November 4 - 5 in Buenos Aires

 Dinner was the Early Bird at La Cabrera (José A. Cabrera 5127)

 

At the Early Bird at La Cabrera, the meal is 40% off.  The seating is at 6:30pm sharp, and you have to be done by 8:00pm sharp.  No reservations taken. You have to just show up and put your name on their list, along with the number of people in your party.  When 6:30pm comes around, they will seat parties by going down the list.  We arrived around 6:15pm, and our name was one of the last ones on the list, but we were still able to get seated at 6:30pm.  While we were waiting, we looked at the menu so we would know what to order ASAP and not dilly dally since we had to be done by 8pm.

 

My guest had one of the steaks, which was huge and came out in two pieces.  I had the short ribs. At first, I wanted a full portion, but the waiter strongly advised against it for just me, so I got a half portion.  It was still massive.  Both cuts of beef were absolutely delicious and cooked exactly how we ordered them. We also ordered a chorizo, which was large and more than enough for two people. The La Cabrera chorizo is unique to the restaurant since it is made on site, seemingly with much less fat than the usual chorizo at a typical parilla.  We both had water and no wine.  All dinners come with a bread basket and an assortment of little veggie side dishes (mashed cauliflower, mashed beets, roasted veggies with poached egg on top, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, a carrot and garlic concoction, apple sauce, aioli, chimichurri) all served in little dishes a la Korean BanChan.  The bill for the both of us with tip was ARS$10,000 ($35), and we took the leftover meat, as there was easily enough for another meal.

 

I toyed with the idea of going to a milonga, but decided against it as I was already physically tired after two weeks of intense training, and honestly, after dancing with the Intensivo assistants, why would I need more?

 

November 5, 2022

Saturday

 

For breakfast I had some leftover Morita empanadas, and based on my experience, I do not recommend them.  The day after, the Morita empanadas are really flaky, too flaky like the dough didn’t have enough fat or protein to bind properly, and very powdery.  So I believe their flour to binder proportions are off.  But the worst part of it was in my Proveleta, I bit into a small stone!  I’m glad I didn’t bite down hard because it could have been a dental disaster!  So you can rest assured that I will never go back there ever again!

 

Other than the stone incident, the morning was mellow and easy going with me just editing my own work (actually the toughest thing to do), and jotting off emails to some buddies.  

 

Then it was off to Tango Imagen, because it was the very last day I could do any shoe shopping.  And up to this point, I had not purchased even one pair, a record for me!

 

Tango Imagen (Anchorena 606) did not disappoint!  I got there promptly at 11:05am, just a few minutes after it opened, and Adrian was there with the door wide open.  He remembered me, too, though I did email the shop earlier in the week to let him know I was coming.  Long story short, I pulled all the size 36 shoes that looked interesting (about 30 pairs, LOL, which would generally be pretty obnoxious anywhere else and by anyone else), tried them all on, and settled on about 12.  When he rang me up, it only came to about USD $750, so I decided to look around some more.  I finally settled on an additional 3 pairs for a total of 15 pairs, which came out to USD $878 (USD $59 each).  I told him in my email that I would be paying in USD so he was ready with USD change (small bills).  I was thrilled.  While I previously thought shoe prices have kept pace with their past USD equivalent, clearly that is not the case. It seems to me that shoes are about 20-30%+ cheaper than they were previously, even accounting for me likely getting a modest discount because I bought so many shoes in under an hour and am a longtime client.

 

After I returned to my studio to snap a few pics and then pack away my shoes, it was off to Gabriela Elias’s Escuela to Olga Besio’s seminar.

 

Olga Besio’s class at Escuela Mundial de Tango (ARS$1700) (prices for seminars went up by ARS$100 more than last week)

 

Olga Besio is a legend. I took one group lesson with her in about 2008 and it blew my mind at the time, even though it was in Spanish, so I just had to take this opportunity to learn from her again.

 

The class was all in Spanish with no translation.  And my Spanish was extremely rusty.  But I still got the jist of some of the class info, as a kind student astute enough to realize that I hadn’t a clue what was being said, translated quietly for me, which I dearly appreciated.

 

The class was heavy on listening and discussion, and less so on actual physical movement, though we did some.

 

I got there a little late, and the class had already started with discussion, then listening to some tango music.  Then we practiced doing ochos, but just stepping on the 1.  Then there was more discussion, and listening to strong tango music, then practicing some ochos stronger on the 1.

 

Next there was some discussion about soft, soothing music. Then, individually, we danced/moved to the music, just feeling it and expressing it in our movement, being respectful of the pauses in the music.

 

To the same music, we practiced in couples, with one person walking and the other person doing back sacadas to the walker’s trailing foot as they walked forward slowly.  It was kind of a head trip as it required you to move circularly around the forward walker, and to also be aware of where they were stepping and how you were going to time it just right to do a back sacada to the walker’s trailing foot.  Both dancers were to be aware and focus on the quality of movement in the back step and forward step.

 

The class ended with all of us doing our own foot massage.  Maestra’s philosophy is that we should do the foot massage to our own feet to make them more flexible and heat them up before dancing.  So we rubbed the base, tapped the top, pulled, bent and stimulated each toe, etc. to massage and stimulate the feet.  Even if you work on computers all day, Maestra said we should stimulate our feet at least twice a day even if we are not dancing. 

 

 

She also said we should massage our shoes, and showed us how. I didn’t do mine since I had dance sneakers, but for the usual tango heels, it involves rubbing the inside base with our thumbs and bending the shoes so they are flexible.

 

It was an interesting class, filled with concepts I had never heard or tried before.

 

Alejandro Turco Suaya’s class at Escuela Mundial de Tango (ARS$1700); subject: Pugliese

 

Next class was Turco Suaya’s Pugliese class.  We began with a discussion of Pugliese – his general biography (b 1905, d 1995), political leanings strongly in support of workers’ rights and conditions and equality, the environment at the time, how he was imprisoned several times because of his beliefs. His humbleness and strong sense of fairness and respect for work, who never wanted more than the others. During the times he was in prison, his orchestra still played, still performed, leaving a single red carnation on the piano to represent him.

