So many people tell me that they avoid milonga, or that they do not feel comfortable dancing milonga, that I feel compelled to give encouragement to move past that speed bump or uncertainty to . . . LOVE milonga!
We dance more tango than milonga, as a typical dance includes only one milonga tanda per hour, with five to six tango tandas during the same period. We get less practice, so it makes sense that milonga comfort lags behind tango competence. That will not change if you do not practice milonga off the dance floor.
In class on Thursday, we will work on these concepts. If you don’t live in Portland, or if you can’t make it to class, here are some suggestions for practicing.
Milonga lisa
Milonga is faster than tango, so it’s easy to abandon good technique in the effort to move quickly. The result: shoddy milonga that does not feel good. How can we build up to milonga speed efficiently?
Smaller steps: Make your steps slightly smaller for milonga as a survival strategy. That way, each step can take less time, speeding you up simply by changing step size.
Relax: Instead of tightening the body to move faster, do the opposite. Keep your body released and you will move more easily and quickly. It seems counterintuitive, but it works!
Breathe: Maintain your normal breathing pattern. I notice that people hold their breath while doing milonga. That not only tightens the body, but it also cuts off communication from your feet to your partner. If the couple can’t feel each other’s bodies, milonga becomes a wrestling match.
Stick to simpler steps: Practice five or six steps (traveling traspie and walking patterns, traveling turns, vaivens, linear/lateral ocho cortado, left walking turn) until you feel more at ease. Don’t add more moves until you can groove with what you know.
Pick a partner you already know: Start with someone who you know you can dance with comfortably. Pick someone sympathetic to your freakout and let their presence help you breathe.
Milonga traspie
To dance with double-time steps means dancing twice as fast, as well as adjusting between on the beat (tiempo) and double-time. This is more challenging, and I see many people achieve milonga lisa who never dare to do milonga traspie, where you mix the two speeds of movement. What’s the key here?
Practice slowly, taking as small steps as you can without feeling tied in at the knees. Focus on working your feet and ankles more fluidly to avoid bouncing or tensing in the feet. Don’t speed up until you feel you can do slow motion, then on the beat versions of syncopated steps.
Find a ratio of step size: twice as fast = half as big. Practice that. We have a bad habit of taking bigger steps to go faster. Don’t. If your partner is taking bigger steps and you are leading, keep reducing the size of your double-time steps (corridas, traspies, etc.) until your partner can step with the music. You will be surprised that a two-inch traspie will have a six-inch traspie effect on your partner sometimes. If you are following, keep your steps small even if the leader is plunging around; it’s safer to protect yourself than “keep up” with them.
Relax MORE: If you are about to try to go faster, relax your body and breathe out right before those moves. If you are tense, you are less likely to move with your partner, and then things fall apart.
Come to class Thursday: we are working on this exact thing this week in class!