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: Directions - Theme: Ochos & changes of direction

In this class, we went over the classic forward ocho in the beginner/improver class, as it is a step which is a strong foundation for many other sequences. In the intermediate class, we payed with the giro and the ocho cortado.

Summary video

Beginners & improvers

Intermediates & advanced



 

Beginners/Improvers: “Forward ocho”

Top tips

  • Leaders: Make sure you lead the pivot and then the step sequentially. Your partner should have finished her step when you lead her the pivot.
  • Followers: Make sure you execute each stage of the ocho independently from one another – a step and a pivot. Don’t merge them together as you might then not be able to stop.

 

Intermediates & up: “Flat” giro

Top tips

  • Leaders: The difficulty in this step is to properly lead your partner whilst taking care of your own footwork, which is not as easy as it seems. Your aim is to lead back-side-forward-side, but you can actually play with your lead if you are precise enough and lead any combination, for example, forward-side-forward-side.
  • Followers: Try not to collect your feet too strongly or the move will appear very stacato. Feet should brush together if possible but not stop at neutral.

 

Intermediates & up: Old style ocho cortado

Top tips

  • Leaders: The feeling of this ocho cortado is much more rounded than the one you might be used to, as it doesn’t have any rebounds. The cross should be led after you have led your partner to slightly extend her foot beyond her supporting leg as if she was to take a step for a forward ocho.
  • Followers: Try and be sensitive to the changes of weight and axis to be able to distinguish between this ocho cortado and the one you might be used to.

 

Homework

Top tips

  • Both: PPractice together the lead and following of both ocho cortado as the difference can be quite subtle.