On the benefits of chaos: Tangofest!

I've noticed that many beginning tango dancers avoid Tangofest. Dancing at events like Tangofest can feel as scary as Boston at rush hour. Some dancers plow around the dance floor, running poor beginners over. There's almost no room, and when you find it, someone else takes it. And some crazy person is leading their partner into leg-flying, death-defying stunts, right in the line of dance.

In reality, leading at Tangofest is what prepared me for normal dancing in Buenos Aires. I learned to dance many steps almost in place.  I learned to use turns as a line of defense when people cut me off. I learned to give the follower room to play in the pauses between traveling forward. I learned to keep an eye out for the space I occupied, and stay moving behind the leader in front of me. You will not learn those skills when you only dance in practicas with tons of space!

Dancing at Tangofest taught me to enjoy subtle, small, musical moments in the dance, both as a leader and a follower. As a leader, I felt no need to try to think up difficult sequences to wow my follower: I was too busy trying to stay alive! As a follower, I learned to close my eyes and trust the leader. After all, if I tightened up when someone got close, the leader couldn't guide me out of harm's way. I relinquished my backseat driver behavior and had more fun. I have some of my best tandas in crowded spaces because it forces me to tune in and focus on the important parts of tango: connection, breath, music, my partner.

Take classes at Tangofest!

One approach to Tangofest is the linear path. Just take classes with one teacher and get one viewpoint and one set of rules for tango. Follow one set of teachers around and take any classes they teach, no matter what level (don't tell ANYONE I said that! The advanced dancers will kill me.). I'm going to do that with Oscar and Georgina this year because I am preparing to teach their style. I want to hear EVERYTHING they say about tango this weekend, including in beginner classes (see you there?).

Another way to approach Tangofest is to embrace chaos. Take all the classes in your level. Accept that, in every class, the teachers may tell you the opposite of the teachers in the last class (stand up straight! Lock ze knees! Never lock ze knees! etc.). In each class, I try to follow the teacher's advice. I ask for clarification and reasons, but I try not to argue. When the class is over, I have almost always learned something new or useful. "Take the best and chuck the rest."

By the end of the weekend, my brain is stuffed full of information that is conflicting and quickly dissipating. I try to take notes and then practice with someone else who was in the class. If I do the sequences or exercises I learned, I will remember them longer.  I assume that only about 10% of what I learned will stick. I also assume that my dancing will get WORSE for a few weeks or months as I incorporate new ideas into my tango.

A few months after Tangofest, I have integrated the new information that I like and have improved my dance. Instead of a linear progression to perfection, I find tango to be little clouds of chaos that clear and leave me in the middle of a gorgeous, sunny day for a while, blinded with the beauty of tango.

GO TO TANGOFEST!

England and France through a three-year-old's eyes

Many of you know that I recently took my son along on a two-week trip to England and France. A close friend from college had extracted a promise to come to his wedding almost a year ago. Despite the economic downturn, the state of my bank account and the thought of bringing a kiddo along, I decided to go. 

Jamie had three things on his list of must-dos: Buckingham Palace, double decker buses and a real castle. Buckingham Palace came about from reading A. A. Milne at bedtimes ("They're changing guards at Buckingham Palace . . ."). The castle came from playing with toy castles at friends' houses and at his grandmother's house. I don't know where the double decker bus fixation came from, but it figured on his list.

You have not experienced cabin fever until you are contained in a hotel (a proper, English environment) with a bored, jet-lagged three-year-old at bedtime. My son is used to running off steam by singing, break-dancing, pounding things (construction worker), putting out pretend fires, and generally making a lot of noise. This is not possible in a public place that has people trying to sleep on all sides, thin walls, and no space to move.

However, after a few days, we adjusted to the new situation and had a GREAT time. Jamie added to his list of favorites over the days and weeks. He got to try on fake armor at the castle and discovered a coat of armor at the Maritime Museum. He rode two carousels in Paris. He watched and then participated in break dancing at the Trocadero metro stop, in view of the Eiffel Tower, and then ate the world's largest cone of gelato. He rode on: a boat, the Metro, the Underground, the Eurostar (train from London to Paris), double decker buses, a taxi, friends' cars, and the train to Cambridge. He walked through Buckingham Palace. He played at the Museum of the Docklands and at the Maritime Museum (both of which have a lot of exhibits that appeal to kids). He visited the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, where he pretended to be a pirate on the pirate ship, climbed around on a fort, played in teepees, and dug in the sand for hours.

On top of that, he had a fabulous third birthday at my friend Samantha's house, with her sons and a neighbor. A Bob the Builder card, a cake with construction tools on top, Thomas the Train presents, four boys under five, and we were set for a rocking party. The mothers drank tea, talked about work, knitting, sons, village life vs. the city--and had fun. The boys ran around, ate too much sugar, and shrieked--and had fun. A great party!

After a few weeks home, we have readjusted to the USA. Jamie started preschool this week. I am job hunting, blogging and teaching dance. If you'd like to see ten of the three hundred pictures I took, the travel photo album has our trip from Jamie's list of high points.

On breathing

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I recently started to reread Taking Root to Fly: ten articles on functional anatomy, by Irene Dowd. As I hadn’t read it in almost twenty years, I was amazed to find how much I use her concepts in my teaching. This week, I want to talk about her article, On Breathing and the information she provides about breathing in order to dance better.

Dowd's suggestions for improving breathing techniques in the body:

• Exhale as much as possible, but don't force it. By exhaling as much as you can, you get more oxygen into your body, which allows you to use your muscles better and avoid fatigue. By not pushing the exhale, you use less effort for breathing, reducing the amount of oxygen your muscles need to function. Reducing the amount of muscle tension you use to breathe also releases the muscle tension in your torso, which relaxes what Dowd calls "the body-mind"--just what we are looking for in tango!
• Let laughter and humor be a part of your dance. This helps you breathe more easily than focusing on making your body breathe. You will notice that a lot of the games I give you in class make people laugh. Many of you noted that you were having fun, or that the movements seemed easier after such exercises. What you don't see because you are dancing is that you ALL move more easily when you laugh and smile! Letting the tension go helps tango.
• Find one picture or idea to think about for breathing, rather than trying to open the lungs, don’t raise the shoulders, relax the solar plexus, breathe into the sides of your lungs, etc. all at the same time. Here are some images to try that Dowd mentions in her article:

1. Focus on the breath going up and down the central axis of the body (this is what we do to prepare for the Force Field exercise).
2. Think of your entire trunk as a cylinder expanding and shrinking in all directions simultaneously
3. imagine the breath is a fountain shooting from out of the very center of the top of the head and flowing down the back, taking all tension with it (this is a basis of my Force Field exercise).
4. think of being a tree whose trunk shoots up through its center growing always taller as the sap flows upward. Just as the tree’s branches and leaves move in the wind, your shoulders, arms and ribs hang, without effort. The less muscle tension and focus that you devote to holding your body upright, the more energy you have to give to your partner and to the dance (we'll do I Am the Fat Lady next week, which works on these ideas).
5. think of your whole trunk as a big elastic balloon. The balloon fills and empties by itself, focusing on the flow of air. Dowd suggests making a sound when exhaling to focus on this (think Superpower and Energy Bunnies!).

Many of you have shared with me that you find it difficult to work on breathing when you "don't know the steps yet." Breathing is MUCH more important than the steps in tango: it connects you with your partner and allows a dialogue of movement that the most careful step execution cannot.

Which is more important for you: perfection or connection? For me, it used to be perfection (and, yes, I'm aware that I am still a perfectionist!), but connection has gradually become more important. After a tanda (dance set), I don't usually bemoan the lack of perfection, but if there was no energy and no connection with the other person's body-mind-soul, I feel cheated. BREATH is fundamental to connection, balance, focus and enjoyment.

Dowd (and I) suggest doing breathing exercises on the floor before trying them standing up. Trying them while dancing is step three. If you would like me to show these exercises to you, we can do that in the next class (just ask). Otherwise, breathing and posture exercises justify a private or small group lesson.

Next week: front ochos and turns at the cross for Tango I; intro to boleos for Tango II. See you then!!

Opening your solar plexus: energy in tango (and class notes for 23 Sept.)

All dancers bring themselves to the dance floor: personality, mood, energy level, balance, musicality--the list is endless. However, energy tops the list. A partner, approaching you for the first time, feels something about your energy and responds to that initial impression on a conscious and subconscious level. Does this person make you feel secure? Does it feel good to connect with that energy? Does this person feel relaxed/tense/etc.? On some level, no matter what steps are done and what music is danced, that energy hit from your partner flavors the tanda (set of dances) and the experience.

When I lead, I always make sure that my solar plexus (the soft spot right below my sternum) is relaxed. The faster the dance, the more open my solar plexus needs to be. The harder my partner is to move, the more released I need to remain in my center. If my partner is tense, my response is to reduce my own tension by softening my solar plexus.

