Tango notes and vocabulary April 2008 - Jim Mahoney Basics * upright balanced posture - "on your axis" * lean in from ankles slightly - forward balance * embrace: arms and torso in comfortable fluid frame * step on the beat with improvisation such as - speed up (step on half beats) - slow (step on occasional beats) - stop - turn in place - dance to melody, not just constant beat * typically steps have a "pulse" * smooth: keep eyes level, don't hop or bob up and down * improvised lead / follow vocabulary * steps in no particular order or set tempo Follower * weight on ball of one foot, core muscles engaged * follow leader's chest * to step back : - first reach whole leg back, heel close to floor - as leader's chest moves allow embrace to compress a bit - transfer weight at same moment as leader (not before) * full steps, whether forward, back, or to side * end each step balanced, on axis, above new foot * free leg is relaxed * wait (especially if you're not sure where to go) Leader * lead clear, definite steps * pause when the music does * to step forward : - first lean slightly to signal intent - move into follower's place - keep feet close to center line * start moving with your chest, not your foot * visualize where the follower's feet will go * prepare for a bigger step by lowering your center * don't bump into other couples * mix up walking, turning, pausing, posing Steps * walking - under partner's shoulders - your feet and knees touch as they pass - parallel (your right; their left) - cross (your right; their left) * turning - in place - or around your partner * changing from parallel to cross: - you take two steps to their one, or - you take one step while they take two * pivot on one foot, on your axis - to prepare for a forward ocho - or backward ocho * inside or outside either of partner's legs Vocabulary open embrace, close embrace milonga (i.e. social event) milonga (i.e. fast tango style) valtz or tango valtz neo or nuevo tango parallel system, cross system of walking embellishments (e.g. circles, foot taps) eight-count basic walking to the cross (cruzada) forward and backward ochos (i.e. figure eights) molinete or giro (pronounced "hero") or grapevine rock block or stop or touch drag sandwich boleo gancho (hook) sacada (displacement) volcada (tip over) colgada (hanging out) left and right turns (i.e. halfway round molinete) open and closed box (six step symmetric patterns) pose ocho cortada (quick-quick-slow to cross) tanda cortina line of dance floor craft "thank you" * open embrace - space between partners in frame - typically leader's right hand near follower's shoulder - allows for larger moves * close embrace - chest to chest, direct torso contact - or at least entire leader's forearm on follower's back - typically simpler, quieter moves * parallel system r - your left foot follows their right L l - two "tracks" on the floor R (r l) is one person, (R L) is other * cross system l - your right follows their right L r - three "tracks" on the floor R * embellishments - small extra movements of the feet - particularly by the follower - many stylistic variations - circles on the floor - tapping floor with toe - hooking in front or behind standing leg * suspension - leader lifts center a bit - follower remains on standing leg - leader walks around follower * eight-count basic - often used for teaching - numbers used to identify positions - leader moves 1. back on right foot 2. side to left 3. outside partner's left on right foot 4. left foot still outside partner 5. right foot meets left; twist to left; partner crosses 6. left forward (parallel under partner; optional pivot on left foot to face) 7. right step to side 8. left closes to right and weight shifts to left * cruzada - walking to the cross - leader moves out to his left - follower adjusts by moving right - steps on left foot in front of right - can be done in parallel or cross system - one of signature moves in argentine tango - often but not always done double time * forward ocho - "figure eights" - feet & hips point together (usually) - shoulders twist to stay (mostly) in same direction - typically follower does; leader walks backwards 1. pivot, free foot moving forward 2. step forward in front of yourself across your body 3. pivot on other foot and repeat * back ocho - typically follower; leader walks forwards - feet & hips point together (usually) - shoulders twist to stay (mostly) in same direction 1. pivot, free foot moving backward 2. step back behind yourself across body 3. pivot on other foot and repeat * molinete or giro (pronounced "hero") or grapevine - typically follower around leader - stays equidistant from leader - in following, start at any step and go either direction - leader turns chest in place indicating pace - four full steps to go all the way around - start with any of these four; repeat 1. side step 2. forward ocho 3. side step 4. back ocho * rock - back in forth in place - many variations - double time - side - right or leg forward - parallel or cross - outside or inside - continuation may be used to change direction, for example 1) leader forward on left, follower back on right 2) leader rocks back on right, follower forward on left 3) leader turns to