Vals – Syncopation and Turns

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
Tango Monterey Bay Marathon
Saturday, August 22, 2026 

 

 

This class will focus on:
-developing awareness of syncopated vals rhythms
-exploring different dynamics in vals turns
-helping both leaders and followers better interpret and create musical syncopation

We began with a warm-up vals.

Next, we began with a phrasing exercise with Leaders behind Homer and Followers behind Cristina, doing Vals Chacarera, where in Chacarera formation of two lines of dancers facing each other all in one line, arms up and eyes making contact with each other, we took four steps forward and four steps back, similar to the Avanzado and Regreso initial steps of the Chacarera. The 4 forward steps were done in 4 beats, and the 4 back steps were done in 4 beats. During this game, Maestro played a very regular, well-behaved vals (Calo’s Bajo un Cielo de Estrellas) so we could clearly hear the musical phrasing and sentence, the goal of which was to get us all onto the same musical page, stepping on the strong beat.  It was basically:

4 forward
4 back
Comma (pause)
4 forward
4 back
Period (stop)

At the Period (end of a sentence/phrase) is where the dancers, both Leader and Follower, should do various accents/fancy things in their dancing.

Next exercise:
In partnership, we began with walking to the transition (comma), then wait. Then walk to the end of the sentence, then wait, to hear if there is an opportunity in the music to embellish (such as doing a series of taps to the side).  This was an exercise to improve our listening and to help us be more creative.  The music will guide you to pick a phrase of music and let the embellishment happen.  We drilled this in partnership to a very regular, well-behaved vals (Calo’s Bajo un Cielo de Estrellas).

4 walk
4 walk
Comma (wait)
4 walk
4 walk (embellish if you hear there’s an opportunity in the music).

In partnership, we were to walk, pausing in the middle of the phrase, hitting the end of the phrase and getting ready for the next phrase.  We were to embellish at the end of the phrase and be ready to start at the beginning of the next phrase.

There are fills and transitions at the end of each phrase.

Followers: can help convey the musical phrasing of the vals to the leader to help identify the middle of the phrase by using her breath to help indicate the phrase.

In Vals, usually the first minute is instrumental with no lyrics.  Then the vocals come in and tie into the melody.  The first minute of a vals will explain a lot about the intention of the song. 

Vals rhythm is 1-2-3, 1-2-3 (boom chick pause boom or boom pause chick boom -- 1-2-1 or 1-3-1).

Independently (not in partnership), we drilled with walking, just stepping on the Boom and on the two Chicks (Boom Chick Chick), going forward and then backwards on the boom only first, and then the boom chick boom.

Next, we added a syncopated footwork to this rhythm of Left Foot Forward, Right Foot Back Cross (but not tightly), Left Foot Side, Right Foot Forward, Left Foot Back Cross (but not tightly), Right Foot Side, etc.  Note that the back cross steps are not tight, it’s just marching on beat.  We walked by ourselves at the Boom, stepping on the Boom and then the Boom Chick Chick.  We drilled this to Canaro’s Cuando Estaba Enamorado, which was a bit fast, so it was switched to Canaro’s Soñar y Nada Mas.

Next, we skipped one of the Chicks in the Boom Chick Chick rhythm. The question was which one?  1-2-1 is the usual Vals rhythm, so Boom Chick (Pause) Boom.

In partnership, we were to do it in place with just weight changes, or walk a bit, then syncopate a bit doing Boom Chick, pause, Boom.  A good syncopation to do is a Rock Step.  We drilled this to Canaro’s Soñar y Nada Mas.

Then we tried in partnership to walking on boom only or boom chick boom (1-2-1).  The way the Leader tries to project acceleration is to stay very horizontal, and be almost aggressive in the acceleration, but have control in the stop. He should not put all of his weight in the first boom. It’s just a touch, so maybe 5% of his weight, with a reach to mark the Boom. The last Boom is when the step finishes.

Try not to change height when doing the syncopation. And don’t move your upper body too much in space.  Keep the inner thighs together as if they have magnets together activated to quiet down the forward momentum in your upper body.

The faster the vals is, the more we dance on just the boom, and we may syncopate just 3 or so times during the entire song.

We did not drill to the 1-3-1 (Boom, Pause, Chick, Boom) rhythm as it is weirder than the 1-2-1 rhythm.