 

We also listened to some of his most famous compositions (La Yumba), which are more symphonic (what you’d hear in a concert hall) than typical tango music (what you’d hear in a dance hall).  In Pugliese’s music there is often the usual beat, and then in the middle of the song, the rhythmic line disappears. Where it disappears, we were to pause and do more flowy, expressive movements (not just stepping on the rhythm) such as big, flowy lapices in place.  In Pulgliese’s music there are parts that are very complicated, and very complicated for beginners express in their dance. Fortunately, these parts are temporary and the music then returns to the usual beat or even driving rhythm, which are easier to dance to.  Most other orchestras are all about the Bandoneon.  Not Pugliese’s music, which are more about the violin.  His compositions are very original arrangements.  There is chaos and freedom in his music.  It’s very flexible music, where you do more in the silence. We are the interpreters of the musicality.

 

Since there was only one beginner leader in class and six followers, the Followers ended up doing more exercises than dancing with each other.  We began walking individually in a circle to get the music of Pugliese inside our bodies. Then in partnership, we were to dance together, just walking and when there was a pause in the music, we were to do something flowy like lapices.  

 

The beginner leader had a hard time hearing where the beat faded away and where the pause/melody/flowy part began.  I found myself wanting to take over the lead from him, and I did back lead a little bit so he could better “hear” where the non-beat parts were, and also back leading him back to walk when the beat returned.  I also led some of the Followers in their turns, being sure to do the rotation around my spine the way LV taught in the Intensivo, and I surprisingly found that many Followers did not follow my lead at all, but just pivoted to whatever side they wanted to, even though (in my opinion), I clearly led them the other way.  Some Followers also did not know how to do the basic turn exercise/footwork.

 

Maestro as usual rotated in the class, watching the leader and giving him pointers and instruction, and also dancing with the followers individually.  What surprised me was how good everyone looked when they danced with him, even the followers who did not do turns very well or did not follow my lead very well.  I guess that’s why he’s the Maestro and I am the student. :o). There were a couple of milongueras in class, who even though they were not that technically astute, still danced with incredible connection, passion and acceptance.

 

It was an excellent class, as usual.

* * * * *

 

After class I picked up a few empandas for the plane trip, went back to the studio to pack and shower, and then Dante took me promptly to the airport.

My Aeorlineas Argentinas flight was awesome! I totally lucked out as even though my original seat was fine, I noticed that further back there were a couple of rows that were complete empty.  So early on in the flight, I switched back to one of the rows and was able to lay completely flat and sleep somewhat during most of the trip.  It was heaven to be able to do that, since I worry about all the blood pooling in my legs during such a long flight, even when wearing compression leggings and compression socks.  I also had my eyepatch, ear plugs and noise-cancelling headphones, which were a Godsend since the row was just a couple ahead of the bathroom.

 

It was a great trip overall. I spent much less than I budgeted, partly because I was working for half the trip, and partly because everything is so much less expensive because of the strength of the dollar and the state of the Argentine economy. I actually had a hard time following the Spanish language for the prices of things because the numbers were so high (everything in the hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands) and my Spanish is so rusty after not really using or hearing much of it in the last three years.  And other than the dinner at La Cabrera, I ate out at very cheap take-out places or groceries from Coto or the veggie market, which was super cheap. I also only took one taxi ride; all other transportation was done on the Subte, where I spent a total of ARS$550 (US$2) for all my rides the entire two weeks I was there.  Even my Airbnb private studio was very reasonable at USD$26 per night.  In the past, that’s what I paid for Airbnb communal living situations!

 

I will be sure to be back in 2023!

 

Intensivo B in Buenos Aires October 31 to November 4, 2022

 October 31, 2022

Monday

Luciana Valle Intensivo B – Day 1

 

In our warm-up dances, we were to review the fundamentals of how to move with a focus on where our axis should be, and not being on our toes as they need to be free.  If the axis is too far forward, your toes are screaming.  Propel and take every step you need; do not fall into your steps.  The axis moves inside the foot and toes are off the floor.  Do not change the axis. Move like you have rollers on the feet. Take the step before you lose power of the heel as you move forward.  Undo the flex after stepping to ground and grow.

 

Followers: In going backward, move the axis toward the back of the foot.  Ground and grow.  Start to move in the direction you are going. Do not fall into your step. Push off the floor.  In the forward walk, the axis goes from the middle of the foot to the middle of the foot using the whole foot on the floor.

 

Embrace:  Leader’s hand is in front of his sternum.  There can be a change in his relation with the Follower, but his left hand / her right hand should be at the shoulder level of the shorter dancer.  

 

We danced one tango, just paying attention to walking, using different size steps.  Have good posture to allow you to be comfortable with your partner.  Remember our wall posture: butt and shoulders on wall, let go and body will fall.  In tango, our shoulders are toward the front part of our hips.  Toes are still free, but do not move axis to the front part of the foot.  Shoulders are on top of the hips, but do not lean forward.  Do not be too far forward.  Put heels on the ground to center the axis.  Be aware of where your axis is on each step.

 

Next, we explored the relationship of the bend of the knees and the length of the steps.  Do not bend the knee too much, but keep the bend small.  Leaders: never lock your knee.  Just push from the standing foot/leg and cover the space.  If the Leader takes a big step, there is more flex in the knee, but the power makes the Leader flex slightly when leaving and arriving to collect.  The Leader’s flex is related as a consequence of the size of the step.

 

We drilled these ideas by dancing, taking small steps, medium steps, and large steps, all in any direction, to see and feel what the differences were.

 

Leading is not moving the Follower.  It is about moving yourself, propelling and going, no matter the size of the step, even the small ones.  Follower: Leader needs to feel where your legs are, so be sure to push and grow.  

 

There was some Follower confusion about not being heavy.  The problem when Followers feel heavy is when they are leaning, abandoning their embrace, or being too tight in their embrace, or not taking the step.  Follower should have weight in her legs and GO.  To be easy to lead, the Follower needs to be on axis, be on her legs and to MOVE.

 

If the Leader takes a smaller step, he can have less power in his legs.  The Leader pushes the floor to grow. Feedback is in the Follower’s embrace.  She responds with her step (answering with her legs). The Follower should have good connection in her embrace but not tension.

