Friday, December 9, 2022
4th Holiday Tango Weekend 2022, organized by Hugo Patyn and Celina Rotundo
Sokol Center, Dallas, Texas
4pm to 7pm
SPECIAL INTENSIVE WITH CELINA & HUGO
I got there late, so missed the first part of class. It seemed that most of the work up until that point was individual and focused on body movement. I also did not physically participate since the floor was extremely crowded and I just didn’t feel like it.
Step forward and back, feet in V, not parallel, go with chest, extend the leg, transfer the weight.
Pivots: Keep body stretched, stretch your spine, move the left scapula a little back, then move hip in opposite direction. The scapula is back, the hip is forward. Maestra talked about the concept of the rubber band. Move the upper body, with the left scapula back, then the lower body whips around as a consequence, with an imaginary “whoomph!” sound. Move the torso, then the hips come around as a consequence. This was done to the left and to the right.
Ochos: In projecting the leg, since the ocho is a sideways 8 figure (or infinity), the steps are curved and around, not parallel. In doing ochos, you should feel your body work a lot; do not be lazy and move in a block. Draw an 8 with your upper body. Imagine your torso and sternum drawing an 8. Do it small, then bigger, feeling it in your body working. Do not move the upper body too much to face away from your partner. Keep the front forward, though the scapula goes back.
Turns/Molinetes/Hiros: Imagine a square in front of you, but there is a circle around the square. From the forward step, the sternum faces the center of the square. The secret in doing good turns is, as much as you can, have torsion in your upper body. From the forward step to the side step, and after the side step collection, the top torques to face center, with hips whipping back before the back step. Move like a rubber band.
The class drilled this in partnership, doing turns with each other, starting on the back step. Maestra introduced of the concept of pushing/pulling with the hands to have better balance/leverage off each other. It’s important to take each step, going with the top, then rolling through the body, passing, and then going.
In partnership, the embrace was changed to just hand to hand to get a better idea of the push/pull dynamics. Both did turns, but the relationship changed, with one person going on the forward step while at the same time the other person did a back step. Then the Leader/Follower relationship changed. Then it went back to regular Leader/Follower, with the Follower boleo added, going from top to bottom. Then the Leader back Sacada to Follower boleo was added.
A video review was done summarizing the concepts: working from top to bottom, stretching the spine, moving the scapula back, hiros, axis, legs, flexion, disassociation, moving the legs, projection, hips opening, pivots.
It was a good class.
7:30pm to 9pm
MASTER CLASS with CARLOS COPELLO, VIRGINIA VASCONI, ADRIAN VEREDICE & ALEJANDRA HOBERT, ROD RELUCIO & JENNY TETERS, CELINA & HUGO
This was a very interesting class, with each teaching couple doing the same basic step and then adding their own spin to it. The subject of our class was the Ocho / Parada.
Celina & Hugo: Starting with the basic going to the cross, though the Leader stops and takes her left foot so that he does a barrida to control her sweep such that he places her left foot to cross against her right. To do this, the Follower’s weight should be mostly on her back right leg, though there is some slight weight on her left foot so they have connection when Leader sweeps her foot to tuck it into the cross. After getting into the cross, to get out, the Follower does right leg embellishment outward sweep around to do right leg step curved and around Leader, followed by another ocho.
Rod & Jenny: Adding on to Celina & Hugo’s ocho/parada, they changed the Follower right foot step over to be a colgada back and then an uncompleted step around (so more just a right foot projection around), then he rebounds her back, and then rebounds her in again to lead a Follower right foot sacada to his left foot, then he pivots a lot to do a Leader left foot back sacada of the Follower’s trailing right foot as she steps around counterclockwise with her left foot around the Leader. This was very challenging for the Leaders, especially for the colgada and also for him to pivot a lot to do his back sacada.
Adrian & Alejandra: They both Celina & Hugo’s barrida to cross/parada, and then linked it to Rod & Jenny’s colgada/Follower sacada/Leader back sacada, and refined the technique to give more tips on how to get it done since some were still struggling with it.
