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: The classic cross

In this class, we saw the basic lead and following for one of the most iconic tango steps: the cross.

Summary video



 

Cross in parallel system

Leaders

  • You need to dissociate slightly as you take your site step to prevent your partner from stepping all the way. Make sure to dissociate as you go and not on the spot. Your partner should end up slightly to your right and you should have space to walk on her inside lane.
  • Take two steps on her inside lane, whilst keeping your dissociation. Your second step should be a little smaller than hers. Halfway through your second step, you need to simultaneously bring your torso back to neutral and collect your feet at neutral too. This move from your torso at this exact time is what will create the cross.
  • Make sure your steps follow nice, clean directions: the side step should be exactly to the side and your steps forward should be exactly forward. Avoid taking diagonal steps when leading the cross.
  • After leading the cross, your torso should be exactly at neutral and not facing outwards. Your partner’s torso should be at neutral too.

Followers

  • Try and maintain a strong frame with your arms so that the lead can be transmitted directly to your feet, without any loss of energy. If your embrace is too soft, it will be difficult for you to perceive the lead for the cross as you might end up opening your free arm backwards too much.
  • At the side step, don’t force your way and take a step smaller than your partner’s. Your should end up to your partner’s side, not in front of him
  • Try and maintain your hips parallel to your partner when stepping backwards.
  • For the cross, you should first respond to the lead with your torso, hence closing your dissociation. Then bring your free leg in to cross. At the cross, immediately transfer your weight to your front leg, freeing your back leg to exit.
  • When exiting the salida, make sure you’re pushing with the front leg to take a big step and realign your back leg by extending it slightly to the right.

 

Cross with a little pivot

Leaders

  • When you lead the cross, also cross backwards and immediately transfer your weight to your back leg. This means your right foot should be flat on the floor.
  • You then need to dissociate slightly to the right to make your partner pivot and uncross.
  • Step backwards twice (take small steps if you’re dancing in a milonga) and realign yourself with your partner.

Followers

  • At the cross, the slight dissociation is the lead for us to both uncross and pivot. It might be easier and more elegant to first pivot and whilst pivoting, to uncross.
  • Do not resist the lead to walk forward. Although we don’t often get to walk forward, don’t hesitate or you’ll pull your partner off axis!

See you soon on the dancefloor,

Nati y Bruno