 

We drilled walking, Leader with power and Follower with good feedback in her legs.

 

Leader: Taking large steps does not mean stepping fast.  Put more power in your standing leg to increase size and undoing flex for reception.  

 

Follower: The Follower goes from center of foot to center of the foot.  If her step is too long, she is arriving on the metatarsal.  If she is too far forward, she will go too long since she is taking with her free leg, and she will go down.  

 

The Leader’s projection is half the size of the step.

 

We drilled this concept, adding the Q Q S rhythm.

 

Follower’s feedback is a mirror of what she gets from the Leader. If she gets power, she should answer with power in her legs.  Keep heels on the floor, otherwise Follower will look like she is sitting and on tippy toes.  

 

In Q Q S rhythm, the Leader can slightly tilt the axis a little to get the Q Q dynamic, but he needs to recover the axis and not keep leaning/falling.

 

You have more time than you think in Tango.  In stepping on the “one” – you do not arrive on the “o”, so it’s almost like you are going to be late, but you are really on time when you arrive on the “e”.

 

END OF MORNING SESSION

 

In our afternoon warm-up dances, our focus was to try to be complex as possible: taking big steps to small steps immediately after, going from slow to fast, controlling the energy and flex, taking care of the axis, doing Q Q S, or S S S S, combining unusual steps: forward step, changing weight, forward step; backward step, change weight, forward step, etc., etc.  We were to explore different ways of our steps in direction, rhythm (Q Q S or S S S), and size of steps.  

 

In walking, we should pass through the center with each step before taking the next step.  

 

Leaders were to do a forward step, weight shift, forward step with same leg. 

 

Leaders were to do a forward step, then a small forward step slow, and a forward step, playing with the different sizes of steps.

 

The Leader’s lead of the Q Q S is one piece, and the Follower’s response is one piece, one breath also.  It’s an attack and release of the motion energywise.  Follower needs to go with her heels.

 

New exercise to increase Follower sensitivity: Leader steps forward, together, then back. We did this on both sides/legs.  With Leader’s right hand out, not embracing the Follower but still providing support, so Follower needed to connect and engage with her left hand and have appropriate pushing in palms or holding on with fingers where appropriate.

 

We are doing all these new, different, somewhat strange steps to break our own boundaries. Otherwise we will always dance the same.  

 

Then we went on to the subject of the day: DYNAMICS OF THE FREE LEG

 

The goal was to free the free leg of the Follower, and the key is in the standing leg, pushing on it, then releasing it. 

 

We began with an exercise where Leader played with and controlled the free leg of the Follower by moving his axis (body/core, not arms), forward and back without moving his legs. He tilts the axis like he is going to go, but just to feel the extension of the Follower’s leg.  The Follower moves her leg (NOT her axis or body) back and forward in response to the Leader´s axis moving forward and back. The axis is always on the front part of the feet.  Leader should play with the space inside of his foot.  Heel, center, toe. Do not be too forward or back, otherwise he will fall.

 

Follower: When Leader moves the axis forward, you push forward as he moves your free leg.  Starting to travel your axis, palms are forward and then fingers pull back to get back to center when he comes in.

 

We were playing with the motion before the motion. The Leader tells the Follower when he’s going to go by shifting his axis inside his foot to control the Follower’s free leg.  The Leader’s motion is inside his axis, which moves the Follower’s free leg. The Follower’s leg needs to be free by growing and grounding, sending the energy down to her standing foot.

 

We did a drill, moving the energy, axis to the side. Since our feet are narrower than they are long, it’s easy to get this intention mixed up with a weight shift.  

 

Adding dynamic to the Follower’s free leg: Leader’s axis goes forward, and he begins with another step but changes his mind. 

 

Next, we played with intention, moving the foot, and then actually stepping. Followers were to let their legs get heavier and move down into the ground, and also react with the leg from the hip (not just below the knee). 

 

Next, we played with changing the dynamics of the Leader´s forward step, where he adds more energy, doing a normal step in size, but with lots of energy, stopping suddenly, to lead Follower´s leg to go straight back and really freeing her leg. Both Leader and Follower have to really anchor. Follower does not control and Leader does not lead the return. We were just to focus on the Leader sending the Follower´s leg out straight back.  Boleos are a cut motion, circular or linear.  This is not a linear boleo, but it is close.  The Leader steps and makes another intention of a step that never happens.  So it’s a “Step And” or a “Step Plus”.  The Follower needs to remain connected with her left hand so she doesn’t fly away.  The sensation for her leg is to hang from the braline.  The leg is like a pendulum.  Leader: Do not pull her to you back in with a back step. It’s a pure “with” with the Follower.  Leader needs to anchor his legs and not step backward.

 

END OF DAY 1

 

Dinner was from empanadas from Morita (Corrientes 5699), and a bit pricier at ARS$1150 for 6 empanadas (USD $0.67) per empanada, but they had much more interesting flavors (hot dog and cheddar), particularly vegetable ones (grilled veggies, broccoli & mushroom, pumpkin & corn), and they were bigger and baked fresh when ordered.  

 

No milongas for me during the week since I need to log in to do my day job, which has worked seamlessly and flawlessly.

 

November 1, 2022

Tuesday

Luciana Valle Intensivo B – Day 2

 

In our warm-up dances, we focused on yesterday’s topics. In walking, we were to practice our most foundational work.  Leader needs to understand where his axis should be, how to create the step, and how to free the Follower’s leg.  In flexing the knee, taking small, medium, and large steps, we propel from the standing leg and unflex by straightening our knee.  We were to feel the difference between how much power is needed to do longer steps or Q Q S, and have no bouncing, no up and down, and go with just one push, not three pushes.  We also did the left, together, left, and right, together, right steps, and long, short, long, forward together back, using subtle weight changes, concentrating on the quality of the walk, and keeping our heels on the ground.

 

To be a good dancer that everyone wants to dance with, you should look like you are ice skating on the floor – the quality of the walk is everything, and the embrace.

 

Follower: Take the steps!  Do not be afraid!