Next, we were to make this rhythm in the turn so that we could express the Vals Rhythm in the turn.  It was assumed that everyone knew fundamental Turns techniques for their respective roles, so we didn’t verbally repeat them.  Working in open and close embrace, the goal of this class was to make the turn more dynamic.  The underlying theme of the class was for the dancers to be really active in hearing the music and making a good effort of knowing the vals rhythm and cadence.

Building on our previous exercises, we did the turns footwork of doing the grapevine pattern stepping in the boom - chick - boom (1-2-1) rhythm. We started in promenade as if walking in the park, and then Leader would make it circular by initiating the turn while he did PacPerson (PC of PacMan) footwork of open and closing his feet while he was the center of the circle, to emphasize the Follower's syncopation as she walked around the Leader doing the same Boom Chick Boom rhythm.  The Leader does not push the Follower faster, she moves on her turn. We drilled this to Canaro’s Soñar y Nada Mas. 

Our goal is to fit the turn to the music.

Finer points on how the Leader leads this so that the Follower makes an actual step.  The move comes from the floor into the Leader’s body.  The Leader turns on the open side, the left side, so the Follower feels that’s where the energy is, almost as if the Leader pulls her there, by how he connects to the floor and how it translates into his body. 

The Follower needs to engage her right hand to hold the Leader more so she can feel the Leader’s acceleration in his upper body. When the Follower feels the Leader accelerate the turn, he is probably looking for the rhythm. Since it’s integral, it’s important for the Follower to have control to contain the movement and try to stay with the Leader.  Follower should match the Leader’s tone in his body, and her steps are long and around the Leader to match his steps.

The Boom can be difficult to lead after the Chick syncopation because you have to slow your partner down.

Follower should lock herself to the music to know where the Boom - Chick - Chick syncopation is, and to pay attention to the music and the lead. The more the Follower’s body locks into the music, the more she will be with the vals cadence.

Follower should not fall on the Boom, but be controlled, and not transfer the weight too fast, otherwise she will arrive too early. She needs to really lock her body onto the music for better control.

We drilled this to Calo’s Bajo un Cielo de Estrellas, trying to syncopate in the usual places and in the unusual places as well.

Maestro concluded with Q&A summary and a demo to Canaro’s Soñar y Nada Mas.

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

Copyright 2026 

 

 
 

 

Playing in the In Between (Intermediate)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 21, 2024

 

This subject covered the Intangibles in tango, the “glue” or how to enhance our dancing and communication with each other.  A lot of these intangible ideas can really come from our attentiveness to the music and how the music affects us. It has to make sense with the music and to both partners. It has to be in context.  Our class focus is to enhance our ability to translate the music and influence our partner.  

We began with the Statue Game:

In partnership, we simply walked, with the Leader initiating a stop in the middle of a step, and both dancers were to comfortably maintain it for two beats.

Level 1 of the game: Leader initiates the stop.

Level 2 of the game: Follower initiates the stop.

 

During the stop, we were to engage the body and be super grounded, hug and compress the body to really stop/freeze.  Our connection is deliberate, and we move with the floor.  We can stop/freeze in a parada or the middle of a boleo or leg wrap. Our goal was to suspend or pause the movement, have a Kodak Moment, to enrich the flow of our dance, creating pauses. In this class, we are to exaggerate to understand the concept.

 

Next Game:

The Follower Initiates

She does not change the step the Leader is leading, and forces her to go between being subtle to being more obvious.  The Follower is 100% a partner of the musical interpretation, as is the Leader.  The Follower adds her own take on the music, and does subtle things that capture the Leader’s attention, so that the dance becomes a conversation.  In the Follower’s upper body, she can do things with her lungs, arms, hands, fingers, and shoulders, to influence the Leader in communicating the musicality via her upper body.

 

Two more chapters:

The Follower should inject playful footwork into all the places where she can do a little something, perhaps even doing bigger and more complex things that are not led.  These are embellishments, but also extra steps, accents, or catches.  She should not be obnoxious to the Leader and his lead when she does these things.  She should find the “safe spaces” to do them such as paradas or when they are in outside partner position.  The Leader should hold back and allow the Follower the space and time to do these things. (Don’t worry, Leaders will have their moment, too.)  We were to connect well with the music.  The Leader should create open spaces for him to propose to the Follower to do a little accent.  Followers should spend time dancing with themselves to become more familiar with the music. We were to try to do these little accents, catches, and embellishments during the parada before she steps over.

