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: Speed - Theme: Rhythmic orchestras
For this class, we looked at steps that would work for rhythmic orchestras or rhythmic sections of any tango. We started with variants of the change of weight in a box and then played with the giro and baby forward ochos.
Summary video
Beginners & improvers: Change of weight and variants
Top tips
- Leaders: The key to this step is to manage the slight tilt from the torso which will indicate to your partner that you want her to change weight. We saw several versions of this step in class, try and be clear with your own movement (eg. change of weight or side step / pivot or not), so that this is clear for the follower as well.
- Followers: Always move as a consequence of the leader’s own movement, as an echo. In this step, make sure your changes of weight are always complete from one leg to the other.
Intermediates & up: Flat giro followed by giro with sacada
Top tips
- Leaders: The difficulty is to lead the follower to take 3 steps when you take only 2. Use your axis to create this lead – bring your axis to the back of your body.
- Followers: Although it is a “flat” giro followed by a normal giro, always continue with the normal giro structure.
Intermediates & up: Baby forward ocho
Top tips
- Leaders: For this lead, imagine that the movement is that of a pinball – you are going against the direction of the follower, which makes her “rebound” into the next move.
- Followers: Like the baby backward ochos, keep your heels together and maintain the sequence: step / pivot / step / pivot, etc.
Homework
Top tips
- Beginners: Practice changes of weight on the half beat.
- Intermediates and up: Practice the flat giro and giro sequence on your own with the correct timing.