 

Leaders and Followers need to be more decisive.  Walking is about the standing leg, and turning is about the torso.

 

Follower: Use your connection, otherwise the Leader will need to bring you back.

 

Follower and Leader need: embrace, have power in the legs, be decisive, have definition and power.

 

Then we continued our work on: DYNAMICS OF THE FREE LEG

 

For the Follower’s leg to be free, her heel needs to be on the floor, with some weight. The weight should be between the metatarsal and the heel. There is always just one working leg and one free leg, so Follower should not immediately collect her leg forcefully in the middle to make both legs working legs.  Rolling the axis inside the foot is the Follower’s job.  The Leader will not do it for her. 

 

Using the axis of the Leader to move the Follower’s leg: to the back, front, and side.  The sensation is that of the Leader doing the beginning of his step, but doesn’t allow the Follower’s free leg to go all the way to actually step.

 

If the Follower steps from her free leg (not push from her standing leg), she will either overstep or understep the Leader. 

 

The Follower needs to have a good embrace using her palms when Leader goes toward her, and fingers when Leader goes away from her.  

 

We drilled the exercises again to free the Follower’s legs.

 

Leader steps and does another back up. Nothing changes in his embrace.  Do the “step and”. It’s the intention of the step that doesn’t happen, but she gets all the momentum in the lead, which makes her free leg go out.  The Follower’s leg is like a pendulum.  We were to try this with both legs.  Followers need to connect using their palms and fingers.  Follower: do not anticipate because it looks very much like other things we’ve done, so we shouldn’t know until it’s happening, not before.  

 

We drilled this, inserting it at random places in the dance.

 

In doing it to the front, the Leader does a back step and vacuum.  

 

Problem: Leader needs to do it outside partner otherwise the Follower will kick him. It’s tricky because of the space.  We can do it in cross system (on the Follower’s front ocho) or in parallel system.  The Leader needs to anchor himself.  The Follower needs to maintain her braline toward leader, whether she is parallel to Leader or perpendicular to Leader.  

 

From the Follower front cross, the Leader steps and pivots the Follower, anchoring on his standing leg. The Follower needs to actively engage her embrace: it’s all her job.  The Leader needs to also grow when he collects.  Leader and Follower are moving together all the time and getting energy from pushing the floor.

 

END OF MORNING SESSION

 

There was some confusion leading the Follower’s free leg back versus doing the steps forward, long, short, long.  The dynamics are different.  One is a powerful step, and the other is one energy.  The differences are subtle, but it shows if the Follower’s leg is not as free as it should be.  The leader needs to make it very clear in his body.

 

Follower: Maintain connection with the Leader in the top (braline toward Leader) in her front cross. The Leader torques his top to move her hips.  

 

Leader: On the side step, do not go up, otherwise Follower will collect.  Keep the energy linear, not in a “U”.  It’s a clear stop. Do not let your embrace go with the Follower, otherwise she will fly away.  Do the dynamic at the end of the step.  

 

We drilled this, adding dynamic to the Follower’s leg so it stays out in a big floor sweep.  The Leader stays low, putting the dynamic at the point of the Follower’s pivot, while she is on the floor, without collecting and with extra energy to put the dynamic in the Follower’s free leg.  Followers: Use the connection in your hands.

 

One thing we did was linear energy in the line of the step.  The Leader now directs the energy to the pivot, but it’s not arriving soft and then leading the pivot down.  The step carries a lot of energy from the beginning.  The Leader does not pivot. He just torques his top.  The Leader leads a 180 degrees pivot, but he can also lead a smaller pivot but step with energy to get the same result.  

 

Next, we experimented with the Leader adding the dynamic after the pivot (looks like the Follower’s embellishment of an air rulo, only completely led by the Leader and the leg unshaped by the Follower).  For this dynamic, there are two options for timing:  

(1)          at the peak of the Follower’s leg in the air and then the pivot (looks like air rulo, but is led by the Leader)

(2)          later, closer to where the leg goes back down and the Follower collects so it looks like a curved floor boleo, which looks completely different from the first option.

 

The Leader leads it to the Follower’s standing leg.  

 

Maestra showed, but we did not do, the option where it is led on the back step.  Maybe we will try it next year.  :o)

 

If you understand the mechanics of the move, then you have more possibilities and places where you can execute them.

 

Next, we did the same forward intention in the Leader´s walk, only doing it into the Follower front cross step. She was not to shape the return, but to have it have a natural, organic movement. 

 

To summarize, we did three different types of straight linear free leg movements: (1) straight linear forward to the side (dancers are at 90 degrees though Follower maintains bra line to Leader), (2) Straight linear forward to the side in front of the Leader, then curving as she pivots, as if for an extremely rounded exaggerated ocho with her leg out and truly free, and (3) straight linear forward to the side, with much more energy, and a pivot to change the direction of her hips while her leg is at the highest point in the air (similar to doing an air rulo, only not shaped). This was to help us play with regular ochos and dynamic ochos. We did these as with boleos and contra boleos, with normal feet and crossed feet for the Leader.

 

The Leader always goes with the Follower so far.  Now we will do contra, which is a countermotion.

 

CONTRA

 

The Leader moves opposite of the intention, so he gets the contra move.  

Leader: It’s a motion inside of his foot.

 

The Leader’s area is his half-moon and the Follower’s area is her half-moon. 

 

Do this for walking: Leader moves opposite to the intention of the next step to lead the Follower contra boleo, like he is changing his mind in stepping. 

 

Follower: Needs connection more than ever, with flexibility in the embrace but not tension. Don’t absorb the lead in your arms but be present.

 

Follower’s legs move like a whip in contra.  The “With” happens on the “go”.  The “Contra” happens on the “return”.

 

We drilled walking and then change the intention.

 

If the Leader does the contra correctly, he should be able to do it from zero and still produce more of a “return” than a “go”.

 

The Follower does forward linear boleo.  From Follower’s front cross step across the Leader as he moves opposite to Follower.  He does not need to step, he can just move his center.

 

END OF DAY 2

 

Lunch and dinner were Vacio and veggies from Coto.