This seems counterintuitive: all the situations I mentioned above seem to demand MORE pressure, more push, more energy in order to dance well. I get more energy by breathing and releasing my solar plexus. When my center is relaxed, I can achieve more with less effort. I need more focus, more intention as to where and how I want my partner to move, but with less push.

Because I am a small person for leading (5'5" and 144 lbs.), many of the folks I lead are bigger than I am. I cannot MAKE them go where I want through brute force. I have to use intention, breath and focus in order to be able to move them. I don't like pushy leads when I follow, so I try not to be a pushy lead when I lead. The only way I can be clear but not pushy, is to keep my energy open and relaxed: I breathe and open my solar plexus.

Things that make leading easier:

1. Commit energy to establishing your own axis. My teacher, Oscar Mandagaran, counsels dancers to focus energy on extending up and down (through the earth, up to the ceiling) and then moving that strong axis around the room. In other words, don't take everything you have and shove it forward and backward in the room: stand tall and let your solar plexus open wide, letting your follower feel all that energy pouring out of you, and then just move them!
2. Send all of your directional energy towards your partner. For example, instead of stepping slightly sideways to avoid your partner's feet, really step TOWARDS them. Focus all of your effort in the direction you want your follower to move. Unless you want a duck waddle, don't do that yourself :-)
3. Whenever you plan to move quickly, such as a corrida (a quick quick slow move), OPEN your solar plexus right before you initiate the movement. Don't think "push" and don't push. Let energy come out of your center and ride that wave.
4. Whenever you plan to do a move that you don't feel 100% comfortable leading yet, open your solar plexus. The last thing you need your partner to feel is that "Oh, sh*&%t" tightness from you. Your partner feels that tension, and tenses for a coming crisis, making it harder for you to lead at all, let alone something difficult for you already. Relax, and your follower will relax.

Things that make following easier:

1. Commit energy to establishing your axis. If you are not on balance, even a good leader has trouble leading you in the dance. Use your breath and energy to create balance and grounding.
2. Send your directional energy TOWARDS your partner, not away in the direction you are traveling. Keeping the energy focused on your leader means that there is a mini force field between the partners, even in close embrace. This protects you from getting stepped on much more than trying to get your feet out from underneath yourself. Also, this gives the leader more energy to play with, reducing the leader's tendency to drive you like a MAC truck.
3. If you feel your partner tense, release your solar plexus. There is no need for both people to stop breathing and get tense. You will be able to keep up with either difficult moves or a poor lead if you are balanced and breathing.
4. Use your breath and relaxed solar plexus as the center of your balance, rather than hanging on the leader. You become a lighter, more responsive follower at the same time that your body is working less. More balance, more fun!

Three levels of energy: self, couple and room

Paying attention to your own breath, axis and energy establishes your own body in the room and the dance. Directing some of that energy towards your partner establishes the connection between the couple, which is the basis of tango. Extending that awareness and energy to the entire room brings the energy of the entire group into play, allowing you to draw from that energy to make your dance.

During my thesis research, several people I interviewed in Buenos Aires told me about how dancing worked when they first started to dance in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They told me that, when they first watched tango, the entire room of dancers moved without running into each other, functioning as one entity. I have seen this happening as well as felt it occurring, and the sense is of the flow of the music, embodied in the group.

I developed the games we played this week, Solo-Couple and Energy Bunnies, to teach awareness of the dance floor and all the dancers, in order to cultivate this exquisite feeling of being as one on the dance floor with everyone else dancing. In Solo-Couple, everyone had a chance to find the flow of the music and the amount of space in the room, and then practiced staying in touch with that feeling while dancing as a couple. In Energy Bunnies, we worked on giving energy to other people and couples, so that the energy on the dance floor builds and in turn, feeds the couple and the individual dancing. Stay tuned for Energy Vampires and Navigation!

Salem Beginner Tango class

Our new concept for this week was switching "lanes" from center to outside and from center to inside. Remember that changing lanes requires long diagonal steps (high school math version, more variations coming soon), with a crossing over/through step. The hips and toes define the direction of the couple, while the torso orientation defines the couple's placement on that traveling line (center, outside, inside, depending on the leader's and follower's position). Also, remember that the leader is not trying to get next to the follower, flattening the embrace, but rather is keeping the circle and connection of the embrace while moving to the outside or inside lane. We'll do more exercises to get used to rotating the hips or torso versus moving the entire body as a block.

Next week, we'll learn to walk to the cross, which requires using the center and inside lanes. As I mentioned in class, you can walk quickly (quick quick slow corridas) or pause in center, outside and inside orientations. Some of you found that it was easier to begin a turn from outside or inside orientation, rather than from a center orientation (hang in there, we'll learn "real" turns very soon). We will also start ochos (figure 8s) next week. See you then!

Salem Tango 2 class: paradas and ganchos

We reviewed front paradas and stepovers this week. Last week, we did these steps from a front ocho after walking to the cross. This week, we tried them from a turn. Stopping a turn is a bit harder than stopping an ocho, as there is more momentum usually in a turn.

For those of you who already felt comfortable with the front parada and stepover, remember that you can do the step using the leg/foot nearer your partner (i.e., leading a follower to your right and doing the parada with your right foot) or the leg/foot further from your partner (i.e., leading a follower to your right and doing the parada with your left leg, which requires you to "flip your hip" before the move). Take those two possibilities and try them to the other side as well; that gives you four versions of the move.

Adding the gancho (hook) only happens when your parada and stepover feel comfortable. Just as there are many kinds of paradas, there are tons of different ganchos. We only worked on one gancho this week: a step that rocked back towards the site of the stepover, creating a gancho for the follower through the leader's leg. This gancho then resolved in a forward step for the follower, continuing on in the dance.

Making space for the leading a follower's gancho

When you lead a gancho for the follower, it is always easier to get the follower closer to you, rather than trying to catch the follower's leg further from your own axis. I always try to set up a gancho on the step before the gancho, so that the actual step is near me and easy for me to reach. As I said earlier, because I am short, I can't do a good gancho if I let the follower get away from my center.

A long, narrow window of space works well for a gancho. It might look like a bigger space to make a wide, open-looking window for a gancho, but it does not work as well. For a real, snappy gancho that is led by the leader (rather than the follower taking over), you need height. By the way, that means that a tall follower will not get as dramatic a gancho from a short leader as a tall leader would provide. Still, we short leaders can lead nice snappy (if not dramatic) ganchos for everyone if we prepare the move correctly.

Please do not lean towards the follower to catch a gancho! This knocks the follower off-axis, preventing a gancho from happening. After all, most people can't fall sideways and let you have control over their "free" leg at the same time :-)  Let the follower's axis remain upright. Only intrude into the follower's space with enough of your foot and leg to allow the gancho to hook through your leg. Keep your body out of the way!

Free your leg, and the rest will follow: follower's tips for ganchos

My first tango teacher, Daniel Trenner, told me, "Never fish for ganchos!" As I understand that now, that means that the follower should not try to gancho when a gancho is not being led. In other words, WAIT! For the gancho we learned this week, that means assuming that a forward step is happening when led out of the stepover, rather than preparing for a gancho by stopping forward motion, grabbing in the quads, and crouching like a tennis player ready to change direction!

Stand up tall, balanced on your axis. Keep your center connected (by energy) with your leader. Assume nothing about the next step. Follow the leader's torso and torsion. If you keep your center pointing towards your leader, the leader's rotation around his/her axis will hook your free leg through the leader's leg, creating the gancho. After the gancho, there is usually a rebound. Therefore, if the gancho was a backwards movement, you rebound forward after it, guided by the leader.

The gesture, or free, leg is only about 20% of the effort for this move. 80% of your focus should be on your axis. The free leg is relaxed at the hip joint, but the hips are mostly stable, moving with the axis. In order to get nice, strong ganchos, the leader has to have the correct timing for the move AND you need to release your leg. If one of those things does not happen, the gancho doesn't work correctly. Please try not to "help" the leader by backleading ganchos: a gancho that is led is fabulous, snappy and organic--and the leader can direct it; a gancho that is self-led is heavy, tends to stop after the upswing, and the leader has to wait until it is done in order to find the follower's axis again. DO NOT fish for ganchos.

The other bit of gancho wisdom I have finally internalized comes both from Daniel Trenner and from Luciana Valle. Daniel looked at me one day, about three years into tango, and said, "If you want to get good, you are going to have to get sloppy." I HATED that, but he was right. I was not allowing the leader freedom over my leg; instead, I was controlling it. Once I actually released my leg, it didn't feel good, but it felt RIGHT, and eventually, it worked all the time. After that, I could start to s culpt the move a bit myself, making it more elegant.

Luciana gave the exercises I used to make my ganchos work. Especially, she made me focus on pointing my knee towards the floor, rather than pulling my ankle/knee up to make a hook. Letting the leg be heavy makes it respond with more snap to the leader, even though at first that feels just plain wierd. We'll do some of her drills, as well as some of Oscar and Georgina's drills, as we progress in class.

