Skip to main content

Taking classes as a lead

Tangoblitz wrapping up this weekend with Alejandra Hobart and Adrian Veredice, good sessions, always refreshing to see the level that professionals get up to. Notes, notes, notes!

Parallel vs Cross Systems
The L shaped lead-linear
- Leader leads on dual track system (to the left and to the right of him)
-Follower crosses across this track using a back step, side step and a cross over front ocho-forming L shapes zig-zagging back and forth
-Leader strides forward on the beat while follower is on a 1+, 2 beat-option to twist the hip into a front boleo for the follower, leader must change weight with every 1-2 step
-Leader starts on right foot and follower on left foot which is the foot further away-Mirror start=parallel system-sacada happens to the cross over track (guy left, girl right)
-Variation is to have leader start on left foot and follower on left foot-non-mirror=cross system-sacada happens on the parallel track (guy right, girl right)

The L shaped lead-circular
- Leader starts on right, follower on left (mirror-parallel system)-same as above but this time the sacada occurs where the leader take the spot where the follower was before doing ochos

The rock step ocho
-Leader leads ochos, to change direction, steps on the outside of the follower before rocking back with her and crossing in front of himself while driving his chest 180 degree to the other way-follower is doing a side step at this point

Giros
- Begin with the concept of 3 types of giros
  1) Contra-giro, where your leg goes one way and your shoulders go the opposite-always tuck the leg flush against the other and feet as close together as possible
  2) Giro turn, where you move in the direction of your leg
  3) Giro and walk forward where you do not change direction but use it to move into a space
-Remember the giro starts with the leg that is tucked in front (i.e. clockwise action)

First Sequence
- Follower starts on back step of the molinete (back side front cross)
- When follower does back side, leader is doing the lapis
- Leader sacadas at the point when the follower does the front cross, changing all his weight and taking that as the new anchor of the circle, does another sacada into follower side step before finishing with 2 ochos

Second Sequence
- Walk lady so both of you are at a cross, left foot in front of right, follower starts sequence with front cross
- Do the 3 types of giros, with the 1) contra giro happening when lady is at front-side-back 2) Giro turn when lady is at side-front 3) Giro and walk forward when you have changed her direction so she has done an ocho after the front step-sacada into her side step and finish with ochos
- Alternative is after 3) Giro walk forward, immediate tuck foot behind and pivot around while lady does side back side front and swing her into the parada with the front ocho

Ladies Technique
- Always inhale with the intent of filling out your back portion, not only the front puffed up
- You choose how you want to transfer your weight-it is either you go with the weight and the foot together or you go with the foot and then the weight-no right or wrong but choices are made
- If weight goes with the foot then think of it as though your face, chest and legs are all moving together as one
- When swinging your leg think of it as a pendulum, on the way up your knees should already be on the way down, this is what makes the lower leg kick up as a 'rebound'-it has no energy of its own
- Practice against the wall on both feet and see how far your rotation goes with the hips-about 270 degree and more
- Stand with back against the wall, twist around and use the wall, if you twist left, left leg is base and you stretch out your right leg to do the back ocho and vice versa
- Idea is to have top half face one way while legs face the other, you are basically assuming a T with energy up top going one way and energy at bottom going perpendicular
- Boleo-knees should be behind so it looks like one leg, bend a little to get the knee back and behind-point toes
- Forward and turn around 360 to the outside then step back ocho and boleo

Brain hurts recapping this, but time to practice!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2020

Ah 2020. You have been upended in the most ridiculous way possible by a virus that has destroyed every single activity we do for fun, leisure, pleasure, necessity, survival. Because, humans. Was so looking forward to a year of dancing starting with the Taiwan Valentine's Tango Marathon, leading into STM v5, London, Portugal and maybe BA by the end of the year. Guess what! ALL GONE, DESTROYED. It has been a year since I went to a marathon/event. I am probably the saddest I have been when it comes to the dance front. 11 years ago I made it such a part of my identity that it has accompanied me through the years of visiting different cities for work, for holiday, for weddings, for connections, for reunions with exes, for meeting new interests. Shaped my 20's like nothing else has and only grows stronger year after year. 2020 was the reset required. Mentally, emotionally. This relationship with Tango remains my strongest and most developed of my many relationships with many a...

I cannot meet you at this point right now...

I've always had the notion that Tango was about being able to dance with anyone. Granted, the abstractness and lead-follow of the dance, often means that you are able to match most people as long as you are of a certain level. But sometimes, even if you are able to follow them, their styles might just not match yours...for now. Recently had a dance with a new visiting lead, first tanda was a lower energy Tango, where I thought, "OK, not bad, but nothing out of the ordinary". Then he asked me to dance a milonga, and that was where I was truly mind blown. Apparently, his language was speed and dynamic, not melodic and languorous, no pauses here! But it was exactly what I needed at that point in time. This was confirmed again by an energetic D'Arienzo on the final milonga night, matching energies, matching intentions, a similar way of hearing the beats, the syncopation and the lead/follow. Beautiful! Reminds me, again and again why Tango is so addictive. Akin to an unexp...

Simple

After the countless videos, watching the performances by passing Tango teachers, performances by stage Tango dancers, sitting and absorbing Milongas, the one couple that sticks in my mind has to be T and his fiance who met through Tango in Argentina. Their seamless blending, the fact that she didn't even need to be wearing shoes and their swapping of roles. Even though I was exposed to this early on the clueless beginnings of Tango, you could already appreciate the intimacy between the two. In hindsight after a bit more experience, it becomes even clearer that, that would be the ultimate Tango experience. It's like staring at something without the tools to understand it, then later when you come back with the tools in hand, it hits you, "ah hah!" that's what it is! It's like being told, "this will be useful in life later, trust me", and staring at math sets that have no correlation with your life, until later when you're facing a job assessme...