left, follower steps side right * block or stop or touch - foot touching foot - inside or outside of either leader foot - inside or outside of either follower foot - follower maintains contact - resolution is often to step over leader's leg - follower can take her time in doing so * drag - leader and follower free feet move together - follower maintains contact - many variations * sandwich - starts with block - leader continues by "sandwiching" follower foot - finishes by inviting her to step over his leg * boleo - forward or backward - change of direction - while on axis, free leg snaps around sharply - can be led by 1. over rotating partner 2. followed by abrupt stop - back ocho to forward ocho may have back boleo between - forward ocho to back ocho have have front boleo between * gancho or hook - sharp boleo-like move under partner's leg - only when led; not every time follower steps over - follower's choice (can do boleo around own leg instead) - typically 1. follower steps over leader 2. leader invites back step while his leg is in the way 3. follower hooks strongly under his leg * sacada - one partner moves into space other vacates - displacing leg (or appearing to) as weight comes off * milonga (social event) - one of two meanings for this word - a tango dance party * milonga (fast variation) - one of two meanings for this word - fast tango variation - parallel, no pauses, on the beat - rocks or quick steps in double-time - tiny twisting ochos with knees, ankles nearly together * valtz (3 beat waltz variation) - mostly walk on the 1st beat - with double time on 2 or 3 - typically a lot of turning, flowing moves * neo or nuevo tango - heavy beat, electronica music - larger moves - including some from swing - legs higher in the air * volcada - from "volcar", tip over - follower leans onto leader (off axis) - while leg sweeps a larger circle on the floor * colgada - means "hanging" - partners lean away from each other, counterbalanced - allows various dramatic turns and spins * left turn - 180 degree turn to leader's left - follower does three giro steps - typical variation 1) leader's right foot forward to left, outside follower while follower takes back ocho onto left foot 2) leader keeps turning, feet in place, while follower steps side to right 3) leader shifts weight to finishes 180 turn while follower steps onto left with front ocho * right turn - 180 degree turn to leader's right - follower does 3 giro steps, typically 1. back ocho onto right 2. left to side 3. front ocho onto right - leader may - turns in place, right foot tucked behind left - or walk forward (right, together, right) - or pivot on right with forward ocho * open box - parallel symmetric 6-beat pattern - similar to european waltz - leader's footwork: 1. left forward, right closes but not put down 2. right side 3. left close and change weight 4. right back, left closes but not put down 5. left side 6. right closes, change weight - follower same starting with step 4 with leader's step 1. - variations: - vary time for different steps - pivot between steps (1, 4 particularly) * closed box - parallel symmetric 6-beat pattern - very common in milonga - often turns to left - may turn 180 every 3 steps to move in same direction - leader's footwork: 1. left side 2. right forward, outside partner (may turn leftwards) 3. left forward, back under partner (may pivot on this foot) 4. right side (may be along line of dance if turning) 5. left back, a bit behind right, follower steps forward outside leader's right leg 6. right back, follower back under leader - follower same starting with step 4 with leader's step 1 - variations: - timing - turning - follower forward ochos on leader's step 5 while leader rocks - follower back ochos on leader's step 2 while leader rocks * pose - in any position - after any step - pause - exaggerate lines from feet through torso to arms - often with lowering of center - may be done at any point music suggests - particularly at end of song * ocho cortada - quick-quick-slow, quick-quick-slow pattern ending in a cross - leader's typical steps: 1) in "quick-quick-slow" rythm: left forward, rock back onto right, left backward 2) in a second "quick-quick-slow" rhythm right to side, rock back to left, close and change weight - follower's corresponding steps: 1) right back, rock forward to left, right outside leader 2) left to side, rock back to right, cross left over right - often used in milonga and valtz * tanda - grouping of songs at a milonga (dance party) - typically done with same partner - typically three tunes, each about 2 min long - typically same style (valtz, tango, or milonga) * cortina - short snip of music played between tandas - usually in a different style - not meant to be dance to * line of dance - counter-clockwise around dance hall * floor craft - moving around the dance floor without bumping people - typically staying out towards the walls - if it's crowded, then dance smaller moves * "thank you" - usually means "good-bye" in a social tango setting - ... so don't say that if you want to keep dancing, eh? Links * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Tango * http://www.easytango.com/dance/Category:Glossary * http://tangovideoproject.com