Tango foundations workshop notes: 8th May 2011

These are the class notes for the "Tango Foundations" workshop, held on Sunday 8th May, from 4pm - 6:30pm.

  • Section 1: Close Embrace movements
  • Section 2: Open Embrace movements
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    Section 1: Close Embrace movements

    The close embrace is like an airport hug where you are meeting someone special after a long break. Posture is basically: fully upright, weight over balls of the feet, centre / chest forward, and contact with your partner along the torso. Note that it's important to have space between your legs and your partner's legs.

    Establishing and transferring weight

    Both leaders and followers should only ever stand with weight on a single foot - the other foot ("free leg") should simply be resting on the floor.

    The only time your weight should be distributed across both feet is when you're transferring weight from one foot to the other.

    We spent some time transferring weight - both leading a transfer of weight, and following it.

    Key points

    • Leaders, it's essential that you always know what foot the follower is on. The best way to ensure this is to put her on that foot to start with.
    • Followers, it's essential that you don't change your weight without it being led. Don't "mark the beat" by shifting from one foot to the other, for example. If your weight is on one foot, keep it there.

    Sidesteps ("balanceo")

    Lead a sidestep, in both directions.

    Lead a combination of sidesteps and weight transfers.

    Key points:

    • Soften your knees to yourself slightly before leading a sidestep - that's one of the differences between leading a change of weight and a side step.
    • Keep the feet together when at rest - for both leaders and followers.

    Rocksteps ("Cadencia")

    You can use the rock-step to navigate around corners, to pause in the dance, and to decorate / vary the steps.

    Key points:

    • Small small small...!
    • You don't need to transfer your whole weight with rocksteps
    • Rotate at the end points, not whilst walking

    Section 2: Open Embrace movements

    The general approach for the open embrace is very similar to that for the close embrace - lead with the chest, forwards intention, and so on.

    Pivots

    We covered using pivots - "ochos", then we briefly tried a couple of decoration movements with forward ochos.

    Exercise: Leaders, without moving your feet, lead an "inside" pivot, then lead a forwards step. This is a forwards ocho.

    Key points:

    • Leaders: always lead the pivot first, then the step. Don't try to do both at the same time.
    • Leaders: the step is in the same direction as the pivot.
    • 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).

    There are two simple ways to change from a forward ocho to a back ocho and vice versa.

    • Reverse the pivot: lead a pivot in the reverse direction, then lead a step in that direction.
    • Reverse the step: lead a step in the reverse direction, then lead a pivot in that direction.

    Decoration 1: Pasada

    We did a step-across decoration ("pasada"), from a forward ocho, blocking the follower's forward (right) foot as she steps towards the leader's right.

    Key points:

    • Don't look down! It's all done by feel.
    • Leaders, don't step on your partner's foot - slide into contact with it.
    • Contact should be slight, but must be present.

    Decoration 2: "Lapiz" / "ronde"

    This involves the follower tracing a pattern with her free leg, during the "pivot" part of the ocho.

    This is the sequence we worked on:

    1. The follower steps forward on her inside foot, and collects her feet
    2. The leader lowers the follower - the follower bends her knee and then extends her outside leg to the side
    3. The leader pivots the follower - the follower can then trace a circular movement with her outside foot
    4. At the end of the pivot, the leader should raise the follower back up
    5. The leader can then lead another step as part of the next movement (say, another ocho).

    Key points:

    • Leaders: get the timing right. Lower for the pivot, raise for the step
    • Leaders: to lower, lower your frame, don't crouch down
    • Followers: don't anticipate, let the leader lead each stage
    • Followers: collect the leg back in when you're raised at the end of the pivot

    Decoration 3: "Planeo"

    We then briefly extended that movement, to create a "planeo" movement, with the leader walking backwards and leading the follower to pivot around.

    More classes

    We will continue and extend on these themes, with our regular weekly classes in Berkhamsted.

    We will work on open-embrace movements with the upcoming "Smooth Tango" workshop in Whetstone.

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