 

November 2, 2022

Wednesday

Luciana Valle Intensivo B – Day 3

 

We began with a video review of our first two days of the Intensivo: quality of the step, connection, stepping small, medium and large and the relationship with our knees and the step, the standing leg and free leg, taking each step, the Q Q S rhythm and using one push to get the 1 – 3 – 1, stepping big, small, big, accelerating, pausing, and then accelerating again, changing the feet to get forward, together, forward, or forward, together, back, getting back to axis each time, grow and anchor and take direction, freeing the Follower’s leg with the Leader’s axis (the Leader moves inside of his foot, the Follower moves her axis in her foot to start the dynamic of her free leg – her other leg).  When dancers are facing each other, the free leg needs to be outside partner.  So we did this perpendicularly instead. Play with the dynamics of the Follower’s pivot (1) as she goes to the step, (2) as her leg is at the height of the linear boleo, and (3) after her leg goes back down.  Contra moves to free the Follower’s leg where the Leader moves in the opposite direction of the intention.

 

Next, we worked some more with Contra (1) in walking, (2) perpendicular with Follower doing front cross steps (front ochos).

 

Next, we did linear contra boleos.

 

With Boleos, the Follower needs to lose the bend of the knee when pivoting, otherwise her leg won’t be free and she can’t do the Contra.  Leader sends the Follower’s leg out in boleo on the floor, with the Leader torqueing while keeping Follower on floor.  Her leg goes straight out in a linear boleo, then back down and directly to a rounded boleo (Follower’s leg motion is almost like a P, d, or b depending on which leg, and which side.  She should keep her braline to the Leader.  The Follower just follows the pivot.  It’s the Leader’s choice of when and how he wants to pivot the Follower.

 

New subject:  OVERPIVOTS

 

Whether the Leader gets a pivot or overpivot depends on how he torques either with rotation or over rotation.  The Leader stops his own torsion in his spine, which controls the Follower’s hips.  It is the Bon Bon Theory.  The Leader moves tiny, but the Follower moves much more in her hips.  

 

We reviewed the Leader rotating himself from the spine versus traveling his partner around him.  The Leader’s rotation leads the Follower to pivot (rotating around his spine, so he basically stays facing 12 o’clock, but as he torques his upper body around his spine, one arm gets shorter while the other one gets longer, as if he were sawing a tree in front of him with a piece of string), versus traveling his partner (leading her to step around him in a turn by turning the front of his body for example from 9am to 3pm).

 

Follower: Have no flex/do not bend your standing leg.  Otherwise you will be heavier and slower in your pivot.  The free leg is always free. Ground and grow.  Keep braline to the Leader. When he pivots her, she answers with her hips/bottom.

 

We drilled Leader’s leading different types of Follower back crosses (back ochos): (1) with a small pivot so she moves a bit away from the Leader, (2) with a 180 degree pivot so Follower ochos linearly in front of Leader and there is no going forward away from him or back toward him, (3) with a 270 degree pivot so the Follower does an overturned back ocho back toward Leader.

 

In the Follower’s overturned back ocho, the Leader needs more torsion and energy so the Follower pivots 270 degrees as she needs to cover the same distance in the same amount of time as the other options. 

 

Follower: Use your connection, changing from palms to fingers depending on which side he is leading the back ocho from and where you are in relation to him.  The Leader steps back in the Follower’s overturned back ocho since it travels in the opposite direction.

 

The pivot and the step are the Follower’s work. The pivot is a powerful, pure, complete pivot, and then she steps. The Follower’s step is calm. Do not do the pivot and step together at the same time, otherwise you will fall.

 

Leader: Be mindful of the power of your turn and connection of the standing foot.  Leader needs to have torque and power.

 

Follower: When she gets more power, she needs to answer with her hips, not the top, otherwise she will pull her leader instead of push, in error. 

 

We drilled the Follower doing forward ochos toward the Leader, and overturned forward ochos away from the Leader.

 

A question was raised on how Leaders can be powerful without being rough.  He should put power in his torque by pushing with his standing leg and being decisive in his torsion inside of his embrace.  He should not overstep the Follower.  

 

Leader should send the Follower slightly far in her overturned back ocho.  The leader accompanies the Follower’s standing leg to go with her, to have coordination with the Follower’s step and his torsion with her hips.  

 

In the Back Sacada, her footwork is made by her spiral, his torque. 

 

END OF MORNING SESSION

 

Leader should really accompany Follower, really make Follower pivot as he steps, have more energy and deeper torsion, since she needs to do more pivot.  

 

We again reviewed the Leader rotating himself from the spine versus traveling his partner around him.  The Leader’s rotation leads the Follower to pivot (rotating around his spine, so he basically stays facing 12 o’clock, but as he torques his upper body around his spine, one arm gets shorter while the other one gets longer, as if he were sawing a tree in front of him with a piece of string), versus traveling his partner (leading her to step around him in a turn by turning the front of his body for example from 9am to 3pm).

 

We did an exercise to clearly break this down piece by piece, focusing on each aspect very clearly with the Leader torqueing his body to lead the Follower pivot, and then sending the Follower around him so she steps around him in her turn.  Then he led her back the other way. So basically the Follower did a U shape around the Leader.

 

Building to the GANCHO FROM THE LEADER’S SACADA OF FOLLOWER’S BACK CROSS STEP (BACK OCHO)

 

Next, we did the Leader’s sacada on the Follower’s standing/arriving foot on her back step. This sacada is the Leader’s open step. The Law of Hiding the Leg applies: The Leader must hide his leg and not shoot it out prematurely to catch the Follower’s back step. The Follower needs to be close to the Leader, that’s why he needs to torque a lot to lead a Follower overturned pivot. If the Follower continues to step in a turn, she will naturally gancho the Leader. This is a circular gancho. The Leader is the center, the Follower is the circle.  The Leader is asking the Follower to go, but not letting her go because he leaves his leg there.  The Leader receives the Follower’s step (her side step).  He goes down on his standing, supporting leg a little to receive the Follower’s step (gancho).  

 

Ganchos tell everything about the Leader’s dancing :o)

 

Leader: Pivot Follower, send her around, adjust your position, tell Follower to go by opening your torso. It’s an interruption of a step that’s not happening.