We'll continue making these moves parts of our dance in the coming weeks. In addition, folks have asked for boleos, volcadas and colgadas. We will do little baby versions of these, as we learn about the theory of each move, and prepare for Tangofest in Portland. After all, it will be too crowded to do big versions of anything!

GO TO TANGOFEST!!!!! I cannot stress how much "I'm going to do this if it kills me!" focus can come out of one weekend of dancing. Even if you forget every step you learned, even if you are so tired you can barely stand for the last tanda, even if your tango completely falls apart, you will learn something from Tangofest. The sheer numbers of new folks to dance with makes it worth going. If you are too intimidated to dance, go to one of the big milongas and watch the dancers. Watching feet is always an informative thing to do: one old milonguera told me, "Look at their feet and if you like what you see, look up. You will see good connection happening!" Go DANCE!!!!!

Also, my teachers Oscar Mandagaran and Georgina Vargas, are coming back. They are staying with me, and will probably teach at my house. I encourage you to come take a private lesson. They are inspiring. Although they are fabulous stage dancers, they know more about social dance tango and using energy in the body, than most dance teachers put together. Sign up early so that they have space for you (I think they are setting up their own schedule, but I can connect you with them if you want).

See you next week!

Paradas and pasadas (Salem intermediate class)

The term parada comes from the Spanish verb parar, or "stop." A parada is any step that blocks the follower's foot from doing the next step of the dance, creating a pause in motion for a variable amount of time. We worked on front paradas with pasadas (or stepovers).

The leader's job in a parada

There are MANY versions of paradas. For a front parada, the leader performs a parada during/after a follower's front step. We practiced doing this after walking the follower to the cross and leading a front cross step to the leader's right (as if we were doing a front ocho after the cross). After the parada, we led the follower to do a stepover. Then, maintaining the original axis placement, the leader collected both feet in place, finished the follower's step, and exited into other steps.

A VERY IMPORTANT part of the parada is the torso of the leader. This is another part of the parada lead: the foot and leg help and create the impression of a block, but without the "stop" of the torso torsion, no parada should happen. Think of leading front ochos with a stop of motion in the middle; this is pretty much what a parada is.

The foot and leg portion of the lead needs to be correctly placed in order to work well. The leader starts to place the foot as the follower steps forward, but then needs to adjust as the follower pivots to face the other direction. Make sure that the follower has room to completely pivot, rather than stopping with the support foot blocked on the ground.

I place only my little toe on the ground, as I curve my foot up over the follower's instep, around the follower's ankle. This takes quite a bit of rotation of the leg in the hip socket, and may be difficult at first. However, next week, you'll find that this creates a perfect setup to do a gancho without much more preparation. I call this the S-curve, as my upper leg in turned out, my ankle wraps around the follower's ankle, and then my foot curves out again in order to touch the ground.

The leader's torso leads the follower over into the stepover. For right now, the leader will return to the original spot before exiting, but later we will add a sacada here as a variation (more on that later, or check out my earlier blog posts on sacadas if you are feeling impatient).

The easiest way to do this parada is to use the leader's right leg/foot when the follower steps towards the leader's right. However, the leader may use either leg. Using the left leg here requires a very different setup (more on this next week when we add ganchos as well). We also tried the front parada in a turn to the left, with the leader catching the follower's front cross with the leader's left leg/foot. Again, either foot can be used to either side.

The follower's parada

The follower needs to be on axis for this step to work well. If the leader pushes too far forward, the follower cannot remain on balance. Followers: you can help with this by staying CLOSE to the leader. Make a beautiful step of a turn, following an arc around the leader, rather than stepping in a straight line (this takes the follower just a little away from the leader). If the follower stay close, the leader doesn't have to lunge towards the follower, which makes everyone fall over.

The follower needs to pay attention to collecting at the ankles. Before stepping over in the stepover, the follower needs to collect with both ankles together and both feet on the floor, even just for a moment. This cuts down on unattractive flailing legs at this point!

This is true even when the follower adds adornos (ornaments). A good leader will give a follower time to play and do adornos if the music supports that. As a follower, stick to adornos that do not trip couples nearby: darting motions ALONG the leader's floor placement (more on this in class next week), small circles, "clean your shoes" on the leader's ankle/leg, and other small, elegant shapes. Perhaps that is less dramatic than big, flashy adornos, but it doesn't look flashy when you trip other people :-)

Remember that a parada and stepover are very similar to ochos. Pay attention to keeping your center connected to your leader, taking even-sized steps, good balance, etc. And breathe!

My advice to beginning Argentine tango dancers

Welcome, new dancers! I love the first day of class, watchingpeople who come in saying, "Well, I've never danced before" or "I can't dance" go out there and DANCE! I've learned a lot about tango and about teaching tango in the thirteen years I have taught it. Here is what I would have focused on when I started if I had known then what I know now:

1. Have FUN! Many of you came to class with friends or a spouse. You came to enjoy being with other people and learning a new skill. This is not supposed to be the stressful part of your day. Don't worry if you don't have a step perfectly: are you smiling? Do you feel better after class? Did it feel fun, at least for a minute? Good!
2.  Make mistakes! Experiment! When I learned tango, I took it very seriously and did not have fun. I think I could have learned the same amount faster if I had just relaxed and let myself make mistakes. Tango attracts a lot of detail-oriented, intelligent professionals who are used to being very good at what they do. Learning something new as an adult can be difficult because we don't allow ourselves much space to make mistakes or experiment. You do not have to do tango perfectly in order to have a good dance.
3. Focus on the fundamentals of tango: breath, energy, connection to another person. The steps are secondary to the exquisiteness of taking another person into your arms, tuning into their breath and energy, and then moving together. Most dance partners do not care how many steps you know. When the dance is over, do you want them to say, "My, s/he knows a lot of steps!" or do you want them to say, "Oh my goodness, that was fabulous! That felt wonderful!" Learn the music. I play many different orchestras during class. When you hear something you really like, ask me what it was.
4. Listen to different orchestras. Pick one CD, or five songs from iTunes (or go crazy and buy everything in sight). Play that music while you drive, cook, get ready for bed, etc. When those songs are in your body, you will know how to move to them.
5. Practice! You are lucky to have a practica in Salem. I encourage you to go to practice even with one or two hours of dance under your belt. You will learn much more quickly if you take the risk to dance with other people who look much more advanced. They remember being beginners and would love to dance with you. Try to go at least once or twice during this class, and you will find that it really speeds up how quickly you learn.

THEN, after those things are working, worry about the steps. I will teach you the basic steps during this class. In six weeks, you will have enough to get around the dance floor and have other people know you are doing Argentine tango. You can stop there, or spend a year, five years, or the rest of your life learning tango. It's your choice--or is it? They say that "Tango te agarra o no te agarra" (Tango hooks you in, or it doesn't). See you next week!

Beginning milonga (Salem tango)

Great work tonight, folks!

Here are the new steps we learned tonight:

• stepping "side together" line-of-dance, either with leader facing the center of the room, or facing out.
• cuadrado (square): "side (like the salida) maybe no side together connect"--as in walking to the cross with a salida, leader steps to the left with left, walks to the "inside" of the follower ("maybe"), forward into the center track ("no"), to the right with right, step together (weight change to left foot in place), and (if desired) step backwards line-of-direction with the right, to start again. By the way, some folks would say that the back step is the first step in the sequence. Remember, the cuadrado can be done very square to line-of-dance, or can be more like a blob, rotating.
• cuadrado variation (step togethers--as desired--before completing the step backwards or walking forwards instead), add onto the "side together" component of the cuadrado. I often do three "side together" sequences here, but any number works.
• vai ven (go-come) step: 6-steps, 6 beats: "Forward in place in place, backwards in place in place"--remember to focus on this being three sets of duple beat (12 12 12) in order to combat the ballroom dancer folks' tendency to make this a waltz hesitation step. Also, although the energy of the move has a wave-like feeling, try not to rise and fall: keep it on an even keel!
• vai ven with traveling turn combination: My favorite way to use vai ven is to follow it with a traveling turn (I learned this from Daniel Trenner, way back in my tango Dark Ages!): After a full vai ven, the leader walks "forward maybe side step" to end facing out of the circle (follower is doing a side step facing into the circle); then flips to walk backwards BUT line-of-direction, leading the follower to do "forward maybe side step" before ending by walking forward line-of-dance again. The follower's steps during the second half copy the leader's steps during the first half of the turn.

The other thing we worked on tonight was a variation on a drill that Tete taught me in Buenos Aires in 2000. He had all the leaders walk in a circle around the room while he yelled "Turn! The other way! Half turn!" etc., and we practiced just changing our facing. Then, we tried to do the same things with a follower attached, without changing the drill to "help" our followers change direction. What I learned from both leading and following this drill was that the direction to move was clearer to the follower when the leader just faced a new direction, than when s/he "helped" the follower arrive in the right place.

