Cool Tricks and Traps for the Social Dance Floor - Parts II (Master)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Providence, Rhode Island
October 30, 2011

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The Providence Tango Tricks and Treats Weekend with Homer & Cristina Ladas

Friday, October 28, 2011

Something Scary Spins This Way (Int)

Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Art of Surprise - Part I (Int)

The Art of Surprise - Part II (Int/Adv)

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Cool Tricks and Traps for the Social Dance Floor - Parts I (Advanced)

Cool Tricks and Traps for the Social Dance Floor - Parts II (Master)

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Video Courtesy of Steven Spura

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Cool Tricks and Traps for the Social Dance Floor - Parts II (Master)

This master class expanded upon the Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado to look at the possibilities for the Follower after she crosses behind herself. First, we investigated the Felix Back Sacada, connecting it to the Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado.

THE FELIX BACK SACADA (named after noted DJ and creative dancer Felix Naschke of Berlin)

This is a series of continuous Follower back sacadas (walks back) to the back of the Leader’s right foot as he kicks the heel around to turn, paddling or kick standing around as he pivots on his left foot.

This is more of a dessert move of continuous Follower back sacadas.

For the Leaders, we focused on how to lead it. His right hand opens up and the Follower uses the other two points of contact with the Leader (her left and right hands).

Why does the Follower not do a turn/hiro/molinete? The Leader’s extended leg prevents the Follower from doing a side step. The Follower feels the presence of the Leader’s hips, which blocks her hips from opening and prevents her from going into a hiro/turn/molinete/grapevine.

The Leader steps on his right, pivots back as she pivots, changes weight to his left foot, and his right foot paddles around, staying out for the Follower to back sacada it as she walks backward counterclockwise.

Homer’s secret is to envision an imaginary box, going from a right foot side step to pivot 180 degrees to be on the other side of the box. The Leader’s goal is to get to the edge of the box by his own pivot, which will also lead the Follower to pivot, being mindful of releasing his right hand. His right foot step around is a little bit away from the Follower so he doesn’t jam her, and with this step he should attack the floor to give Follower a lot of energy to help her pivot a lot.

The Follower should collect her feet before she steps in the back sacada, so that she pivots first all the way, collects, and then steps in the sacada. She needs to pivot a lot, putting fire in her hips, but having ice in her reaching step back in the sacada (no kerplunking). The Follower does the left foot back sacada first and then the right foot, left foot, right foot, etc, all around the Leader counterclockwise. When the Leader stops blocking the Follower with his hip, that’s when she should do the side step.

ADDING THE FELIPE REVERSE OCHO CORTADO TO THE FELIX BACK SACADA

We can go directly from the Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado into a Follower right foot back sacada, to do a wrap (gancho):

-regular, between the Leader’s thighs

-low wrap outside the Leader’s left leg

-high wrap (piernazo) outside the Leader’s left hip

We worked on doing all these wraps/ganchos.

The easiest wrap/gancho is where the Leader places his left foot behind the Follower as she arrives, turns to his left counterclockwise so she does a Follower left foot wrap.

ROBERTO VARIATION (named after a student in class)

This is even easier.

She is on her left foot, and does wrap/gancho with her right foot after he immediately gets into position.

MILTON VARIATION (named after a student in class)

The Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado into a Follower right foot reverse volcada into a Follower left foot wrap/gancho between his legs.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE LOW AND HIGH LEG WRAPS

The Leader needs to make it very obvious where he wants her to wrap, giving her low or high energy.

LOW: Leader’s knee is down, calf is in her way, near her, with a little bit of rotation.

HIGH: Leader really gets behind Follower. His rib cage is really behind her. He gets his hip lower, as if he is presenting his back.

4TH/CUARTO/AGAINST SACADAS

When the Follower’s and Leader’s hips go in opposite direction (clockwise + counterclockwise or counterclockwise + clockwise), it is an “Against” Sacada. An example is where the Follower’s hips turn counterclockwise, while the Leader steps clockwise. The Fourth/Cuarto Sacada is one of these, with the Leader stepping counterclockwise (right foot open side step), while the Follower does a clockwise hip turn with a right foot back sacada between Leader’s legs. The 4th/Cuarto/Against Sacada is more dynamic and energetic than other sacadas.

We drilled, trying to do “With” and “Against” sacadas, and we also added low wraps afterwards.

OCHO VERSUS GANCHO

The difference in leading an Ocho versus a Gancho is that in the Gancho, there is a circular, and then a blocking energy. In the Ocho or Felix Sacada, there is a smooth, circular energy with no blocking.

We can add the Felix Back Sacada anywhere where there is the Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado. Maestros left it up to the students to figure it out in 2-3 songs.

The pattern isn’t the important part: the important part is exploring the road to get there. We were to look at the sum of the parts to try to figure out how things flow together.

The Leader needs to fish for feet positioning, derived from tiny details from hours of practice. It takes 10,000 hours to master something.

This master class expanded upon the Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado to look at the possibilities for the Follower after she crosses behind herself:

Follower back sacada

-with

-against

To Receive the Sacada, don’t get too close, especially when doing the “Against” sacada. Options:

-wrap/gancho with options in:

--position (low or high)

--energy (low or high)

--Felix Back Sacada

During the review, some major concepts that the students felt were the backbone of our work:

Follower collects before stepping back

Follower defaults:

-pivot a lot

-major spiral

Leader creates spiral and gives energy to the Follower to help release her spiral. Every Follower has different pivot energy/capability/potential. The Leader needs to tap into it as much as he can.

Telescoping arms can be used.

After our class review, Maestros demo’d to Cirque Du Soleil’s Pearl.

A similar lesson was taught at the Yale Tango Festival on 10 April 2011, and the summary video can be found at:



Annotations of that video are as follows:

0:00 to 0:07 Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado

0:18 to 0:23 Follower's Swivel Shimmy

0:30 to 0:34 Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado

0:48 to 0:55 Exaggerated Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado

1:00 to 1:03 Follower's Swivel Shimmy

1:25 to 1:32 Felix Back Sacada

1:47 to 1:54 Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado to Follower's Right Foot Back Sacada to Follower's Left foot Low Wrap of Leader's Left Leg

2:03 to 2:09 Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado

2:17 to 2:23 Felix Back Sacada

2:35 to 2:39 Felix Back Sacada on the other side

2:40 to 2:43 Felipe Reverse Ocho Cortado to Follower's Right Foot Back Sacada

Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com