Every week, you’ll find on our blog class notes and a summary video from our Wednesday and Sunday tango group classes.
These video and notes are meant to help our students remember what they’ve done in class.
Dimension: Height - Theme: Changes of height and crosses
Changes of height can lead to very interesting variations on the cross: cross / uncross combinations, which we are very fond of. We started the class with a few simple steps looking at the concept of lifting the embrace and then looked at applying this to the cross.
Summary video
Beginners/Improvers: Corrida to the side
Top tips
- Leaders: To warn your partner about the change of weight, you might want to step strongly just before changing weight. This should make her aware that you will be next leading some step related to changes of weight.
- Followers: Always arrive strongly on one foot to be ready to potentially change weight if led.
Beginners/Improvers: Promenade on half beat
Top tips
- Leaders: The difficulty in this step is to continue with your “clock” footwork on the beat, whilst lifting your partner, who will be on double time.
- Followers: Shorten the quick steps to cover the same distance you normally would with one step on the beat.
Intermediates & up: Cross / uncross
Top tips
- Leaders: Try and warn your partner that the cross will be different by starting to lift her during the step leading to the cross. If you try and lift at the time of the cross, chances are that she will already have crossed and transferred her weight.
- Followers: In the cross/uncross, we are slightly off axis, so don’t be afraid to put your weight on your partner (whilst keeping your core engaged so as not to collapse on him!)
Homework
Top tips
- Both: Practice the corrida and change of speed together. As all subtle changes of lead, this is more tricky than it looks.