I use Tete's drill as a jumping off point for more organic tango movement. Instead of figuring out what move to do, I can walk around the dance floor, facing into the circle or out (side together steps), switching from those to forward or back walks (1/4 turns or 1/2 turns if I am facing forward/back to start). Then, I make sure I am turning both clockwise and counterclockwise to gain proficiency in both directions. When I am really dancing, I let the music and the space dictate when I change orientation. I also add other steps into this pattern (like the vai ven and the traveling turn) as the music/space allow. Dancing this way, I KNOW that I can adjust to the space I have, so I let the dance happen and the steps occur in the moment, rather than planning ahead.

I find that this approach feels much freer and in the groove than: "OK, I walked to the cross. Now, I think I will set up a counter-clockwise traveling turn, and then I'll do a cuadrado." When you plan like that, you rarely have the space to follow your plan, and having a plan limits how you can adapt to the space you have. Try to just get out there, turn your brain off, and dance. I'm not saying you shouldn't think while doing tango; it's fine to enjoy an intellectual exercise in tango as well. However, for me, doing milonga is about cutting loose from that and grooving with the music and my partner!

Off to London!  See you for the next class on September 16th!

Vals musicality workshop (Salem tango)

Good work lastnight, folks!

Last night, we began class with a variation on Luciana Valle's drill that I call "Bim bam" (from the noises she uses for syncopation). There are several different ways to use the music:

• 1 2 3 1 2 3--move on count 1 of each measure
• 1 2 3 1 2 3--moving on counts 1 and 3 of the measure for a SLOW quick SLOW quick
• 1 2 3 1 2 3 --moving on counts  1 and 2 of the measure for a QUICK slow QUICK slow feeling 
• 1 2 3 1 2 3--moving on counts 1, 2 and 3 (please use this sparingly!) for QUICK QUICK QUICK slow
• using pauses (remember to begin on count 1 after a pause!)

Using those ideas, we did:

• the Blob: interacting with your group to make a "melody" of syncopation (think scat singing!)
• Backseat driver: leading your partner around, getting the hang of combining all the possibilities, without stepping on toes
• Dancing: here we go!

As you discovered, more people have trouble finding the 12.12. variation. However, by the end of the evening, some of you had it nicely!

Teaching (not so-) old dogs new tricks:
We then worked on variations of timing in steps that we already do; going to the cross and turns, in particular.

Turns: Using either counts 1 and 3, or counts 1 and 2, for the QUICK QUICK steps in the turn. In addition, you can slow everything down to using only count 1 per step, or speed up to all quicks, although your follower may not like you after that!

Going to the cross: The only way I can remember these when I am trying to do a bunch of different variations, is to sing them to myself. When I dance, I just do what feels right, but I may not be able to tell you which variation I did.

• MAYBE yes cross (in 1 2 3 1) timing
• MAYBE yes cross (in 1 2 3 1) timing
• maybe YES CROSS walk (in 1 2 3 1) timing
• maybe YES CROSS walk (in 1 2 3 1) timing
• Of course, all slows (1 2 3 1 2 3) timing is a nice standby

Rock steps: You can use all the timings in rock steps as well, either in place or to change direction. We played with these in the rock step turns that we learned a few weeks ago.

There are TONS more places to play with rhythm, and we'll learn some new moves next week for milonga, as well as in the new session in September, that you will be able to apply to vals as well.

Musicality: We mostly danced to Canaro's valses for this class. However, different orchestras have different flavors of vals. I like Tanturi, d'Arienzo, Biagi (hard but fun) and Laurenz as well, and recently have started to learn Lomuto and Donato's music.

Listen to a piece of music: what does it suggest that you do? Which syncopations are evident in the song? Do you want to play along and mirror those? Do you want to create a counterpoint of your own rhythms? Try different things!

See you next week for milonga!

Combining turns and ocho cortado (7 PM Eugene class)

Of all my classes this week, your class embraced my new drill, Superheroes!! Wow: what a bunch of not-so-latent theatre types! I loved hearing the ZOOM! BAM! WHEEEE! sounds echoing off the walls. Even more, I loved watching all of you put so much energy into your dances! Way to go!

Class overview:

• ocho cortado turns: Leader does first half of the ocho cortado (or any of the variations we've worked on), but continues around in a right (clockwise) turn instead of finishing the move. At the end of the turn, the leader "cuts" the follower's motion to produce the end of the ocho cortado, or goes into any of the ocho cortado variations we've done this term.
• left (counterclockwise) turn after the ocho cortado: Instead of finishing the ocho cortado by leading the the cross position, the leader make the follower's step a front cross step of a turn, and continues turning as desired. I really like this step because a lot of followers who do mostly close embrace ASSUME that we are going to the cross, and do it automatically. Here, I can encourage them to pay attention, because I am not automatically leading the expected step. This spices it up for both of us, and gives me a more awake follower.
• review: We reviewed walking to the cross, front paradas + crossover with adornos, and some of the ocho cortado patterns we've covered this session.
• musicality: using traspie in tango, milonga and vals rhythms. We focused on distinguishing the timing for milonga and tango (double-time) from vals (triple-time). In vals, the traspie can have a 1 2 3 1 2 3 timing; or a 1 2 3 1 2 3 timing. For me, it depends on what the music asks me to do. Sometimes, I play against what the music suggests, but most of the time, I use the timing that goes with the particular part of the song/orchestra. We practiced with Canaro (pretty straight-forward) and Biagi (fun but diabolical) valses. For milonga, we practiced with Canaro and di Sarli (both pretty straight-forward). For tango, we practiced with Canaro (rhythmic) and various lyrical orchestras.

Thanks for a great session. I'll be back in Eugene about once a month for group classes and private lessons. Stay tuned for venue and times. I am thinking about coming the first Friday-Saturday of each month: any opinions on that?

Focusing on energy use to create/perform hard moves (8 PM Eugene class)

Class overview:

Our new drill, Superheroes!, really helped to identify areas where we have trouble with energy: usually IN BETWEEN moves. For those of you who missed class, Superheroes! is a verbal+kinetic drill, where each move has a noise, like the sound balloons in comics (BAM! SSSSSS! etc.), creating a dynamic set of movements that make a movement and energy phrase.

Transitions are at least as important as specific steps. Most people think about what step they are dancing, and what could come next, but don't use energy through the transition, requiring a "restart" of energy to do anything. The dead space between steps can become a charged, energized space that SUGGESTS what to do next. This is where I am when I'm in the "zone" for dancing. I don't think ahead, but let the flow of the movement create new ideas, organically.

Using Oscar and Georgina's idea of the "bandoneon" of energy (elasticity and density, stretching/squeezing), we worked on finding WHERE the energy needs to be focused in order to do a step well, and how it can be finessed into various other moves.

Here's what we did, using steps we learned earlier this summer:

• gancho (to "inside" thigh) + front parada (using same free foot for leader) + leader back sacada (through follower's open step) + ? (different couples came up with: follower back sacada; follower front boleo; back parada & stepover; and gancho).  For this combo, the leader needs to maintain balance on the SAME foot for the first three moves, which requires finding the breath and energy to do so. The gancho needs to collect and send energy into the parada, and the follower's stepover needs to propel the leader's rotation before the back sacada, in order to have this combo work. 
• walk to the cross + front boleo (con or contra) + gancho + ? (different couples came up with a fourth step).  First, we looked at where the elastic and dense moments of the combination occurred. Then, we looked at how the embrace needs to change for the gancho so that it hooks around the leader, rather than moving away. Next, we played Superheroes! and figured where the POW! and SSSSS! moments hit. We worked on making those happen using elasticity/density concepts, and then tried out various fourth move possibilities, based on how well the first three went.

When does the dance begin?

For many couples I watch, the dance begins when they find the embrace and start moving to the music. For me, the dance begins with the cabeceo. From that moment, the focus of energy is on the partner, finding connection, preparing to move together, but already connected. The solar plexus opens and sends/receives energy not only when touching, but also while moving across the floor to meet the partner, even before touching. The embrace only cements that connection.

You don't have to agree with me on this point, but I'd like you to try something in the next few weeks: approach each tanda this way. Instead of using the first dance to adjust to your partner, use the time between agreeing to dance and starting to dance, for that same purpose. I think you will find your first dances are much better. Because the first dance is a real dance, instead of a "practice" dance, the rest of the tanda will also improve. Using energy this way, and staying connected/focused between dances, I expect to see some of you tottering off the dance floor with the dazed expression I know I had after my first close embrace workshop at Stanford Tango Week, back in 1996. This is not just tango . . . it's magic!

Putting steps together: transitions (Salem class)

Last week, we reviewed almost all of the steps we've learned, and practiced putting them together more smoothly.  We have covered A LOT of material in five weeks, due to all of you working so hard, and also to the extra help the beginners have received from those of you who have already studied tango for a while!

