Rotation via chest
  • Role reversal

Steps:

  • Giros and half-giros
Detailed notes:

Week 5: Tracks and crosses

Technique:

  • Transferring weight without leading a transfer
  • 2-, 3- and 4-track walking

Steps:

  • The cross.
  • Tempo changes
Detailed notes:

Week 6: Dancing For Real

Technique:

  • Musical interpretation
  • Social dancing
  • Practice tips

Steps:

  • Ganchos (Hooks)
  • Workshop
Detailed notes:

Dates / times / cost / location

Course cost: £60 per person, or £110 per couple.

Dates and Times

The course will run for two hours each Sunday afternoon, from 4pn - 6pm, from mid-January until late February 2010. Dates are:
  • January: 17th, 24th, 31st
  • February: 7th, 14th, 21st

Location

The location for this course is the dance studio in the Berkhamsted Fitness First gym, on Berkhamsted High Street (Map).

This dance studio is ideal for learning, as it has air-conditioning, a high-quality sprung wooden floor, a good sound system and a full-length mirror.

How to book

Simple - Send me an email. Let me know if you're booking for yourself, or yourself and a partner. And that's it.