Carlos Copello & Virginia Vasconi: The did a different version entirely. At the Leader’s parada, he does an embellishment of tapping to the side out and back, then sweeps the Follower’s left foot with energy to lead her to do a front boleo against her right leg, pivots her to do a Follower back boleo, pivots her again to the Americana with Follower stepping forward with her left leg while the Leader steps Leader with his right leg, to turn her counterclockwise to Follower’s right foot side step around him, and her left leg rises to slide up against his right hip in a very Instagrammable pose.
It was a very interesting, fun class.
9pm to 1am
MILONGA
I had a nice time. I didn’t dance a huge amount, but enough to keep things interesting. There was a break between the two classes earlier, and music was played and I had a tremendous dance during that break. So it was a good night overall. Drinks and snacks had to be purchased from the facility’s bar.
Saturday, December 10, 2022
4th Holiday Tango Weekend 2022, organized by Hugo and Celina
Sokol Center, Dallas, Texas
The teaching schedule is intense with 6 classes a day, though they are short, only an hour, with ample breaks in between. So it seems pretty manageable, physically and mentally.
11am to 12pm
ADRIAN & ALEJANDRA
Tango A-B-C of turn with enrosques - Lapices - Paradas - ALL LEVELS
We began with an exercise of doing pencils with our left foot and right foot.
Then we did front tuck enrosques on the left and right.
Then we added them together, doing the pencil into the enrosque on both sides. Our homework is to practice this footwork and do it as a complete 360 degree turn.
In combination, the Leader does a pencil while the Follower does a half turn counterclockwise doing the back, side, forward steps. The preparation is in the transition between the Leader’s side step. Next step is the Leader’s parada, at which point the Follower can do an embellishment before she steps over with her right foot. She can do a rulo, or fan it out down low with her right foot.
The enrosque is the Leader’s embellishment while he is leading the turn. So his chest disassociation is very important.
Add the Leader’s cross back after the parada so the Leader has three pencils:
Left (big to back cross), right (smaller to back cross), left (big to back cross). The Leader’s left foot pencil is big and flowing, his right foot pencil is smaller and more functional.
Follower should keep chest to the Leader in her turn steps, even when taking the back steps.
Follower embellishment: As the Leader walks counter clockwise backward around the Follower, the Follower does two embellishments: with her left foot and then with her right foot. The Leader’s leads a back ocho, then steps around the Follower counterclockwise backward. The Follower does a right foot back step to the close side of the embrace, then left foot immediately tucks in front of her right foot, then she does a left foot small pencil in front of the Leader’s feet as he walks backward, to a back cross tuck against her standing right leg. She transfers weight so left leg is now weighted. Right foot extends forward, she pivots to turn the left base leg, then right leg comes back in, tucking behind her left leg to cross.
12:15pm to 1:15pm
CARLOS COPELLO
The Best Milonguero Style
The Milonguero style is all about improvisation. Our class would be all improvisational. Maestro will not be breaking down each move step by step. So pay attention and concentrate. The most important things in tango are the music and the embrace, and to know how to walk on the beat.
We began with individual exercises, walking forward and back on the beat. Then we added the lapice to our walks forward and back, doing them on the beat. Then we did a forward step to pivoted collection to back cross tuck and added a self boleo. Then we did enrosques then the back cross tuck. Basically, we did many individual walking/embellishing exercise that are typical beginnings for many Follower and Leader technique classes.
Then we danced to three songs, improvising. We were to be on the beat and not rush as the beat always stays the same.
Then Maestro gave us a step to work on, though the class was done in true milonguero style with him showing us the figure but not explaining it much, and we were to do what we saw.
Basic to the cross, parada with Follower embellishment, Follower steps over and continues in a turn around Leader, to Leader sandwiches the Follower’s right foot, to Leader’s enrosque with three back cross steps (tucks) to lead the Follower’s boleo. Leader’s right foot is forward at point of Follower’s right foot back boleo.
According to the top milonguero, the Follower’s embrace is chest first, then arms. The center of the chest between the Leader and Follower has positive energy. The Leader must be connected to the music, and the embrace, and everything.