So far, this is what we've covered:

• walking in parallel system
• walking to the cross in parallel system
• corridas (the "little runs" line of dance)
• Oscar and Georgina's "porteno walk" #1: leader's left forward step has LOTS of energy/compression; the second step, leader's right, is in place/small lateral step has a slight lift--remember Oscar's bandoneon concept. 
• Oscar and Georgina's "porteno walk" #2: after the first walk, leader steps BACKWARD on the left, with a light lift to facilitate the follower's small forward step; and another slight lateral step with leader's right foot, keeping the slight lift going.  This gives the entire four-step pattern a feeling of launching a wave of movement, followed by an elastic, stretchy wave of softer motion. This can be done with all slow steps, or with a strong 1-2-3-4 (quick steps) punch of rhythm.
• front ochos (unaccompanied) at the cross: the leader unwinds the follower's right foot by rotating SLIGHTLY to the left, and then leads the ochos by rotating to the right, allowing the follower to arrive on axis, and then rotating back to the left (to neutral). We practiced walking out of this position, but many other combinations will happen as you learn more.
• turns to the right and left (R & L turns) at the cross: depending which direction the leader pivots, the follower turns that direction around the post, or center, of the circle (designated by the leader's axis). Remember, to turn the follower to the leader's right, the follower's cross must  unwind first.
• turns to the right and left from side steps: after the leader leads a side/open/lateral step (you decide what  you want to call it!), the leader collects both feet under to establish the post/axis of the turn. The follower begins the turn with a cross step--front or back can be led--because the step before the turn was a side/open step. Turn as far as desired (usually until facing line-of-dance for the leader), and continue in the dance.
• turns to the right and left from rock steps, starting line-of-dance: the leader steps towards line-of-dance in parallel system, then steps backwards reverse-line-of-dance. This rock step puts the follower in motion towards the leader. The leader rotates so that the free foot of the follower CROSSES OVER to begin the turn with a front cross step. In other words, if the leader rocks backwards on the right foot, the follower's left step is forward. The follower's next step is with the right, so the leader rotates to the right to get the turn started. Vice versa for the other direction. This is a symmetrical move, right or left.

This week, we will work on timing to use these different moves in two other forms of tango dancing: the milonga and the vals. I'll grab my tango history part of my thesis and put part of it up here, probably next week, with more information about all three dances.

Turnout vs. parallel feet for tango

A student asked me to expound on foot placement for tango. As someone who has danced tango in parallel for thirteen years, I am working hard to figure out how much turnout works for me and for my students. For those of you who know me, you know that I base my teaching on anatomy and healthy movement for each body.

I feel it is a personal decision whether to turn out or to dance parallel. For some people, only parallel or only turned out movement is comfortable, given old injuries or specific body mechanics. For most people, dancing with natural turnout seems to work best: if you have parallel feet, dance that way; if you really turn out, dance that way.  The most important aspect of turnout should be protecting your body.  Make sure your knees aren't rolling, that your weight is even on the heel of your shoes (not rolling out or in), that your body is actively stretching and also well-grounded, and that your feet feel comfortable so you can dance all night.

For me, I think my teachers stressed dancing parallel because of my weak ankles: they saw me roll out to the edges of my feet, and instructed me to counteract that tendency. Now that I've been working again with Oscar Mandagaran (and with Georgina Vargas for the first time), I have exercises to do that balance that tendency AND allow for more elegant footwork. I don't have better balance parallel or turned out, but I've noticed some of my students are more balanced now with more turnout. My styling looks a lot better, although I have to focus to stay in the new position, even when just walking--but I can feel when it works well. Because it's easier to see progress on other peoples' bodies, I can really see the difference in my students' movement: WAY more elegant.

Adrienne: hope that answers your questions so far!

Traveling back ochos (Eugene, 6 PM class)

After warming up by practicing switching tracks (outside/center/inside), we worked on creating beautiful traveling back ochos.

We worked on three ways to begin traveling back ochos:

• directly from switching systems by having the leader double-time "step together step"--from here the leader continued forward, but with a wider stance so that the follower's back step crossed behind to create a narrow zigzag down the dance floor.
• from walking in crossed system, on the outside track--the leader brings the follower across the outside lane when both people have the right foot free, to begin traveling back ochos.
• from the salida--the leader steps to the left, but then switches feet in place and SLIDES the follower across the leader's chest slightly, continuing down the dance floor in the outside lane (to the leader's right). This looks nice, but tended to create wider zigzags than the first two versions.

We worked on four ways to exit from traveling back ochos:

• walking to the cross, in crossed system--from the ochos, the leader steps through to the inside with the right, creating the "maybe" step of going to the cross. When the cross is completed, the dance can continue as desired.
• walking in crossed system on the outside track--from the ochos, the leader steps through to the outside with the left, and continues line-of-dance.
• walkaround turn: overturning the follower clockwise (when both people are on the right foot), the leader steps with the right close to the follower's right foot, creating the center of the circle, and turns the follower around until facing line-of-dance.
• scoop turn: leader walks on the outside track in crossed system for one step (or more), leads a back step for the follower (right foot) while turning own body perpendicular to line-of-dance, and receives that step with an open step. The leader collects both feet in place, rotates counterclockwise (to the left) to turn the follower in an overturned back cross (with left foot), open step and front cross. When facing the correct direction, exit in parallel or crossed system.

We worked on dancing at least one version of traveling back ochos, incorporating the step into the music. This week, we worked on Lomuto, especially "Alma en pena" and "La Gayola"--tangos.

Next class (our last), we'll review and put everything together.

Walking to the cross and switching "lanes" (Salem, Week IV)

This week, we covered a lot of new territory. Don't worry if you have forgotten some of the things we've done so far: there will be time to review and incorporate everything before we're done.

Switching lanes:
There are three orientations that the leader can work with in tango: in front of the follower (which I call center), walking with the leader's body towards the outside of the dance circle (which I call outside), and walking with the leader's body towards the inside of the dance circle (which I call inside).

To walk to the outside or the inside "lane" requires communicating to the follower to STAY in that center lane, rather than moving in front of the leader. The leader rotates the torso to face the follower, and the follower's body responds with a slight torsion to maintain the dance connection/energy. The leader's hips and feet still define the direction of movement, and do not point towards the follower in these positions.

It can be difficult to attain this "disassociation" between the hips and torso. For me, I make sure that I take a step, get on my axis, and then rotate my torso before stepping through to the outside/inside lane. This process can be done quickly, but it won't work if the separate steps of the process are mixed up, say, trying to pivot the torso WHILE traveling through space. Practice executing the lane change slowly, with the axis-rotate-travel idea, and speeding it up will prove to be relatively easy.

Although you can switch lanes with any step, it looks much more elegant if each lane change happens with a long diagonal step. Thus, moving to the outside lane (to the leader's right) looks better if you cross through from the center with the left leg, and move back to the center lane with the right leg; vice versa for moving to the inside lane (to the leader's left).

Walking to the cross
When the leader moves to the inside track, and continues to walk there, then the follower must cross. When the leader walks to the inside and the follower's LEFT foot steps, that is the signal that a cross may happen (a "maybe" in the vocabulary of Daniel Trenner). If a second step ensues, with the leader still walking to the inside, that is a "yes" because the next step will be a cross for the follower. If the leader does not want to walk to the cross, s/he must either step back in front of the follower (to the center lane), or lead into another step that does not continue line-of-dance. On the next step, the follower will cross in place.

There are several possibilities at the cross, but for now (remember I said this was the high school math version?), the leader will change weight in place while the follower crosses. This will keep us in parallel system for the moment, with the leader's left and the follower's right moving at the same time.

The actual cross of the follower's legs and feet, is led with the leader's torso. The initial torsion to walk to the inside lane must remain until the cross step. As the follower takes a backward step, the leader brings the torso back to neutral. In order to stay with the leader, the follower must cross one leg over the other, creating the cross step.

The follower steps back on the left, back on the right, and then scissors the legs together, crossing the left leg in front of the right, ending by standing on the left, legs crossed in place. The main focus should be the thigh and knee placement--knees fitting together like two Pringles potato chips, and the thighs connected as well. The shape of the follower's legs determines where the feet hit the floor during the "cross" step. The balls of both feet should be against the floor, as the cross step requires switching weight from right to left, with as little traveling as possible and without loss of balance. The cross should be one of the most stable steps in the dance. Don't try to line up your toes to the detriment of knees/thighs/balance!

Is the cross led?
In my opinion, yes--and no. After thirteen years of listening to folks argue this point, I have decided that both camps are approaching grey territory with black-and-white reasoning. This is a codigo, or a rule of the dance, so everyone knows that the cross is going to happen in a certain place in the dance movement. In my opinion, the follower should not automatically cross, but should listen for the nuances of the move: how fast does the leader want the cross to happen? with what flavor: sharp? soft? The cross has a lot of possibilities, and if the follower dances it on autopilot, some sweet moments of the dance will disappear. The leader's combination of traveling forward and returning the chest to neutral, create the cross. Followers: pay attention and enhance the dance!

Next week: turns and ochos at the cross (we began this week, but I want to wait until we've finished to review this as a whole). If you have a chance to practice, going over the walk to the cross is a good thing to review.

6 PM Eugene tango class review, 21Jul08

This week in class, we split the time between improving our technique and learning new moves.

