Salem and Portland Argentine Tango I review--May 2009

Tango steps

Walks

• Parallel system: When Ld steps with L, Fl steps with R
• Orientations: Outside, Center, Inside
• Switching “lanes”
• “Maybe no”: walking to the inside for one step and back into center
• Things to remember about walking: This is THE base of all tango dancing, so your walk is the most important step of the dance.  Keep your energy up and through your partner.  Breathe!  Feel the music while you walk.  If you are on balance, your dance will feel great.

Walking to the cross (“Maybe, yes, cross”): We only learned one variation  of this so far: in parallel position:

• Ld twists around own axis to R (clockwise) and then walks to the inside track with R (Fl bk on L); continues inside on L (Fl bk on R); and steps in place on R WHILE bringing torso to neutral position to make Fl complete the “cross” step.
• Fl is led bk on L, bk on R, cross with L over R in place.  Keep knees energized but not locked, switch balance from big toe/ball of foot on R to big toe/ball of foot on L, leaving R free for next step.           

Porteño walk (walk like a person from Buenos Aires)

• Leader steps forward on left foot (follower back on right foot) with LOTS of energy. Then the leader shifts follower and self to the other foot in place with a slight lifting feeling/energy. This results in a strong beat traveling and a weaker beat changing in place: RRRRRM! Ah!

Corridas ("little runs")

• There are various versions of corridas. We did the simplest: walking in the center lane QQS (quick quick slow). To move the follower effectively, the leader lifts slightly on the QQ, and releases on the slow. This helps the follower stay in the altered beat of the step, rather than lagging in a SSS (all slows) step. Leaders: before you do the QQ part, relax your solar plexus as we discussed. This will keep your partner relaxed enough to follow your lead, and will help you stay balanced.

Salida (“Exit”--beginning!): We only did the parallel system: Leader steps to the left with the left foot & walks  “maybe yes cross” starting with R foot, to the cross. Follower parallels this movement.

Ochos (“figure eights”): ochos are made of two identical steps, either front crosses, with the Fl’s leg crossing BETWEEN the partners, or back crosses, with the Fl’s leg crossing behind/away from partner.  These steps change direction.  There are front and back ochos (we only did front so far) and accompanied and unaccompanied ochos (we did unaccompanied, as the Ld did not travel anywhere with the ocho). We did unaccompanied front ochos at the cross.

• Leaders: keep your hips and and the V of your feet facing line of dance (or wherever you started) to help the follower come back in front of you. If you move your hips and feet, the follower receives mixed signals and cannot give you as nice an ocho.

• Followers: remember to keep your ankles together and both feet on the floor! By staying on balance, you give the leader more choreographic options that if you "prepare" for the next step by lifting your foot in whatever direction you THINK you will be going :-)

• For both dancers, the torso faces your partner's torso, creating spirals in the body that help the follower pivot and aid the leader in finishing the movement.

Giros (“turns): @ the cross, to the right and to the left

• The follower executes a grapevine, or molinete, step: front cross, open step, back cross, open step. The first step of the grapevine depends on what move came before. For example, if the leader started your turn from the cross, a left turn would start with an open/side step with the right, and a right turn would start with a front cross step with the right foot.

• Timing: traditionally, the turn has a default rhythm: two slow and two quick counts, with the quick counts being on the follower's back cross and subsequent open step. Leaders: you may also lead all slow steps, as we practiced.  It is possible to lead all quick steps, but please use that in moderation!         

Adornos (“adornments”): @ any pause

• Circles, darts, “clean your shoe”, “write your name”

Molinete (“grapevine”): the steps done by the Fl around the Ld in a turn: front cross, open step, back cross, open step.

Tango concepts

 

Tango embrace:

• Open: bodies do not touch, only energy between partners creates connection, arms complete connection
• Close: bodies of the partners touch, arms complete connection

• Small V of Fl to “open” side of embrace
• Fl holds own weight up, sending energy through Ld and UP
• Ld holds own weight up, sending energy through Fl and UP
• Arms are supple, not tight, to allow energy flow

 

Tango culture:

• tanda (a set of dances);
• cortina (the musical break between tandas);
• cabeceo (head tilt used to invite someone to dance)

 

Games:

• Naughty Toddler (to teach followers how to have a lot of energy in the dance but not get out of control J)
• Flow solo/couple (to practice paying attention to music/energy of entire room, not just of your partner)
• Energy bunnies/vampires: using your energy to energize your partner/using the energy in the room and other people to give you energy

 

Musicality:

• SS vs. QQS (in walks, turns, to the cross, etc.)
• using pauses to make the dance match the music/mood
• Change the energy: soft, strong, tigery (is that a word?): think of the Superheros game!

 

Tango “suite of dances”:

• Milonga: this is the fast dance we did, focusing on stepping on each beat of the music
• Tango vals: this is the dance in ¾ time that focused on being smmmmooooooooth!
• Tango: what we spent most of the term studying