 

The Follower should periodically engage eye contact with the Leader.  This is one way of being playful, as if the dancers are sharing a joke, or to tell the Leader she is just checking in.  She should not shoot laser beams at the Leader from her eyes.

 

Last chapter:

Leader moves independently but does not move the Follower.  We practiced this in partnership in regular hold in open embrace with a fair amount of space between them. Follower is on one leg and the Leader moves from side to side, changing his weight or taking a step, but leading the Follower to remain where she is on one leg. He can help do this by releasing his right hand from the Follower’s back so he can still hold, but does not accidentally push her or move her while he is moving. He does not go too far away in his steps.   

 

To apply this concept to our dancing, the Leader can lead an 8-Count Basic to the cross, and add a few pitter patter steps in between, keeping the Follower on axis and not disturbing or changing any of her steps.  Do this on the Follower’s right foot and left foot so she doesn’t get overtired on one leg.

 

Putting it all together:

(1)   Stop (Leader or Follower initiated)

(2)   Follower interprets the music with embellishments or with changes in her embrace or by looking at the Leader periodically

(3)   With the Leader moving independently of the Follower and not disturbing his dance.

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to El Once (A Divertirse) by Osvaldo Fresedo

 

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

Cross Explored (Intermediate)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 21, 2024

 

We began with a warm-up dance that included crosses.

Our lesson would focus on walking to the cross (in the context of the 8-count basic).

 

Individual Exercise (which we were encouraged to do once a week):

Cross behind to walk forward.  Lift our heel by bending our knee to get past the other knee. Do not change height or bop up and down, and imagine that we are holding a giant fishbowl in our embrace and the fish are sleeping and we don’t want to disturb them. 

We also did this exercise the opposite way: Cross in front to walk back. 

 

Parts of our body need to be engaged, but not our whole body.  There’s softness in the body, but we need to squeeze our upper thigs and articulate the metatarsal.

 

We can lead the cross in three ways:

(1)   Diagonally (how we are all taught as beginners; this tends to drift if doing consecutively)

(2)   In a J

(3)   The subject of our class.

 

In partnership in open embrace, we were to walk in parallel system, with the Leader trying to touch the side Follower’s opposite weighted foot (not the one that is moving simultaneously with his) with the side of his stepping foot.  Then we would gradually close the embrace, and the Leader would walk farther in, his stepping foot aiming to step farther in, closer toward her ankle.  The embrace would close even more so that the Leader would aim to step beyond the Follower’s foot.

 

The Follower should squeeze the top of her inner thigh to help create a straight line, controlling the metatarsal as her back heel goes down.

 

Exercise in partnership:

Walk to the cross, but eliminate the unnecessary steps, which we did by the Leader doing a weight change.

Leader right foot steps forward to the open side / Follower left foot steps back.

Leader left foot steps forward / Follower right foot steps back

Leader right foot collects / Follower’s left foot crosses in front of her left foot

Out to resolution

 

Moving on…

The Leader starts in front.

In his first right foot step outside partner, he rotates a little as he steps but faces toward her. On his next step, his left foot forward step, he rotates even more.  On the next step, they settle and square up as the Follower is in cross.

 

This is the diagonal way of getting into the cross.

 

The Leader’s step before the cross needs to be close to the Follower and not drift.  To be more stable and have more balance in his step, the Leader should have a little turn out in his forward steps, just like the Follower has even turnout in both feet in her back steps.

 

Follower: On her right foot back step, before the cross, she needs to have control with a strong standing left leg to push the floor as she transfers weight to her right foot, and her right foot should be solidly connected to the floor.

 

NEXT

The close embrace method of getting to the cross

We can do a series of crosses so you get a sawtooth shape.

 

The Leader does a sneak attach weight change to be on his right foot.  His left foot forward step touches the Follower’s thigh. He steps right foot forward outside, twisting from his abdomen to get the Follower into cross.  He collects with his left foot to square off in front of the Follower.

 

For both dancers, we can engage our embrace and be intentional in our breath to communicate with each other better in leading and following the cross.

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to El Aeroplano by Cuarteto Guardia Vieja

 

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

Turn vs Ocho Leg Wraps (All Levels)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 20, 2024

 

Concept: A Leg Wrap is also known as a Gancho.  They can be circular (round) or sideways.  The focus of our class with be Turning Wraps, where the Leader is the center of the turn.