 

Follower: Do not throw the gancho automatically if the Leader does not lead it.  The Gancho lead is the indication from the Leader to step.  

 

The Leader gives himself room by flexing his leg.  The Follower goes as if she wants to step.

 

The Follower’s hips face toward the Leader.  The Follower keeps braline with Leader. The gancho works better in close embrace than open (Follower needs a lot of disassociation).  

 

This step is a way to work on what’s underneath the step: The Leader is the center and the Follower is the circle.

 

The Leader needs to send the Follower around.  The Follower’s step helps the Leader turn his torso so his leg will be in the correct position to receive the gancho.  The Leader’s free leg is completely free, all weight is on the standing/axis leg.  

 

Follower: Her ganchoing knee never goes in front of the standing knee. It’s more like a soft linear boleo, not a hard chop of his leg.

 

To keep the knees healthy, do not bend toward the Follower, do not invade her circle.  Do go down a bit (Captain Morgan stance).  If the Leader doesn’t get to the correct position, he should abort the mission.

 

The Follower’s turn has an overturned pivot in its structure.  But not as deep as the one the Leader needs for the Gancho because the Follower is closer to the Leader.  Because she needs to be close to the Leader, her back step is a back CROSS step AROUND the Leader.

 

Leader torsion is the tool of the Leader to change the radius of the Follower.  Deepness of the torsion = deepness of the pivot.

 

We did an exercise, Leader changing his torsion to get the Follower to do the turn in (1) 4 steps around the Leader, (2) 3 steps around the leader, and (3) 2 steps around the Leader.

 

Ganchos should not hurt.  

 

Follower: Step when the Leader invites you to go.  It’s a fluid leg motion, not a sharp fold against the Leader’s leg. Follower needs to go down lower if the Leader is shorter to get a fluid leg motion.  If the Leader is taller, it is not necessary for the Follower to go down.

 

Leader: Do not rush to place your right leg.  You have time. Leader should hide his leg until the Follower steps. 

 

Leader tells Follower to go by sending her around, and he is telling her when to gancho.  She should not just throw a gancho because his leg is there.  

 

Leader Sacada with his other leg (left leg), so he has to pivot more.  The Leader’s movements are Top, Bottom, Leg.

 

So Leader and Follower are offset each other, but still facing each other.  Leader’s weight is on his standing, supporting leg, not his ganchoing leg.  Do it on the Follower’s back step of the turn.  The Leader receives with his outside leg. Leader has to lead the gancho.  The Leader’s hips pivot at the point of the Follower gancho.  

 

The Law of Hiding the Leg is forever.  Hide the leg until it goes out in presentation of the gancho.

 

We drilled this, with the Leader sometimes asking for a gancho, and sometimes he lets her grab his leg. So he keeps his leg fixed (for the Gancho) or lets his leg free so she keeps walking in her turn.

 

To recap: Follower back ocho of right leg in clockwise turn, where Leader does right leg sacada of Follower´s back right leg arriving step, and as she side steps in her turn, her left leg ganchos his right leg. We also tried it on the other side (counterclockwise turn): Leader left leg sacada of Follower´s left leg back cross step, Follower’s right leg steps to gancho Leader’s left leg. 

 

For the Follower, her gancho is basically her free leg stepping back in an open step after the back cross step of her turn. 

 

For gancho technique, the Leader can absorb the Follower´s leg, and send it back out to the other side of her supporting, standing leg. 

 

END OF DAY 3

 

Lunch and dinner were Vacio and veggies from Coto.

 

 

November 3, 2022

Thursday

Luciana Valle Intensivo B – Day 4

 

In our warm-up dances we reviewed yesterday afternoon’s concepts.  The Center and the Circle.  Rotating the torso and traveling the partner.  

 

Common Leader mistake is to combine the rotating and traveling the partner at the same time.  The Leader’s over-rotation causes the Follower overpivot.  

 

If the Leader lets the Follower continue in her turn around him, she will displace his leg instead of Gancho it (barrida/enganche).  Follower’s steps are a back cross step around and near Leader to open side step in her Gancho.  

 

We drilled with the Leader overturning first to get the Follower’s top to bottom rotation and reviewed all the gancho possibilities and directions: Follower’s Gancho to Leader’s fixed leg; Follower’s wrap to Leader’s relaxed leg.  In either case, the Leader’s weight is always on his standing leg so his gancho receiving leg is totally free.

 

Follower: Do the Gancho with your hip, not your back.  She needs to keep her braline toward the Leader so her hips are in the correct place so she doesn’t kick the leader during the Gancho.

 

The Law of Hiding the Leg is to enable the Leader to bring the Follower close so he can set up the Gancho so that it is comfortable for both dancers, without leaning, stretching, or searching for the Gancho. 

 

In our Gancho work so far, the Leader remains the Center while the Follower remains the Circle as she walks around him.

 

We tried another Gancho: Leader and Follower right leg Ganchos to each other as they are facing each other, but offset from one another, then Leader walks around counterclockwise.  We can also do this on the other side: Leader and Follower left leg Ganchos to each other as they are facing each other, but offset from one another, then Leader walks around clockwise.  Here, Leader sends the Follower’s ganchoing leg back in dynamization as he steps around the Follower in his turn so her free leg caresses the other side of her standing leg (prettily closes).  The Leader steps around the Follower with his free leg.

 

The Leader rotates the Follower to overturn her, then he travels her in a turn so she does a back cross step, followed by an open step.  Since his leg is in the way, her open step becomes a gancho.

 

We added what we learned last week:  The Leader, in leading a Scada, goes from his top with torsion to his bottom in his hips as they come around. Then his leg goes out.  This is very similar to our Gancho work today.  So we combined the Ganchos with Sacadas.

 

The Leader is still the Center, and the Follower is still the circle in Sacadas and Ganchos.  For Sacadas, the Leader looks for the Follower’s free leg (her trailing foot).  For Ganchos, the Leader looks for the Follower’s standing leg (her arriving foot).  The Leader should send the Follower close or far depending on what he wants to lead.  The Center (Leader) and Circle (Follower) remain the same.  

