Every week, you’ll find on our blog class notes and a summary video from our Wednesday Improver / Intermediate tango group class, our Thursday beginner tango group class and our weekend pre-milonga group classes.

These video and notes are meant to help our students remember what they’ve done in class.

Theme: Unusual cross variations

The cross is a tango classic, but don't think of it as your staple step, it can actually be taken to new extremes and used very creatively. In this class, we saw two unusual variations using crosses.

Summary video



 

Sacada / Cross with the right leg

Leaders

  • To lead the sacada / cross, you need to imagine that you want to step to the right with your left leg. You should cross with the back leg deeply and this should make your axis transfer to the right. If your cross is too shallow and your axis doesn’t move to the right, it will be difficult to lead the cross.
  • The lead to the cross is a sacada; you are displacing the follower’s leg with your thigh.
  • It is easier for the follower to carry on doing crosses than exiting the step, so to exit, you need to lift her gently from the back and give her time.
  • If you want to alternate the cross with the right leg and the normal cross, you need to keep your torso dissociated to your partner and close your dissociation to lead the normal cross.

Followers

  • For this step, you need open-mindedness! Yes, it is possible to cross with the left leg! This lead has got a “mechanical” aspect to it, as you should feel the leader’s thigh gently displacing your leg to create the cross. The lead is not only an invitation, it’s more direct than that.
  • The cross is quite wide so you can’t really apply the technique that is normally used for crosses with the right leg.
  • To exit, the leader will lift you gently. At this point, collect your feet and wait for him to step to carry on walking.

 

Cross with the left leg and back sacada by the follower

To check how to do this step without the sacada, please check last week’s class notes and video.

Leaders

  • The added complexity of the cross with the sacada is that you can’t step backwards to lead the follower’s cross, so you’ll need to create the circular energy you need by slightly moving your axis forward and backward. Try and move from the foot and not only the torso as that might put you off axis.
  • First lead the cross, then by gently inviting your partner backwards, make her complete her transfer of weight, which is what creates the sacada. Once you feel her calf starts to push your leg, help her by moving it.

Followers

  • When you do the cross, whether there is a back sacada or not, your right foot should be first half pointed. So when doing the cross with the right leg, make sure you don’t collapse and arrive with your foot completely flat on the floor.
  • The back sacada is created when you complete your transfer of weight, e.g. when the heel of your right foot comes down on the floor. This will create some pressure on the leader’s leg, who should then remove the leg to complete the sacada.

 

See you soon on the dancefloor,

Nati y Bruno