We were to do a warm-up dance in open or close embrace, doing lots of turns and ochos, and include any ganchos or leg wraps we know.

 

Tango has an inherent shape.

 

Individual exercise to free our legs:

On our weighted left leg, rotate in our hip socket without pivoting.  Really use the ball socket in our thigh.  Arms were out, as if holding an imaginary fishbowl.   

 

Level 1:

Our free leg goes out in a small floor front boleo

 

Level 2:

Our free leg wraps around our standing leg’s thigh

 

Level 3:

Our free leg wraps around and whacks the side of our butt as in a front boleo

 

In doing wraps, the Leader’s leg is like a chicken leg, with his thigh the meatiest part of the leg, which is where the follower should aim.

 

We worked on the Leader’s footwork technique to free his leg to be able to enter her step at the appropriate time.  With the leader on one weighted leg, his other free leg goes out in a circle (lapice), while he rotates around his spine. So it is like a block turn with big rulo technique for him.  We practiced this on both legs. The goal of this exercise is so that the Leader gets used to moving his free leg around while being very stable on his supporting, standing leg, which will be important since the target (Follower’s open side step after the forward step as she walks around him) will be moving, and he needs to be good with his timing.

 

When the Leader steps into the Follower during the leg wrap, his target will be the inside of the lead step of her foot, not her trailing foot.  He should aim to step in during the side step after her forward step. The Leader does not try to touch the Follower’s foot.  He is trying to touch the Follower’s thigh with his thigh as she is arriving on her lead leg, even before she lands, so it’s a little earlier. The Leader slides his leg in, articulating his leg and opening his hip.  On these wraps, the Leader needs to be in just the right place, the sweet spot. If the Leader's step in is too deep, the Follower has the potential to knee herself (right heel to left knee). If the Leader’s step in is too shallow, Follower won't be able to have full range of motion in her wrap, wrapping at the wrong spot on the Leader's leg. Leader should be off his heel to maneuver more. This is a continuous motion of the turn/rotation for Leader as he moves around the Follower to get a smooth wrap effect as he remains on his axis.

 

After he steps in, but not too soon (he waits and holds back a little), the Leader then transfers his weight but keeps his upper body rotating to continuously lead the turn.  It is a full turn lead, but his leg is in between hers, interrupting her back cross step, which causes the wrap, and then she concludes to complete her back cross step.  The Follower should be like a tiger, and not hesitate on her exit.

 

The Leader cannot force the Follower to wrap her leg against his.  It’s a move that is half led, have embellishment.  If the Follower does not wrap, the Leader pulls his leg back.

 

From the clockwise turn, on the Follower side step after her front cross step, the Leader steps in with his right foot toward Follower's left foot, forcing her right leg to wrap his Captain Morgan right leg. The Leader’s step in is like a sacada, but toward the Follower’s lead (arriving) foot, not her trailing foot. For the Leader, a little bit of his weight is forward in his step in, and then more of the weight shifts forward as she moves around him as she wraps. Here also the Leader's thigh is open. 

 

We practiced this wrap in the counterclockwise turn as well, with Leader's left foot step in toward the Follower's right foot on her side step, forcing her left leg to wrap around his left leg. 

 

The easy side is the Leader’s right (close side of the embrace) (clockwise)

 

Leader’s Captain Morgan Leg Is Key

The Leader’s Captain Morgan stance with heel lifted off the ground:

-          Gives his leg more flexibility.

-          Gets his knee closer to her knee

-          Creates space between his legs for her to wrap

 

In the wrap from the cross, at the point of the Captain Morgan stance (which in this case is with his leg forward instead of the off to the side), and where the Leader has to come in to meet the Follower half-way on her return after he has sent her out, both his feet are weighted.  The weight is at the center, and the Leader is on axis. The Follower is also on axis during her wrap. His thigh opens as the Follower goes around, giving her room as she wraps his leg with hers. Because of the joint, her knee bends.  “The thighs have eyes” so the Follower feels the invitation to wrap because of her thigh contact with the Leader’s thigh. 

 

The non-Captain Morgan leg is the elevator leg, so the Leader can change the height of his leg to accommodate different height Followers and where they wrap on his leg.

 

Follower’s Technique during the Wrap

The Follower should try to always keep her foot on the floor, even when it goes forward. Only when she feels the obstacle of his leg should she wrap around the meaty, fleshy part of his thigh (so higher than his knee).