Improving technique:

1. We continued working on stretching up and grounding at the same time (those weird three-person exercises!), so that the solar plexus opens wide.
2. Hot hands: stand close to your partner and breathe until your axis is stable and you feel energy throughout your body. Then, gently touch one hand to your partner's hand, and try to heat up the space between your palm. This requires that you do not tense muscles between your center and your partner's body. Some people find it helpful to imagine electricity, or fire, or water, or bubbles, or a favorite color, etc. flowing out of the center of the body, into the partner's palm. As soon as you feel the heat build, add the other palms touching. When both are hot, move into tango embrace and keep that same flow of energy to create the connection between the partners.
3. Look at your hand drill: This is a drill Oscar Mandagaran taught me in 2000 or 2001. In tango embrace, have the follower watch his/her right hand and be the motor that drives a left turn. Use the energy from the last drill, but in a circular shape, and draw a circle of energy around the leader with your embrace. BEFORE YOU GET DIZZY, reverse this to the other side. It is easiest (although strange) to completely reverse the embrace, in order to feel the same thing to the other side. Then, use this information to improve both your embrace and your turns.
4. Follower turns: Using the ballet barres, we worked on balance, foot placement and arriving on axis with energy. Then, we tried this around a "post" (leader) and then in the dance.
5. Follower ochos: We worked on keeping ankles together on pivots, using the big toes to push off and make dynamic front cross steps, and arriving on axis.
6. Leader turns: We had "helpers" keep hips stable while finding how to turn the chest (not from the shoulders ;-)) to start/continue/end a turn. We put this together with the followers to practice strong right and left turns, as well as front ochos at the cross.

Well, OK, I guess we mostly did technique this class. Next class, we'll work on traveling back ochos while polishing what we did this week.

Musicality: I chose to play d'Arienzo this week to beef up the energy. It's hard to keep energy levels up in such a huge room, but you are doing a good job.

Ocho cortado variations (7 PM Eugene class 21Jul08)

We continued with Oscar and Georgina's traspie work (again!). By the way, this week looked GREAT! The entire class seems to have taken a quantum leap forward, all at the same time.  Way to go!

We did three variations of ocho cortado this week:

1. Instead of leading the follower to complete the ocho cortado with the cross step, the leader turns the follower to take a forward step, crossing in between the dancers (a front cross) WHILE the leader does the same. At this point, the leader turns the follower back to the regular position. The entire step can be repeated as often as desired, with an ending either of going to the cross, or doing the resolution (or anything your little heart desires). For those of you who bought O & G's rhythmic tango DVD, this is #12.
2. In the middle of #1, the leader can repeat the open step and forward cross step of the follower (mirrored by the leader) as often as desired, before returning the follower to the regular orientation for a regular ocho cortado or whatever. On O & G's DVD, this is a variation of #12.
3. While leading a regular ocho cortado, the leader steps behind his/her own left foot, crossing the right behind into a very spring-like, dense quebrada and then returns to the open step, then the quebrada, etc. as often as desired, ending by completely transferring the weight of the follower's and the leader's foot, as in the regular ocho cortado. In this case, the quebrada step for the leader and the going to the cross step for the follower, are in a strange way a traspie in place, or under the dancers, rather than a traspie step out and rebounding into place! Cool, no? On O & G's DVD, this is #13, part 1.

Note on this class: I don't usually teach from DVD, as I can't learn steps in 2-D. However, after dancing all this stuff in my lessons with Oscar and Georgina, it has been very beneficial to review it via DVD. I'd have to say these are some of the most useful DVDs I have bought. Those of you going up to their classes in Seattle or Vancouver, B.C. (or Tangofest in the fall), consider investing in some of these DVDs. Of course, nothing can replace a live instructor, in my opinion, so if you need to either take a few privates or buy the DVDs, definitely take the private lessons.

Notes on doing traspie and/or ocho cortado:

• Remember that each of these steps is a step and rebound. The weight transfer does not complete 100% to the other foot before rebounding, but the whole foot hits the floor to allow for a rebound. This is not a "touch": imagine trying to bounce a ball without it hitting the floor!
• Leaders: when you pivot the follower to step through, rather than to complete the ocho cortado, the chest connection SLIDES but does not break. You don't need to move away to create the space to do the step.
• Followers: make sure you keep your step shape uniform: To do this Georgina-style, you must keep your turnout in order to step the same distance away from your partner in these moves.
• Follower: on the ocho cortado ending (or during the quebrada variation), your KNEES seek each other, not your feet. Make sure that your legs remain elastic so that the leader can move your axis and balance as needed.

Musicality and traspie: This week, we started working on vals timing and traspie. We have now covered, albeit not in depth, using traspie in tango, milonga and vals. Next week, we will continue making these dances feel and look like three different dances in terms of energy and musicality, while polishing our steps.

Orchestra this week: Donato, with featured vals: Quien Sera. I will keep playing the tunes we have studied so that you not only have new steps, but new knowledge of some sweet songs!

The evil back sacada: 8 PM Eugene class, 21Jul08

This week, we looked at back sacadas and using them to lead into other moves. Again, we looked at small changes in the focal step and how those changes determine what step works best after it. We worked on leading ganchos, forward boleos and follower back sacadas as potential steps to follow a leader back sacada.

To review about sacadas:

• front sacadas: The person performing the sacada is stepping forward into the move, with either a front cross or an open step.
• back sacadas: The person performing the sacada is taking a back cross (or sometimes, an open step) through the other person's step.
• circular sacadas vs. linear sacadas: Circular sacadas tend to turn around the "post" of the sacadee (is that a word?), and after the sacada, the person doing the sacada becomes the post. For linear sacadas, the move tends to travel line of dance (LOD) to some degree, and moves the couple somewhere else in the room.
• leader sacadas: The leader performs the sacada.
• follower sacadas: The follower performs the sacada.

Leader back sacadas can be done through any step of the follower's, but some are more straightforward than others. Sacadas work best through the follower's front cross or open step (the slow steps of the turn). Sacadas through the follower's back cross require some untangling of legs, but can be very fun.

For me, the back sacada has three pieces: spiraling the body into the most overturned position possible (done correctly, not by cheating with shoulders); a pivot while in this position to set up for the sacada; and a back step that creates the actual sacada. Most people do the first and third movement of the step, often crunching the leg/foot of the person receiving the sacada.

Although the sacada travels through the "window" of the other person's legs, it does not go up and down. Work to maintain a steady level of the body. Otherwise, the person receiving the sacada bobs up and down (NOT attractive). Also, it is super-important to continue to lead the entire step: don't lead the beginning and hope the follower can finish the step! Luciana Valle constantly told me, "Ely! You abandon me again!!" when I was learning to lead these. Keep the energy in between the couple, not out ahead of the step.

For some sacadas, depending on the direction of the sacada vis-a-vis the couple, the embrace may have to broken, modified, or simply stabilized. Try to keep contact with the follower as much as possible in order to have control of the step AFTER the sacada. Yes, collapsing the embrace makes it easier to pivot. No, you won't be able to do anything cool after the sacada if you do that. ;-)

We specifically worked on leader back sacadas to the left (thus obviating the need to do odd things to the embrace), and connected that step to:

1. (using the follower's open step for the lead back sacada) a follower gancho through the "inside" of the leader's thigh (follower's free right leg ganchos leader's free left leg)-a step we worked on Week I
2. (using the follower's open step for the lead back sacada) a follower gancho through the "outside" of the leader's thigh (follower's free right leg ganchos leader's free right leg)--a step we worked on Week I
3. (using the follower's front cross step for the lead back sacada) a follower front boleo, either con or contra style, immediately after the sacada--a step we worked on Week III
4. (using the follower's open step for the lead back sacada) a follower back sacada through the leader's step--a new step that can be led through the leader's front cross, open step or back cross step, with varying levels of difficulty.

Of course, there are MANY different possibilities, not just four. Next week, we will continue working with Oscar and Georgina's concept of elasticity and density, as well as the "bandoneon" of breath, energy, intention, etc. that drives dynamic tango, and we will apply it to these new combinations, as well as creating other combinations. As the back sacada was new to almost everyone in class, I didn't stress how to use it with music this week. Next week, back to work on musicality and flow!

Turn-o-rama! (Salem class review 24Jul08)

Basic giro (turn) theory: In Argentine tango, a giro can begin on any step (forward, side/open, back) and the exit from a giro can occur on any step. The typical giro in tango consists of leader rotating on a point, and the follower describing a circle (or an arc of a circle) around that point; after that, the couple usually continue traveling line-of-dance around the floor.

The follower is responsible for maintaining the correct order of steps in the giro. This pattern of "forward cross, open step, back cross, open step, etc." is called the grapevine, or molinete. Once the turn has begun, the follower grapevines around the leader until asked to do something else. The hips rotate to make a smooth turn, with the most rotation to prepare for the back cross step. Each step should be uniform in size (unless directed otherwise by the leader), with the feet passing under the axis on the way to the next step.