 

The Follower pivots.  The turn has steps that travel.  The walker is the motor of the energy, so the Follower has to carry energy in her turn as she walks around, so she has to have power and circular steps and not into the floor, so do not go down, go around.

 

The Follower’s steps are always curved in turns and ochos.

 

END OF MORNING SESSION

 

Remember:  In tango, there is always a center, and always a circle.  There is always a standing leg, and always a free leg.  

 

The main problem is that we think these things are simple. They are not. 

 

Maestra does not teach the sandwich to Gancho or the parada to Gancho (or any “stop and park” ganchos) because it’s all static (fake), and not really dancing at all.

 

Circular ganchos are interruptions of the step that the Follower can’t do because there’s a leg in the way.

 

The Leader brings the Follower close, so he should be sure to overturn her, and her back cross step is a Back Cross Step (NOT a back Open step).  She should not anticipate.

 

We went on to a different subject: PLANEO REVIEW

 

Rotating the partner in the Leader’s axis one front around his own back.  Follower does down to up as she answers from her feet to the braline, which stays with the Leader.  This is versus the Follower moving her top: the problem is the Follower is disconnecting with the Leader.

 

In traveling his partner, the Leader goes from moving his top to his bottom.

 

We reviewed the Follower’s Pivot and Spiral whereby the Leader and Follower take side steps (Follower to her right; Leader to his left), and then Leader walks around the Follower.  The Follower’s top goes first, which brings around her bottom.  This is basically the Planeo review.

 

Follower’s exercise:  Side step to Planeo.  Follower does an adjustment to her foot/leg going from open step to front cross step, while keeping torso with Leader and spiraling around so her hips follow/come around when they need to.  The Follower has time to adjust her standing foot at the beginning of the Leader’s walk around her.  

 

The Leader’s walk is forward on the open side, and the Leader’s walk is backward on the close side for the Planeo lead.  

 

AGAIN:  The Follower needs to adjust her foot from open to forward cross to make being in Planeo posture easier to be connected to the Leader.  The Follower has time to make this adjustment.

 

On to another subject: “SHARED AXIS TURN”

 

The term “shared axis turn” is a misnomer because the dancers are not actually sharing an axis; they each have his/her own axis.  

 

We began with an exercise to understand the mechanics.

 

Leader takes a side step, placing his foot between the Follower’s two feet. He should not go beyond the middle of her foot. The Leader wants to move the axis behind the Follower so the Leader needs to go around the Follower, so he needs to step around her in a curve (recall the 90 degree stepping exercise from last week). The Follower does a spiral motion in her top to open space. The Leader just makes a small step, not a big super spin, as we are just trying to understand and feel the mechanics at this point.

 

For the Follower’s side step, the Leader should not sandwich farther than the middle of the Follower’s foot, otherwise she can’t pivot.  The Follower needs to make room for her body to spiral.  

 

Putting this into the structure of the turn, the Leader sends the Follower around him.  The Follower steps around the Leader.  At her front cross step, the Leader steps with her, letting her pass, then stepping behind the Follower, toward her but behind her axis.  Follower should not be far away.  The Follower is the Circle, the Leader is the Center.  

 

Follower: Have a very nice circular front cross step around the Leader so he can step behind her easily.

 

The Follower needs to step first before the Leader steps behind the Follower. So she passes, then he passes, and then they go out together.

 

Follower: Do not be in a block.  Do juicy ochos, have spiral in the top (like a pepper grinder). Focus on the quality of the step, pivot, and torsion.

 

Leader: Do not rush, you have more time than you think.  So let the Follower pass before you step.

 

We tried this on the other side.

 

Leader can change his legs in stepping and he can add the “shared axis turn” after the first one, to do a double spin so he doesn’t have to rebuild the energy, to the right with the right.

 

END OF DAY 4.

 

Lunch and dinner were Vacio and pulpo and veggies from Coto.

 

Later that evening during my break, I went to get some empanadas from Morita (Corrientes 5699), and the price had gone up to ARS$1250 for 6 empanadas (USD $0.73) per empanada. Curious about their special flavors, I got grilled veggies, broccoli & mushroom, and provleta, which I thought were just OK. They didn’t blow my mind, but I can see how they would be appreciated by vegans and vegetarians.  I thought the grilled veggie one was the best. I also felt guilty because Morita (over)packs their empanadas very lovingly in a very sturdy cardboard box (versus a thin paper bag at the other empanada places), with a sheet of plastic on top, and tapes it up.  So a lot more packaging than I think is necessary, but maybe it’s because they cater to delivery and pickup more than walk-up customers.

 

 

November 4, 2022

Friday

Luciana Valle Intensivo B – Day 5

 

Maestra began with a video review of all we did so far: different leads for different angles for the ocho (forward, side, overturned to travel away; back, side overturned to travel forward), showing the different examples of more torque to get more pivot. Ganchos: receiving on the inside of Leader’s leg on the left and on the right, and receiving on the outside part of the Leader’s leg on the left and on the right, Leader’s leg wrapping instead of Ganchoing so Follower keeps on walking, Leader leads Gancho then sends Follower’s leg back in his step around the Follower. Combine Ganchos with Sacadas in parallel system and cross system, showing us the Shared Axis Turn preparation exercise, starting with the Planeo to explain and feel how the Follower’s spiral works, then putting it inside of the turn to get a double spin on both sides.  END OF VIDEO REVIEW

 

Next, we did the Shared Axis Turn review.

 

Leader: In the preparation step, don’t step too far in to sandwich the Follower’s foot, otherwise the Follower will feel uncomfortable and she won’t be able to pass or pivot.  In the Shared Axis Turn step, the Leader’s step is behind the Follower’s axis in a curved step. He can keep stepping around the Follower forever.

 

Follower: Do not be on your heels or bend your back.  Do not rush the spiral, otherwise she kills the possibility of the second spin.

 

The Follower passes, and then the Leader steps behind her.  Leader has more time than he thinks.

 

Exercise: Follower forward ocho, where the pivot travels in the ways: (1) inside your own spine (like a pepper grinder), (2) steps have to be curved in the body and the step.  

 

Follower: Keep moving in your spiral.