Leaders: It is very necessary to (1) take care of the Follower, and (2) to make her look good and treat her well. Do not do any pushing or pulling, and do not dance salsa when dancing tango. The (1), (2), (3), and (4) most important things in tango are all about the Follower. (5) is about the Leader. (That was a joke, he did not enumerate the 3, 4, 5 specific things.)
If the Leader dances very well, milongueros will acknowledge that he is a good leader. Embrace is everything.
We were to practice these concepts in our dance, focusing on the embrace and having excellent posture and elegance. In the close embrace, the Leader takes care of the Follower, of the partnership. The Leader’s right hand should remain mostly fixed on the Follower’s back, he should not scratch the Follower’s back with it by going in and out a lot.
Definition of the embrace. Obviously, with all due respect, in the Argentine culture, the embrace will cure your stress. A beautiful embrace will give you life. The embrace will give you love, tenderness, feed your soul. It is always positive.
1.30pm to 2:30pm
CELINA & HUGO
Conscious, honest & responsive construction - ADV.
This class was about conscious construction, giving us different elements to work on so that we do not fall into the same patterns in our dance. We were going to break the rules.
Using the turn as our foundation, the Leader would try to lead it at different steps in the turn: at the side step, forward step, or back step. Listen to your partner. There is no Leader’s footwork, just a clean lead and follow. In doing the turn, the Leader should use his eyes to really look at the partner, being sure the Follower is in front of him.
Follower: Take the step and make it yours. Listen if your partner wants it to be on the beat or faster doing QQ. But don’t wait for the Leader to give you impulse or push. Connect to the music. No one will tell you how to dance. You do your own way always. It is your interpretation. Express it how you listen/hear the music.
In open embrace, we were to generate centrifugal force by holding onto but leaning away from each other like Ring Around the Rosie. The Leader stays in place, but the Follower goes around him. In the tango embrace, the turn should have this same feeling. Leaders do not use hands, but the Follower activates and uses her hands to use the hands to activate the Leader’s hands. Follower should activate the legs and have reaction. She goes by herself; the Leader does not make her walk. She walks on her own. The Leader will have freedom to activate his body to do something different. The Leader’s arms are like a circle in front of himself. The Leader makes the Follower feel comfortable when he leads. His priorities in order of importance are the Follower, then himself, then the music, then the step.
The Leader should listen to the Follower, listen to her body.
Next, we worked on the Leader finding the space to step, by understanding which of his legs is free. He looks at the Follower to know where she is. By knowing which of his legs are free and where his Follower is, he can do embellishments, sacadas, paradas, or sandwiches. Leader needs to listen to his own body and his partner’s body.
At the QQS of the turn, there is no time in the Follower’s back step for the Leader to do anything with his free leg. There is time for his free leg to do something on her side step or forward step. However, if he leads different timing in the turn such that she does all slow steps with no QQ on her back cross step, he can do something (like a forward sacada) on her back cross step of the turn.
The Follower can do the back beat embellishment on her back cross step.
Returning to the beginning of class, we were to work on having the feeling of centrifugal force in our turns. The Leader should keep looking at the Follower and find an opportunity to do a forward sacada on the Follower’s forward and side steps. So do not miss that feeling of connection with looking at the Follower.
The Leader leads with the top part of his back.
We were to work consciously and not do the same things over and over. Everyone is in charge of keeping this dance wonderful and creative. It’s about improvisation. Don’t fall into one single thing. Listen to your partner. That is the key to tango and life. Be respectful. If the other person feels great, then you will feel great.
Side Note: Maestros were very pointed about not having students cross their arms in class, because in crossing our arms, the students are blocking the flow of information into their brains and bodies.
3pm to 4pm
VIRGINIA VASCONI
Introduction to Circular movements in a reduced space (movements for the crowded dance floor) – ALL LEVELS
Our focus would be on putting quality in what we are going to do.
Step: Small turn in small space during crowded milonga situations, starting and ending in the line of dance. In close embrace. Be mindful of where we are start and finish. So coordinate the step. We will rotate partners constantly because Leaders learn faster that way. This is an interactive class, so ask questions.
We danced one song to DiSarli.