A note on collecting the feet: The follower's feet collect ON THE WAY to that next step, rather than interrupting the flow of the circle to clutch the ankles together tightly :-)  If the follower's body is sufficiently balanced and elastic, there will be plenty of room for the feet to pass through the body's axis line. This looks much more elegant than other alternatives. If you are just starting to practice turns, focus on being on balance and making the turn flow. When that becomes easier, then focus on collecting.

The leader is responsible for clearly marking the beginning of a turn, continuing the motion of the turn, and then clearly indicating the end of the turn. To do this, the leader's body twists into a spiral, with the chest slightly ahead (in terms of rotation) of the hips--there will be changes to this as we learn other forms of turns, but this is the rule right now. The leader does not lead "forward cross, open step, back cross, open step, etc," but rather keeps a steady spiral so that the follower can dance a smooth turn.

"What do I do with my feet?" asked several leaders on Tuesday night. For right now, don't mess around with crossing your feet behind you or spinning around on one foot: these may be fancy, but they are harder to do well than they look. For solid social dancing, keep both feet under you for balance and for creating a clear center of the turn for your follower. Step in place as you turn until you are facing the direction you want to do, decide what foot you want to use to exit the turn, and go!

Turn timing: Traditionally, the default timing for a turn is a SSQQ pattern. The follower's front cross is a slow step (S), as is the open step after that (S). The back cross and the open step after that, are both quick counts (QQ). Therefore, the timing on the turn is contingent upon the step that begins the turn.

HOWEVER, there are exceptions. The leader can choose to turn with all quick steps (QQQQ), which can be difficult for most followers to complete gracefully. Another choice is to slow the turn down to make it all slow steps (SSSS). In general, a turn has SSQQ timing, but each turn must be led in terms of tempo: there is no autopilot in tango!

Specific turns: So far, we have done the following giros (turns):

• starting the turn after a side step: For this turn, the follower will begin with a cross step. As the leaders gain leading skills, a front or back cross can be requested. For now, just note which step the follower did and work with it. Followers: many people suggest beginning this kind of turn with a back cross, but I have never heard anyone give a rule about this. When I lead this, I often lead it for a front cross, which is easier on the follower's body.
• starting the turn from a rock step: This turn is very useful on the dance floor, as it takes only one step of preparation and then turns in place. The leader travels forward until the turn is about to begin (whether due to traffic or leader choice). The leader then takes one step reverse line-of-dance (backward) and directs the follower's free leg to cross over to begin the turn. Thus, this turn always starts "front cross, open step, back cross, etc.). The leader pivots the follower to lead that first front cross as the follower arrives on-axis, stepping towards the leader.
• It is also possible to do a rock step, and then turn to the same side as the leading foot to turn, but that is technically a turn starting on a side step, albeit a rotating one! We'll do that next week in class.
• We will focus on specific exits from turns in the weeks to come.

These turns can be incorporated into what you already know: walks, "Porteño" walks, corridas, etc. Don't forget pauses and adornos, too! These are what make the dance dynamic.

There will be many other forms of turns in tango as you continue with the dance. Think of tango as mathematics. In high school, you learn math one way, and then you arrive at college, and they say, "OK, this is the real complexity of that mathematical issue" and go on to give you five million more exceptions, details, etc., than you had before. What we are doing right now is the high school math version of tango. It is not wrong or dumbed-down; I am simply giving you several "constants" in your dance equation that will later be replaced by variables.

8 PM Eugene tango class review

This class has a wide range of dance levels. There are folks who have danced tango for seven or eight years, as well as people who have only danced one to two years. In addition, there is no agreement among participants as to what the class should accomplish. Here is the list of goals:

• close embrace
• wild and crazy open embrace
• consistent giros; Oscar & Georgina exercises
• walk really nicely, feel beautiful
• back sacadas; switching embraces
• musicality, especially paradas
• relaxing, building confidence
• leg wraps and ganchos
• new moves
• frame and new moves
• contra movement in the body

Whew! I've spent two weeks trying to touch on a little of everything, but I am taking back some of the decision-making in order to have the class work better . Week III went much more smoothly because of this, so hopefully, we can all get something useful out of the class, despite varied expectations.

Follower technique (lots of Oscar & Georgina, with other influences mixed in)

• axis work: We did pair work and trio work, getting the body ground, heels on floor, etc., while stretchinggggggggggggg our bodies up to free the hips and spine for more movement.
• breath work: in order to maintain this super-stretchy position without holding and gripping, we worked on breathing from our second chakra (OK, I lived in Eugene for 17 years, I know), opening the solar plexus and breathing from the sides and back of the lungs for deep breathes.
• walking: forward, side and back steps. We worked solo, with peer coaching and one-on-one to develop more elastic, balanced, sensuous movement in all directions. This is really helped by the idea of elasticity-density from Oscar & Georgina's workshops, as well as their image of the bandoneon-like energy of the body, building energy/breath and then compressing to make a dynamic dance.
• ochos: Mainly, we have worked on front ochos so far, with the emphasis on collecting the ankles before projecting the leg into space; pushing off the back toes, but without tensing, so that the movement is cat-like; and using the hips to quickly flip around with ease so that the leader does not have to drag the ochos out of the follower (what Luciana Valle calls "golden hips").
• turns: We have not yet spent a lot of time on turns, but this coming week, we will. The focus in turns is finding the right amount of foot and hip pivot, maintaining an elegant foot placement/style and working on the energy of each step.
• boleos: Again, we started on front boleos Week III. We'll add back boleos this coming week. The same issues pertain here: foot placement/turnout, hip pivot, energy, balance, etc. I find that the stretch up and down the body for the basic posture is key to boleos: if you are not stretched and balanced, the "free" leg is not actually free to release for a boleo.
• ganchos: In ganchos, like boleos, the support leg is doing 80% of the work, keeping the body balanced, stretched and grounded. The "free" leg is elastic, relaxed and touching the floor (you cannot gancho if you are preparing for the move by picking up your foot to kick!). The gancho is led by the leader's chest and torsion, not by the follower as an adorno.

Leader technique:

• posture: Like the followers, the leaders have been working on keeping an elegant, lifted posture, balanced over the feet to allow weight and direction changes as the movement and music dictate.
• open solar plexus: By standing up straighter, the leader can open the solar plexus more easily, letting energy and intention reach the follower more easily. As part of the class has been learning new moves, I've noticed that a lot of leaders are looking down at their feet, thus blocked an open solar plexus. The aim is to feel the step, not see it, thus helping the couple execute the move more easily. Trust me, it works!
• foot placement: We've been working on keeping the ball of the foot, or the big toe, in contact with the ground, rather than rolling out so that the edge of the little toe is the surface meeting the ground. This is looking much better in just three weeks, folks!
• Oscar's quebrada and enrosque drills: Ooooh, these are hard! The main issue has been to find out how to switch weight from 30/70 to 70/30 (switching which foot is the main balance point) without falling over. Remember that the feet, knees and hips are providing a spring system for the movement, so that there is torsion that loads the spring, as well as a density/elasticity factor, resembling a coiled spring ready to release. The main point of this drill, and of the steps in the dance that require this position, are energizers, points where the couple can really use energy to project to the next step (Oscar's bandoneon squeeze; he also calls this squeeze a way of making "tango juice").
• Oscar's bandoneon idea: Last week (Week III) we spent a lot of time figuring out how to stretch/squeeze the energy so that each move had a lot of oomph. Also, we experimented with leading different moves from the same place in the dance, requiring the leader to alter HOW the bandoneon squeezed to initiate different steps and HOW MUCH to get either a pause, a slow movement, a sharp movement, etc., from the follower's body.
• Using contra-body movement: We are just starting to get this idea into our bodies in this class. The contra-body focus really helps with balance and with the amount of energy that the follower feels from the leader. For folks who have led mostly as a "block" of body, this is proving to be challenging.

Patterns to drive you/us crazy:

• Ganchos vs. amagues vs. reverse pasadas: Very tiny differences in a movement create different outcomes. We worked on being able to lead a gancho; block a gancho (thus leading an amague, or fake, of the follower's leg crossing her/his body instead of hooking the leader; or lead the follower to lift the leg up and over the leader's leg in a reverse pasada (a reverse stepover), via "flamingo leg" position. For a gancho, the leader must create an open space for the gancho, ensure that the follower can balance on-axis (for most ganchos) while doing the gancho, lead the step through torso torsion and foot/leg placement and direct the rebound appropriately. To lead the follower to amague, the leader needs to do all of the above, but create a blocked space where the gancho would go, thus requiring the follower to do an amague. For the reverse pasada, the leader needs to combine moving the follower with the correct amount/timing of lift to get the follower's leg free of gancho opportunities SAFELY.
• How many variations can you do at the cross? We worked on several "simple" movements here: front ochos around the leader vs. starting a right turn; with a sacada; leading the follower to do a strong adorno and creating a parada and stepover at the point of the cross; and leading a front boleo out of the the cross. All of these turned out to be harder to do well than folks expected. Also, each variation requires a subtle shift of intention, balance and energy use. I think these all looked really good by the end of class! The "tango juice" and the "bandoneon" concept seemed to really help the dancers understand what we were trying to accomplish.
• How many variations can you do from other moves that you do "automatically?" 
• How far can you twist in a quebrada position and have it work? How can you use the enrosque exercise to create combinations with lots of cat-like energy in them?

