5 posts from August 2008

In the beginner's class, we did the following routine:
1-5. The same as the Basic steps.
6. Rotate the body to the left to unlock the follower's crossed feet.
7. Step backward with the left foot. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot without shifting the weight. Lead the follower into Ocho.
8. Step forward with the right foot. Squeeze the left foot to the right foot without shifting the weight. Lead the follower into Ocho.
9. Step backward with the left foot. Bend the left knee and squeeze the right knee to the left knee. Pivot on the left foot to the right until the right ankle touches the follower's feet. Lead the follower into Ocho (Parada).
10. Rotate the body to the left so that the follower steps over the leader's right foot. Then rotate the follower to the left. The dancers face each other.

We modified the routine from step 9. It goes like this:
9. Step backward with the left foot. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot without shifting the weight. Lead the follower into Ocho.
10. Step the follower forward and lead the follower into Ocho (the follower pivots on their left foot to the left). At the same time, step to the right slightly forward with the right foot in between the follower's feet and shift the weight to the right foot (Sacada). Pivot on the right foot to the left. The dancers face each other.

We did the following routine in the advanced class:
1-4. The same as the Basic steps.
5. Hook the right foot behind the left foot. Rotate the body to the left to unlock the follower's crossed feet.
6. Step backward with the right foot slightly to the right. Move the follower forward so that their right foot steps in front of the leader's right foot. Pivot on the right foot to the left once the follower shifts their weight to the right foot and pivot the follower on their right foot to the left. Squeeze the left foot to the right foot without shifting the weight.
7. Step forward with the left foot. Step the follower backward (left foot). Pivot on the left foot to the right once the follower shifts their weight to the left foot and pivot the follower on their left foot to the right. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot without shifting the weight.
8. Step the follower backward (right foot). Step forward with the right foot and land in between the follower's feet (Sacada). The dancers face the Line Of Dance.
9. Step the follower forward (left foot). Pivot on the right foot to the right and step to the left with the left foot and land in front of the follower's left foot.
10. Pivot on the left foot to the right. Pivot the follower to the right on their left foot. Step to the right with the right foot. Point the right toe to the right. Step the follower backward (right foot).
11. Shift the weight completely onto the right foot. Start rotating the body to the right. Pivot the follower to the left on their right foot and step the follower to the left (left foot) (this looks like Contra Molinete).
12. Step the follower forward (right foot). Step forward with the left foot in between the follower's feet (Sacada). Rotate the follower to the right on their right foot (the follower's rotation is about 270 degrees). The dancers face the Line Of Dance.
13. Step forward with the right foot. Step the follower forward (left foot).
14. Pivot the follower to the left on their left foot and step the follower backward (right foot). Step forward with the left foot.

See the video of the performance by the teachers.

About the previous class: [Dance] Nora's Argentine Tango No.14

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See Kiva web site.

In the beginner's class, we did the following routine:
1. Step backward with the right foot.
2. Step to the left with the left foot. This step is smaller than the usual Basic step. Close the right foot to the left foot and shift the weight to the right foot. The follower doesn't shift the weight.
3. Rotate the hip to the right and step forward with the left foot diagonally to the right. Land on the left side of the follower. Rotate the body to the left.
4. Step forward with the right foot.
5. Step forward with the left foot. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot without shifting the weight.
6. Rotate the body to the right and step forward with the right foot.
7. Lead the follower into Ocho.
8. Step forward with the left foot.
9. Lead the follower into Ocho.
10. Step forward with the right foot.
11. Rotate a little to the left. Face the follower. Close the left foot to the right foot and shift the weight to the left foot.
12. Step forward with the right foot as in the usual Basic step 3.
14. Do the usual Basic from step 4.

For the advanced class, today's routine was very difficult for me, so I'd like to focus on Back Sacada. The steps go like this:
1. Shift the weight to the left foot.
2. Pivot on the left foot to the left. Move into Americana.
3. Step forward with the right foot and pivot on the right foot to the left immediately. During the pivoting, only the lower body should be rotated. The right shoulder should not move to the left.
4. Move the left foot backward slightly to the right and land in between the follower's feet (Back Sacada). Shift the weight to the left foot. Move the right foot backward and land next to the left foot pointing the right toe to the right. Shift the weight to the right foot and rotate the body to the right.

After that, we practiced two options, One is another Sacada (Front) and the other is Gancho.

See the video of the performance by the teachers.

In Milonga, we did this routine:
1. (S) Step to the left with the left foot.
2. (Q) Step forward with the right foot. Do not shift the weight completely to the right foot.
3. (Q) Shift the weight to the left foot.
4. (S) Close the right foot to the left foot.
5. (Q) Step to the left with the left foot.
6. (Q) Close the right foot to the left foot.
7. (S) Step to the left with the left foot.