In close embrace, the Leader keeps the partner between his shoulders and hips, imagining a box between them. The Leader’s shoulders are over the line of his hips. The Follower is inside of his frame so she is comfortable and happy. Maestra prefers a V embrace so there is some space in the open side of the embrace to have room to do things.
Step: Rock step/rebound in close embrace, Leader sends Follower to right to pivot, to Follower’s forward ocho to Americana (Follower’s left foot forward, Leader’s right foot forward), to Follower left foot pivot around as Leader sends her around him counterclockwise to a Leader right foot forward sacada to her trailing left foot, out to the cross. We kept this in close embrace, keeping the line of dance, and rolling through the embrace.
Leader: Roll inside the embrace as he leads the Follower’s forward ocho step, as it is not an ocho cortado. So on the Follower’s right foot forward step, he rolls inside the embrace by starting to rotate his chest so she does the ocho, not an ocho cortado. The move is not off axis, there is no colgada, though it is possible. The Follower spirals over her axis. The Leader does a real sacada.
This figure starts and ends in the line of dance, and should be done to the music.
Leader’s footwork: The Leader’s right foot sacada. His left foot steps forward, right foot side step, pivot to cross his left foot in front of his right foot, to parada with Leader’s right foot to Follower’s arriving right foot to pivot her as the Follower does the turn around the Leader, where she can do an embellishment. The Leader goes around and behind the Follower. The Follower’s standing leg is the most important leg to do embellishments.
4:15pm to 5:15pm
ROD & JENNY
INT/ADV *Spiral movements with different dynamics.
This class began with Maestros showing us the step three times and we were to try to do it, all while staying in our own two lanes since this would start and end in the line of dance.
Leader starts in regular footwork doing a left foot forward step in parallel system, then does a weight change (right foot collects) to get to cross system, then steps forward with his left foot to lead Follower in one (or three or any odd number) overturned back ocho almost straight back into him, remaining in one line and staying with the Follower, to two more back ochos, the first of which is regular, and the last one is overturned into him to do a Follower right foot back sacada of the Leader’s trailing right foot. As the Leader transfers weight to his left foot, the Follower does her right foot back sacada of his trailing right foot.
Leader: Do not kill the energy. Be more fluid in your movements. The Leader’s embrace stays with himself, though he does a big spiral to lead the Follower to do her right foot back sacada to the turn steps (side, forward). The Leader rotates his chest from a range of about 2pm counterclockwise to about 10am, leading with his back (do not hunch or curl forward).
Follower: Use energy to step through, and use your standing left foot to push off.
5:30pm to 6:45pm
MASTER CLASS WITH: Adrian & Alejandra, Carlos Copello and Celina & Hugo
one step different visions – ALL LEVELS
The structure of this class was similar to yesterday’s master class. This was a very interesting class, with each teaching couple focusing on same concept but adding their own spin to it. The subject of our class was the turn.
There are three kinds of turns in tango:
(1) Leader goes around the Follower
(2) Follower goes around the Leader
(3) Leader and Follower share the same point
Adrian & Alejandra:
Doing the side step to pivot, to Follower left foot Americana with Leader doing an Americana as well, but on his outside left foot also stepping forward, to turn Follower counterclockwise so she does turns a side step around Leader to start her turns footwork (right foot side step).
As the Follower continues her turns footwork, Leader does a right foot side step while Follower does back cross step, Leader does a left foot back cross tuck on Follower’s side step, Leader does right foot side step on Follower’s forward step. This is done to the QQS timing.
Carlos Copello:
The Leader’s footwork: He leads the basic to the Follower’s counterclockwise turn. He does a left foot lapice to parada on the open side, then leads the turn to the other side and does a right foot lapice to parada on the close side on the Follower’s forward step of the turn. Here the Leader is the center of the circle. The key to doing this step is to wait for the Follower to do her back cross step of the turn to start his lapice.