I think that's all we've covered so far. Please remind me if I have forgotten anything. This week, P's request for working on giros (turns) and C's request for working on back sacadas will be tackled. See you there!

Salem class review 16Jul08

I feel excited about helping to start another Argentine Tango community! When three of us started dancing together and running a practica in 1996 in Eugene, it felt this way, and look at Eugene now: tango every day of the week. Frank Davis is doing a fabulous job setting up classes, running a practica, learning to DJ and encouraging folks to try tango--go Frank! The rest of you who have been dancing tango in other places, get ready to enjoy low-gas-mileage tango!

Before I talk about what we've learned, I want to encourage everyone in the class to attend practicas. A practica is just that, a PRACTICE session. Don't feel intimidated because other folks know more tango: dancing with them will teach you more tango! You can go to a practica after one lesson or after a year or two, but starting immediately will help you learn faster. The hardest way to learn is to dance with other beginners, so go ask some of those more advanced dancers to dance with you!!

I hope that someone in the community has a wood floor in their living room or basement, in order to host dance parties. In Eugene, we found that we became a community quickly because we had no venue for milongas (dances). Instead, we had monthly and weekly parties at various houses. At the time, there were only ten to forty people in the community, and all were welcome. Having parties allowed us time to sit, drink wine and meet each other, rather than just dance and walk away. Those friendships are still in place and hold the community together. So, if YOU have room for a party, consider hosting one.

OK, off my bandwagon (at least for a moment).

So far in class, we have learned:

Walking: In tango, each step counts. There are no throw-away, or unimportant moments of the dance. The walk is not something I teach you until you get to the "cool" moves: walking IS the cool move! The leader uses the entire body to move, pressing into the floor, stretching up to make his/her entire body energized, and sending the signal to move through the solar plexus, into the follower's body. The walk is elastic, full of oomph and yet controlled. The follower grounds and stretches, too, and meets the leader's body elastic energy; this is not a passive role in tango. The follower lets the leader lead, but provides half the energy, half the passion, half the focus of the couple.

Pausing: Again, pauses are not breaks in the dance or moments to relax. Pauses create a foil to the moments in tango when you are moving around the floor. I think of them as opportunities to intensify the dance, to draw energy into the dance. We practiced stopping the follower on one foot so that we could practice adornos. Pauses are part of the phrasing of the dance, so it is important to use different lengths of pauses and movement in order to have a dynamic dance. Listen to the music and let it suggest when to move and when to pause: it's not just for avoiding other couples ;-)

"Porteño" walk (walk of a person who lives by the port, or person from Buenos Aires); this comes from Oscar and Georgina. Often, there is not enough space to walk forward on each step. This walk has one big, energetic step and one softer, but still energized, step in place. The leader leads the large step stepping forward onto the left foot and the small, in place step, with the right foot. There is a strong compression/boost of energy for the big step, with a small lift to keep the second step light and small.

Corrida--Little "runs" use quick, quick, slow patterns to progress around the dance floor. As you noticed in class, these do not have to take enormous amounts of room. What corridas give you is a musical syncopation to your dance. We will have other quick, quick, slow patterns in the dance, but this is your first. Use this, combined with regular speed walks and pauses, to make a dynamic, musical expression.

Abrazo--The tango embrace has as many variations as the steps do. My rule of thumb is to use the body as efficiently as possible. Any embrace that hurts, is wrong. Apart from that, you need to have communication between the partners, without stiffness or tension.

For my embrace, I prefer the leader to encircle my torso as far as is possible without lowering the shoulder or pulling me off balance (or being off-balance as the leader). The leader's left arm has the elbow relaxed and dropping towards the floor, with the palm facing into the center of the couple. There is light pressure meeting the follower's hand and arm, as if completing a circuit; please don't squeeze!

For the follower, I prefer an embrace where the left arm is embracing the leader, not leaning on them. The follower is supposed to provide energy to the leader, not sap it. The follower's right arm has a relaxed elbow pointing to the floor (the angle depends on the follower's body build, as it does for the leader), with the right forearm rotated to face out of the embrace circle to meet the leader's hand.

Basic turn technique (molinete, or grapevine, step: forward cross, open step, back cross, open step): in any turn, there is a center of the turn circle. In most cases in tango, that center is the person leading. The leader rotates in place, and the follower describes a circle around the leader, using the steps of the grapevine.

Turns can begin and end on any step of the grapevine. The context of the turn determines the starting point. For example, if the follower is walking forward before the turn and the turn begins on a side step, the first cross step will be a backward cross. If the follower begins with a side step after walking backwards, the first cross will be forward. There are always moments where the first cross is up for grabs: is this a forward or back cross? Leaders: as beginners, I advocate letting the cross happen and accommodating your turn to that step. Later, you will be able to control whether a step is a front or back cross easily; now, concentrate on being clear with the beginning and end of your turn. The rest will come in time.

As a follower, a turn can have different shapes and sizes. I suggest working to develop a consistent turn, with equally sized steps in a clear circle around the axis of the leader. To do this, the follower needs to pivot the hips without breaking the body's axis, especially on the front and back cross steps. Some tango traditions stipulate that the follower should not pivot in close embrace; I do not agree, as most dancers who do that look wooden and I prefer elegance (that said, the superstars of any style will look good, no matter how bad for the body their style is). In subsequent classes, we will discuss the turn more as we practice the technique more.

Leading turns from side steps: So far, the only specific turn we have done starts after a side step (open step) of both leader and follower. This can be done to either side (left or right). It is a turn that starts with a cross step. For right now, do not worry whether a front or back cross step happens here: you will learn to lead both later. The leader takes a side step, puts both feet together and rotates in place, letting the follower turn around for up to one entire turn. I usually use this turn to get back to facing line of dance.

Adornos: using embellishments to spice up pauses in the dance. Adornos are the flavoring of the dance. A different song, a different partner, a different state of mind--all require different spicing of the movement. You can use a darting, linear motion, a circular motion, or even what we played with to learn the adorno's place in the dance: writing your name in the "sand" on the dance floor. Adornos need to have energy, so don't do wimpy ones with your foot hardly touching the floor: make them count. Try different speeds, one or several iterations of the same movement, etc. Try not to do all the adornos you know whenever you pause: that is like putting all the spices in the kitchen into every dish you make, thus having only one flavor. Main adorno rule: don't switch feet unless you are 1. the leader and decide to do so, or 2. the follower and the leader told you to switch!

Navigation: how to avoid running into people in your way. There are many possibilities apart from stopping. Of course, you can pause and adorn. You can also execute a turn in place, waiting for traffic ahead to clear. You can use some version of a rock step, although stepping backwards more than one step may cause navigational issues behind you for other leaders. Remain aware of open space ahead of you and plan ahead, just as you would for walking down a crowded sidewalk. Remember the "solo-couple" game we played, where everyone changed partners, walked solo in ANY direction, and then received a new partner and danced without pausing. It is possible to get into the flow of the room and thus reduce the potential for crashes!

The cabeceo: inviting a partner to dance by gesturing with the head/eyes. As I mentioned, this was a traditional way of asking someone to dance. It is still used. I find it preferable to being asked to dance by someone approaching my table, but everyone has a different preference.

My main reason for preferring the cabeceo: When someone approaches my table and asks to dance, I feel constrained to say yes, whether I want to dance or not. If someone catches my eye and does a cabeceo, I can say "no" with more freedom, as it is a signal between us, and not a public event. In Buenos Aires, I found that the cabeceo gave me more power to decide with whom to dance than I had ever encountered in North America.

I think that many North Americans do not maintain eye contact quite long enough to actually invite me to dance, so there is more ambiguity with a cabeceo (Was that person trying to get my attention, or just spacing out, looking at the wall behind me?). The downside to the cabeceo is inability to get someone's attention if they are otherwise occupied. For example, I like to talk, and often get caught up in conversations at a milonga, failing to notice a lurking potential partner who is too shy to blatantly position him/herself in a way that I have to look up and communicate :-)

Dance floor etiquette: The traditionally packed dance floor has evolved a precise use of floor space for tango. Couples dance in concentric circles, or lanes, on the crowded dance floor. Often, the middle of the dance floor is filled with beginners who have drifted, interspersed with folks who are doing big, showy moves that don't work in traffic. Obviously, this makes the middle somewhat dangerous. Most good dancers stick to the outside lane, as there is better visibility, traffic only to one side, and the opportunity to be seen by seated folks. Pick a lane, and stay there! This is NOT like rush-hour traffic, and it is not good etiquette to pass or zoom around people.

Whew! We got through a lot in two hours! Please let me know if I have forgotten something, or if you have any questions you would like me to answer. See you in class!