After that, the routine can be repeated from step 2. Also we can start from step 2 of the Milonga Basic steps.

S: Slow
Q: Quick

About the previous class: [Dance] Nora's Argentine Tango No.13

We did Ocho Cortado in the beginner class. We did the same routine before and it was blogged in "[Dance] Nora's Argentine Tango No.9". The steps go like this:
1. (S) Step backward with the right foot.
2. (S) Step to the left with the left foot.
3. (S) Step forward with the right foot.
4. (Q) Step forward with the left foot. Do not shift the weight to the left foot completely.
5. (Q) Shift the weight to the right foot.
6. (S) Step backward with the left foot.
7. (Q) Rotate the body to the right about 90 degrees. Then take a small step to the right with the right foot.
8. (Q) Squeeze the left foot to the right foot then shift the weight to the left foot. Rotate the body to the left to the neutral position. The follower crosses the left foot in front of the right foot.
9. (S) Close the right foot to the left foot.
10. (S) Step forward with the left foot.
11. (S) Step to the right with the right foot.
12. (S) Close the left foot to the right foot.

* Note:
S: Slow
Q: Quick

There is some additional information. In step 7, the leader should lead the follower to shift their weight to the left foot. In step 8, the leader should not move to the left too much when the weight is shifting to the left foot. Nora suggested that I pull my chest in a little while rotating my body. I think the leader is the axis of the rotation and the distance between the dancers should not change.

We did a variation of this move. We changed steps 7, 8 and 9. The modified steps go like this:
7. (Q) Rotate the body to the right about 90 degrees. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot. No weight change is necessary. Once the follower shifts the weight to the left foot, stop the follower's right foot with the leader's right foot.
8. (Q) Rotate the body to the left to the neutral position. (What to do with the right foot???)
9. (S) Close the right foot to the left foot.

We did a routine consisting of Ocho, Molinete, Rulo, Parada, Contra Molinete, Rulo, Parada and Colgada in the advanced class. The routine goes like this:
1-5. The same as the basic steps.
6. Rotate the upper body to the left a little to unlock the follower's crossed feet. Step backward with the left foot. Squeeze the right foot to the left foot without shifting the weight. Lead the follower into Ocho (clockwise).
7. Move the follower forward using the right arm. (the beginning of Molinete)
8. Open the left shoulder to the left. Move the follower to the left.
9. Shift the weight to the right foot. Start pivoting to the left. Do Rulo with the left foot.
10. Stop the rotation (Parada) and push the left foot forward in between the follower's feet.
11. Close the left foot to the right foot and move the follower forward.
12. Pivot on both feet while the follower is performing Contra Molinete. The feet are twisted and the right foot is crossed in front of the left foot. Do Rulo with the right foot.
13. Stop the rotation (Parada) and push the right foot forward in between the follower's feet.
14. Shift the weight to the right foot and pivot to the left.

I'm having difficulty performing Parada. I couldn't stop my partner at the appropriate time. I'm guessing that I rotated my body too much.

About the previous class: [Dance] Nora's Argentine Tango No.12

I took the advanced class for the first time. We did a routine that consists of Media Vuelta, Traspié, Sacada and Gancho. The routine goes like this:
1. Step backward with the right foot.
2. Step to the left with the left foot.
3. Step forward with the right foot. Start moving the follower to the left. (Media Vuelta)
4. Wait for the follower to step to the right (the leader's left).
5. Step forward with the left foot and stop the follower. Don't let the follower commit to the weight change.
6. Shift the weight to the right foot. Move the follower to the right.
7. Close the left foot to the right foot and stop the follower.  Don't let the follower commit to the weight change. (Traspié)
8. Step forward with the right foot.
9. Pivot on the right foot to the right. Move the follower to the left (the leader's right). Put the left foot in between the follower's feet. (Sacada)
10. Shift the weight to the left foot. Don't let the follower step backward. Pivot on the left foot to the right. Close the right foot to the left foot and shift the weight. The follower should be at the leader's left side and the dancers face opposite walls.
11. Put the left foot to the left. The left heel should be inside. The follower does Gancho.
12. Shift the weight to the left foot.

The timing during steps 5 to 8 are Quick, Slow, Quick and Slow. You can listen to this mp3 file.

In Milonga, we did steps like this:
1. Step to the left with the left foot.
2. Step forward with the right foot.
3. Open the left shoulder to the left. Sweep the left foot counterclockwise to the back. (Boleo)
4. Put the left foot forward and touch the left heel to the floor. No weight change necessary.
5. Step backward with the left foot.
6. Close the right foot to the left foot and shift the weight.
7. Step forward with the left foot.
8. Step to the right with the right foot.
9. Close the left foot to the right foot.

The timing during steps 7 to 9 are Quick, Quick and Quick.

About the previous class: [Dance] Nora's Argentine Tango No.11