Celina & Hugo:
Side step, Leader lifts bodies, Leader walks around Follower starting with a forward step to do turns footwork: forward, side, back, side while Follower remains center of the circle and is free to embellish doing a crazy calesita, starting with hips facing outside and away from Leader to get space to do whatever she wants with her free leg and hip rotation. She can play with the rotation of her hips and with what her legs do in this crazy calesita, while Leader does a good job keeping her lifted and taking good equidistant steps around the Follower. In doing her embellishments, the Follower should look for the space to where she doesn’t bother the Leader. Her bottom hips do whatever they want, they are not following the Leader’s lead. The Leader gives the Follower space to play. To make this more challenging, the Leader changes his turn from going counterclockwise to clockwise and back. Here the Follower remains on the same standing supporting leg, though in theory she could change weight and do the crazy calesita to embellish with her other leg (which is easier than remaining on the same leg when the leader walks around in the other direction).
The class concluded with all three teaching couples dancing at the same time to demonstrate what they taught in class.
9pm to 1am
HOLIDAY TANGO GALA AND PERFORMANCE with LIVE MUSIC
The gala was fun and performances were astoundingly awesome. The live music was by Tango Llaneros Orchestra, a band from Lubbock, TX, which I found amazing.
Sunday, December 11, 2022
4th Holiday Tango Weekend 2022, organized by Hugo and Celina
Sokol Center, Dallas, Texas
11am to 12pm
ROD & JENNY
Change of directions - various fluid movements/elements - ALL LEVELS
Our class began with a warm-up led by Jenny.
Maestros’ philosophy is to show a move three times, and then the class would try to do it.
The step began with a basic, to change weight, then Follower does left foot rock step as Leader rotates.
Leader left foot forward, weight change with right foot, left foot forward to lead Follower rock steps. He turns and leads Follower in a series of rock steps. So the footwork starts with Leader doing parallel system left foot forward walk and then he does a quick right foot weight change to get into cross system and then walks forward with his left foot. The Leader does right foot stop rebound as he “checks the ice” to see if it will crack, so most of his weight is on his left back foot. The Leader makes a triangle and does a series of rock steps, alternating with his right foot and left foot.
Follower: Do not sit back, but spring forward to the next step. So the Leader and Follower do rock steps on the same foot (Leader’s left foot & Follower’s left foot, Leader’s right foot & Follower’s right foot).
When the Leader checks the ice, he should have his hips stay with his standing leg so he doesn’t step with too much weight.
Follower: Be connected with the leader. Don’t try to memorize or correct. Just follow.
Leader: Don’t impose the move, just propose it. Work on your technique.
The step ends by walking out to the cross.
Follower: When the Leader leads, move with what you feel, not because you know what the next steps will be.
If Leader imagines he is facing 12 o’clock, his steps are basically to 7 o’clock and back or to 5 o’clock and back. The last rock step is after the 5pm, he really goes up to bring Follower to go to his other side, to the open side of the embrace, so they are offset. Then he lowers with his left foot forward and she goes down with her left foot back step.
Leader collects and turns at the same time, but Follower does not collect. She pivots with both feet weighted as Leader collects his right foot to pivot to a left foot back cross step to the Leader’s right leg sacada. Follower’s right foot is forward and left foot is back, then she stays down and is pivoted so her left foot is forward and right foot is back.
Leader steps left foot outside Follower at point of her split weight pivot when her left foot is back and right foot is forward, then pivots her counterclockwise to Follower right foot back and left foot forward as the Leader steps left foot cross back across the Follower to the Leader’s right foot sacada of Follower’s back right foot.
So Follower’s footwork for the whole thing is:
The Follower’s rock steps are:
(1) Right foot rock step
(2) Left foot rock step to alteration (so no weight change in between the two steps)
(3) Right foot rock step.
(4) Left foot back, right foot forward
(5) Pivot to
(6) Left foot forward, right foot back after which Leader does his right foot sacada of her trailing right foot
(7) To right foot side step across Leader
(8) Out to basic to the cross
All done in the line of dance.
As the Follower goes around the Leader after her split weight pivot, he quickly pulls in his right foot to let her pass, then he does his right foot sacada of her trailing right foot.
From 12 o’clock to 7 o’clock, the Leader’s right foot sacada enables him to keep linking the Follower split weight pivot if he wants.
