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: Interactions - Theme: Combination of interactions in the ocho cortado and giro

Interactions are often mixed to create more complex sequences or can often be added to the simplest of steps. We started the class with the basic ocho cortado and had a look at how we could add an entrada or an arrastre to this step. Then, we moved on to giros to which we added sacadas, arrastres and an invasion. Quite a programme!

Summary video



 

Beginners/Improvers: Ocho cortado with entrada / arrastre

Top tips

  • Leaders: The easiest version of the cortado is the one where you step together with the follower as it makes the lead clearer and stronger. If you can manage to lead this, you are ready to lead her with your torso only and explore the interactions.
  • Followers: For the cortado, always remember to first pivot and then cross.

 

Intermediates & up: Giro with sacada and barrida

Top tips

  • Leaders: To create time for the barrida, you need to sligthly ground your partner to make sure she doesn’t collect her feet.
  • Followers: This is quite a complex step in which your giro technique needs to be impeccable: step continuously without pausing at the corner and in a square around your partner.

 

Intermediates & up: Giro and contra-giro with invasion

Top tips

  • Leaders: The “invasion” is created by suddenly blocking the energy and taking your axis backwards.
  • Followers: The “invasion” should make you pivot quickly. Activate your heels and hips to be able to do the pivot in time.

 

Homework

Top tips

  • Beginners: Practice the cortado together, making sure your feet are nicely coordinated and that your torsos stay together at all time.
  • Intermediates: Practice giros with sacadas slowly like we did in class, feeling that your axes are moving together first to the middle point then to the full transfer.