 

Leader leads ocho to Follower planeo as he walks around Follower to get opposition in the Follower’s body.  As the Leader enters, the Follower deepens the torsion in her top and she moves from her back top to follow the Leader.  She opens the side to the Leader, increasing the torque in her top.  We practiced the Follower spiral in the back ocho, so Leader walks backward counterclockwise.

 

When the Leader stars to walk, Follower torques more in her back and goes with her braline toward the Leader. The Leader needs to walk with power and medium and large steps as he is the motor of the move since he is walking around the Follower.

 

Back to our Shared Axis work:

 

The idea of the spiral, like the Leader walking around the Follower, happens only with almost no distance.  Leader does only 1 spin.

 

Follower: Be more aware when you are spiraling when (1) Leader is torqueing, or (2) when he is traveling around you.

 

Leader: What makes the difference between a good dancer versus a very good dancer is very subtle.  Be precise in your foot placement in doing a Sacada or Shared Axis Turn, as it is very important, as is timing.  The same applies for leading Sacadas versus Ganchos.  Do it slow, check it out, and let the Follower pass in shared axis.

 

END OF MORNING SESSION

 

New Subject: RHYTHMIC VARIATIONS

 

The class began with Maestra discussing musicality with the structure of the beat, with 5 volunteers representing the 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 within the beat, and another 1 to represent the start of the next beat.

 

Our beat is always the 1.  

Q Q S is 1-3-1.  

“Compas” – is the beat where you want to step.  

 

The most typical rhythm is the 1-3-1 rhythm, where the half beat is in the middle (the 3), and in our dancing, the steps are even.

 

Sometimes we move off the beats – the syncopa, in doing the 1 – 2 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 1.  An example that we’ve already practiced is the small step, then big step.

In the 1-2-1 rhythm, often called the syncopa, the ¼ beat is closest to the 1.

 

In the 1-4-1 rhythm, the ¼ beat is moved closer to the second 1, so the first step is larger, and the second step is shorter.  There is an acceleration before the second 1.

 

We began with dancing, just stepping with everything on the 1. We were to kill any Q Q that are automatic such as the turn, cross, etc., and do them stepping only on the 1. Even though we were instructed to include ochos and turns, the dance mostly devolved into walking since it is more difficult to lead steps that automatically have half beats or quarter beats in them (getting to Follower’s cross or back cross step in the turn).  

 

Next, we drilled dancing the 1-3-1 and the 1 rhythm. Many steps have the 1-3-1 rhythm such as the ocho cortado, the turn, walking to the cross, and the corrida.  In our drill, we were to switch doing the 1-3-1 between the Leader and Follower.  We could do turns, ochos, cross system, barridas, and rock steps.  Every time there is a change in dynamics in the dance, it could be from the motion of the Leader or from the music.  

 

When the Follower is not traveling in line, she can be responsible for the musicality, such as when she is turning or doing the ocho cortado.  In the ocho cortado and the turn, the Follower can be on the music independently from the Leader, getting back on the music if he’s off because he is in one place while the Follower is going around him. The Follower cannot dictate the musicality if they dancers are walking, except when the Leader is walking the Follower to the cross.  There she can be musical.  Followers should not rush into the cross.  

 

Next, we drilled dancing to the 1-2-1 rhythm.  There are two pushes: At the 1-2, and then the 1.  Here, the 1-2 is the shorter step and the next step to 1 is longer.  So we should attack the motion faster on the 1-2, and the energy is completely different, and then release.  We drilled specifically with the Leader leading the corrida (with each step an actual step, not collecting) and walking steps.  We can do this in any weight shift where we put our two feet together.  Leader is accelerating and retaining.  Then we added the Follower’s turn whereby she could do the 1-2-1 timing, in a regular turn and in the ocho cortado.  The Follower can do the 1-2-1 rhythm on her own in the ocho cortado, even if the Leader is leading the 1-3-1, to make/create contrast with the music.  We were also to put the 1-2-1 in the corrida with the Leader’s feet together, not stepping, the ocho cortado, or stepping together, or with Follower going to the cross.  

 

The Follower can do the 1-2-1 in the turn on her side step, making the step smaller, but the next step will then need to be bigger and very much around the Leader.

 

The 1-3-1 in the rock step can also be done in 1-2-1.  Anyplace where you can get the feet together is where you can put the 1-2-1.

 

Next, Maestra showed us the 1-4-1 rhythm (putting the double time closer to the second beat) in the ocho cortado (Follower changing its accent), leading the Follower to cross. 

 

We drilled dancing to several songs to include the various rhythms 1-3-1, 1-2-1, and even 1-4-1 rhythm in our stepping within one song.

 

END OF DAY 5

 

So what did I think of the Intensivo A and B two-week experience?  I loved it, of course!  I had done it previously in 2009, and while some of the content has shifted, a lot of it was very similar, though Maestra’s teaching has evolved since then (as hopefully we all have!).  The class assistants are divine, and there is something magical about being able to drill so intensely with dancers of such a high level. So no blaming them for my personal shortcomings and weaknesses!  It made everything obvious and crystal clear when my axis was not where it should have been, when I was rushing, where I didn’t have enough connection in my hands in pushing and fingers in pulling, where my knees were bent when they should have been straight, where I didn’t ground and grow but went down, etc., etc.  It was physically exhausting, but I found it less exhausting than it was previously, as the days are shorter and fewer, and less mentally exhausting in general since I know more now than I did in 2009 and am not dealing with the stress of noisy drama in the background.  And I am sober, which I am sure helps tremendously!  I will be sure to be back next year (3x!!), and am counting the days when I can return.

 

Interestingly, one of the assistants mentioned that he had a one-week break, and then he would be assisting at the Tomas Howlin Intensive the following week.  A quick search on the internet yielded the info that Tomas is going to be in BsAs November 14-18 doing a trip with his students to learn and work on their tango with many of the same LV Intensivo assistants.  Had I known that earlier, I would have adjusted the dates of my trip. Oh well.  There’s always next year.  Tomas also has another Intensive scheduled for March 2023 that looks interesting.

 

And during this whole time, my “day job” work situation went flawlessly, so I was relieved and thrilled about that.