This is not a pattern/sequence. It can be broken down to do any move first or second, such as Leader left foot forward walk outside of Follower to her split weight pivot, then rock steps, etc.
12:15pm to 1:15pm
VIRGINIA VASCONI
Movements in Crossed System to enhance the improvisation and profit from the music – INT/ADV
We would work on the cross system to enhance improvisation.
In the parallel system, both dancers walk on the same two tracks. Taking an additional step makes us go into the cross system. In the cross system dancers are on different legs, so this gives us more possibilities.
In the cross system, Leader steps to the left, Follower to the right. Leader turns his chest counterclockwise to move the Follower around him. This changes the system already to lead the Follower to do a back ocho starting with her left leg. This is resolved into the cross. The Leader needs to manage the timing to switch the weight of the Follower. So he can take his time to place her weight and settle it to switch the weight of the Follower.
Tips: The most important thing is to not do the regular ocho when the Leader does the side step with the Follower. Leader is on his left foot 70%, with weight on both feet until he changes the Follower’s weight. Leader can play with the Follower’s weight change, doing a rock step, and then complete the weight change.
Follower stays with the Leader, and needs to receptive to where the Leader places her to land. Keep top with the Leader. (In our classwork, VV’s ochos are open, no collection of feet in between, so Follower’s leg is out a bit.)
Followers should release the hip joint, moving inside her shoulders. In practicing our ochos, keep your front forward with the Leader.
The Leader needs to be precise with where he sends the Follower, but to keep her in front of him.
Followers: It’s important how she changes her weight.
Exercise in partnership (no Leader or Follower):
Right leg forward to right leg forward facing each other, but offset to each other. Right hand on each other’s chest, having connection and gently pushing with presence to do weight changes back and forth, being sure back leg and forward leg become totally free as we go back and forth.
Back to the step:
Leader left foot forward step around Follower on her left foot back ocho, to pivot her into left foot front cross footwork. Starting when Follower is on the close side, to step with his left foot on the close side of the embrace, offset, then they do it, both pivoted cross. Leader’s left foot forward, step offset around Follower in a rockish step, to pivot into right foot back cross tuck, to Leader left foot sacada on Follower’s right foot side step of her trailing left foot. Follower left foot front cross tuck as Leader does his pivot to tuck. The more the Leader rotates the Follower, the more room he will have to step left foot forward offset outside the Follower.
Leader’s lead of the Follower left front tuck is like the lead for an ocho cortado as he does his right foot back cross tuck as he twists counterclockwise. Leader left foot forward offset partner to immediate back cross tuck. As he does his pivot to right foot back cross after he steps left foot forward.
1:30pm to 2:30pm
ADRIAN & ALEJANDRA
Share axed combinations - ADV.
We began with a warmup led by Alejandra.
From 6 of the basic to the cross, the Leader leads a colgada on her right foot back step after the cross. Leader leads this colgada by activating the embrace, lifting, then turning his torso. Then he pivots her as she is on her weighted right foot. Her left foot/leg goes on in colgada, first to the side and out around changing to as the Leader pivots her around by taking tiny side steps around her weighted right foot in a counterclockwise direction.
The Follower should remain connected with her back in the Leader’s right hand. She has a small flex in her right knee as it is weighted during the colgada.
The Leader’s right foot forward step ends the figure.
This is not a super colgada. It’s not huge.
Next step: Barrida with colgada
Leader does left foot forward sacada, and then a second forward sacada of his right foot to her trailing right foot on her side step to sweep the Follower’s left foot with his left foot to cross deeply in front of her right foot, but way behind it, since it is a big sweep. Follower’s right foot unhooks from behind her deeply crossed left foot and does a big fan back out and around.
The shared axis is with opposite feel.
Leader’s right foot takes the axis where the Follower’s left foot is.
We are using two techniques:
In the sweep, Leader and Follower are parallel. She should step in a triangle so the Leader can take a bunch of forward steps to push the Follower into her cross.
The Follower does a deep cross. As Leader leads the sweep, he opens up, letting her back out with his right hand as his left foot extends forward to lead the Follower’s deep cross of her left foot against and behind her right weighted foot.
3pm to 4pm
CARLOS COPELLO
Smooth and Great Style - ALL LEVELS
We began with a warm-up dance. Maestro noticed how dancers were not dancing in the line of dance, but just dancing haphazardly, in the middle of the room or cutting across diagonally, taking whatever space they wanted, even though the dance floor was very large.
He stopped us and reprimanded us for not dancing in the line of dance. He noted that we need to manage the dance floor, doing smaller movements, do not run, do not go into the center of the dance floor, keep the embrace close, dance simply with no unnecessary adornments. We should keep our movements small and focused since tango is a social dance, and we should learn to use and keep within the circle.
In our class, we would use turns and counterbalance to keep the dance space small and not going all over the space. We should be able to walk and maneuver on the dance floor and to listen to the music. The Leader needs to be attentive to everything as there are lots of factors going on. He needs to be like 5G wifi. Do not bump into other couples because that ruins the milonga.
Leaders and Followers need to have the correct attitude at the milonga. Leaders should have posture and presence, be debonair and proper. Followers should be friendly and have sass. Tango is a great stage where all are protagonists. Each dancer wants to be a part of that world and look good. That’s the joy of the milonga and why we need attitude, both Leaders and Followers.
Understand the Milonguero code of conduct. When Leaders in Buenos Aires speak into the Follower’s ear while they are dancing, being flirtatious, that’s how men are, they are trying to be personable, so do not take offense.
Having no unnecessary opinions is part of the Code of the Milonguero. LOL.
Maestro showed us a sequence going from the basic to the cross, to a counterclockwise turn. Leader does left foot lapice starting on Follower’s back step, the end with his left leg back at the Follower’s left foot forward step when her right leg is back, so both Leader and Follower’s outside legs (his left, her right) are back together, somewhat in V shaped parallel. Then the Leader leads the Follower to hop over in front of him on her right foot side step by lifting her. When the jump is going to be led, the Leader’s right hand automatically goes lower on the Follower’s back, taking only a millisecond, so that he can lift the Follower more easily and with a bigger range of motion. After the hop, the Leader does a left leg parada on the open side of the embrace as she continues on her left foot forward step in the counterclockwise turn.
Leaders need to be focused on everything because it happens automatically. The hop is a good surprise for the Follower. He should not tell her it’s coming.
4:15pm to 5:15pm
CELINA & HUGO
The power of counterweight, analyzing together from where is coming – ALL LEVELS
Our class would focus on working with the power of the counterweight. Where can we do the counterweight? The bodies are connected when we are dancing as a couple. When talking about counter weight, the center is in the top of hips, not the butt.
Step:
Rebound of Follower’s right foot back. Leader should use his ankles to move, rather than from his knees in parallel system and cross system. The Leader’s right hand should be flexible to the Follower’s back because she will take the action and needs to be able to move in close embrace or open embrace.
On the first rebound, the Follower should activate her hands in the embrace, let her hips go back and then pull with her fingers to go forward to create impulse.
Leader should be careful to not lead the Follower to step and go down.
From the Follower’s back ocho on her left foot, Leader does right leg sweep of Follower’s right foot out and away. Her weight goes to her right foot to the right leg becomes the strong standing supporting leg. Follower’s right hip go out to generate the space, or Leader can move his hips back so she will go back in counterweight in response. So either Leader or Follower can initiate the counterweight. The Follower’s right hip goes out (dancers are perpendicular to each other), to step over and around the Leader with her left foot prettily, as this is a circular move. After the colgada step over, the Leader leads the Follower to pivot, starting a new with the Follower’s forward ocho of her right foot forward step clockwise. On this step, he catches the Follower’s trailing left foot with his foot and lifts it, flinging her foot up in a boleo. Leader looks for the space, finding her foot and lifting his leg to gently fling her foot. As she pivots on her arriving right foot in her forward ocho, her flinged left leg comes around in the air in a boleo.
The Follower needs to finish the transition and pass with counterweight.
We are playing with our partner’s counterweight. It’s a rebound (rebote), not a rock step. The difference between a rebound (rebote) and a rockstep is that the axis moves together in the rock step, but in the rebound/rebote the axis moves apart in opposite directions.
We were to play with the Follower’s hips to do the rebound.
Do not freeze in the position.
In tango, we should think of our upper bodies/chest as having circular movements, and our hips are square, as our feet step in triangles. The Leader should look for the triangle opportunities in stepping.
5:30pm to 6:45pm
MASTER CLASS WITH: Rod & Jenny, Virginia, and Celina & Hugo
one step different visions – ALL LEVELS
The structure of this class was similar to other master classes with each teaching couple focusing on same concept but adding their own spin to it. The subject of our class was the cadena (or “chain)”.
VIRGINIA VASCONI
From the parallel system, we did rebounds in close embrace. The Follower’s right foot back rebound to right foot forward step to left foot side step. Leader needs to keep Follower in front of him in the embrace.
In partnership, we practiced the bounce and return of the Follower’s right foot side step as the Leader rocks forward with his right foot as they are perpendicular to each other. He pivots around and she goes around counterclockwise. As he pivots on his left leg to step back with his right foot cross, to left foot front tuck to right foot side step. The Follower’s footwork is a forward alteration.
Follower: On her left foot side step, Leader pivots her, so she does a left foot pivot to step forward with her right foot. Left foot side step, right foot back step as Leader crosses across the Follower.
To lead the Follower left foot pivot, the Leader’s left foot is back. The Follower pivots forward and Leader pivots back at the same time.
ROD & JENNY
To VV’s cadena, continuous sacadas were added with the Leader’s right foot sacada to displace the Follower’s left foot front boleo across her left leg, immediately into a left foot side step sacada to the Leader’s trailing right foot, then immediately the Follower does right foot back step to free her left leg for Leader to sacada to again displace her left foot to do a front boleo across her left leg, immediately into the Follower left foot side sacada into the Leader’s trailing right foot, etc. This move could go on continuously. He pivots a lot as he goes around counterclockwise, collecting and doing a right foot sacada, linking the sacadas continuously in a straight line. As the Leader goes around, he lowers and rises.
CELINA & HUGO
Added a series of sacadas on the Follower’s right foot forward ocho step, she does a sacada on the Leader’s trailing right foot of his forward step. Leader does left foot sacada on follower’s right foot forward step. Follower does left foot Sacada. Leader’s left leg forward step is the sacada initiation and receiver of the Follower’s sacada as she steps forward with her right foot so his trailing left foot receives the sacada. We concluded in the Americana, to pivot the Follower around on her weighted left foot to do a right leg gancho of the Leader’s right leg. So the dancers are doing all forward steps and big pivots, and are both initiators and receivers of the sacadas. He goes in a left foot sacada to her trailing left foot on her right foot forward step, then she goes in with her left foot sacada of his trailing right foot on his forward step.
While footwork has been detailed, the motion of the body is the most important. The Leader needs to watch the Follower’s upper body. He goes, she passes, transitioning to the empty space. It is much easier to do this when the Leader pays attention to where the Follower’s upper body is as it passes, so he knows when to go to make it fluid and elegant.
9pm to 1am
FAREWELL MILONGA
This was less attended than the prior nights, but I had an easier time getting dances.
Overall thoughts on the weekend.
It was great. I had an excellent time in class, learning from Maestros I previously have not taken classes with. I particularly found the community to be very friendly. The local Dallas leaders were especially good natured and willing to work and dance with followers of all levels, even the ones they didn’t know or who were not from the area, to make this a fun and inclusive event. Many Dallas leaders were good to excellent, and even many of the newer leaders show a lot of promise and don’t have a lot of bad habits. With only one workshop per time period, we had the same students in the same classes the entire weekend, so we got to know each other a little bit, and all classes and milongas were at one venue, so no pressured frenzy, rushing around to different places, and free ample parking. I’ve been to festivals domestically and internationally, and the care and thoughtfulness that went into this one is top notch. It also occurs at an ideal time, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when there is a slight lull in the holiday season, so air travel was not crazy. I plan on being back next year!