The Follower creates the shape of the wrap.  The Leader leads it, but the way the Follower answers is all in her control.

Wraps can be challenging, not because of the entrance of the Leader, but because the Follower must remain stable and in balance after her wrap and prepare to make a long reaching back cross step.  Follower is responsible for her own axis until she feels the Leader disturbs it.

 

Follower’s Exit after the Wrap: 2 Options

(1) regularly collect, or 

(2) after wrapping the Leader's leg, and have her leg go up and caress the side of her standing leg as it goes back down to the floor as it returns. 

 

Either way (Follower’s choice), the Follower should not anticipate the next step as it could be a back step or a back ocho.

 

There is a transition from open to close embrace at the point of the wrap (close) to when her leg goes back out to complete her interrupted back cross step (open).

 

In our class, due to time constraints, we ended up only doing turns leg wraps and no ocho leg wraps.  However, Maestros did demonstrate an ocho wrap and a linear wrap.  The ocho wraps have more energy with a strong invitation. The Leader leads the Follower to pivot and turn her hips to lead the Follower to wrap.

 

In the linear wrap, it was similar to the prior day’s figure: Leader opens the embrace to send the Follower straight back out a little in Colgada energy, freeing her right leg to go back out and away.

Leader closes the embrace to bring Follower back in toward him, as well as her right free leg, which wraps around his right leg.

Her right leg then goes back out to normal resolution.

 

We can also do double or triple wraps, which the Leader can lead by small, quick rotations (micromovements) in his spine, or the Follower can steal it like an embellishment if it is musically appropriate.  

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to Dancing With Your Ghost by Sasha Alex Sloan

 

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

Who’s Axis Is it? Exploring Alterations (All Levels)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 20, 2024

 

We began with a warm-up dance doing a lot of turns.

In teapot embrace (Leader right hand as the handle, left hand up and open like the spout of a teapot), with the Leader doing either Pacperson or kick around footwork, the Follower holds the Leader’s handle and tip of spout as he rotates around his spine in a block turn.  During the turn, the Follower should stay behind the Leader, and equal long steps around. He changes direction.  We were to avoid doing any ochos. The Leader should just stop the Follower on one of her steps and change the direction, but not on her back step.  

 

In drilling these changes of direction, we were to also include walks periodically so we don’t get too dizzy.  We were to not do any ochos for the next 20 minutes of drilling.

 

Still in teapot embrace, the Leader leads the Follower to walk around him in typical turn footwork (forward cross, side, back cross, side).  While she walks around, her circle should be nice and tight. Once the Leader starts the turn, he should provide continuous energy, pulling from his left hand (spout), rather than pushing from his right hand.  That’s why we are doing this in teapot embrace, eliminating the possibility of the Leader pushing with his right hand and instead forcing him to only lead with pulling energy in his left hand.  In the teapot embrace, the Follower should have a good, solid embrace on the Leader’s spout and handle.

 

The Leader determines the timing of the Follower’s steps to determine where to stop the Follower and change the direction of the turn.

 

We began this exploration exercise with the Leader also stepping to the side with the Follower steps to the side (called Capturing The Moon).  This is the most simple Alteration: the side to side alteration.

 

2 RULES FOR ALTERATIONS:

(1)   Capture the Moon

(2)   Change the direction of the turn.

 

Alterations are a fundamental way to move through space.

 

Next Level:

Leader side step on Follower’s back step.

 

On the Follower’s back step, she can collect in an amague with her trailing foot arriving to cross tuck against her weighted foot to position herself functionally and efficiently so that her right foot back step immediately goes into a left foot forward step, and prevents an accidental ocho.

 

Alterations can be done on any step of the Follower, and any step of the Leader, in either direction, so there are a total of 18 possibilities:

1.     In a left turn, Follower side step, Leader side step

2.     In a left turn, Follower back step, Leader side step

3.     In a left turn, Follower forward step, Leader side step

4.     In a left turn, Follower side step, Leader forward step

5.     In a left turn, Follower back step, Leader forward step

6.     In a left turn, Follower front step, Leader forward step

7.     In a left turn, Follower side step, Leader back step

8.     In a left turn, Follower back step, Leader back step

9.     In a left turn, Follower forward step, Leader back step

10.  In a right turn, Follower side step, Leader side step

11.  In a right turn, Follower back step, Leader side step

12.  In a right turn, Follower forward step, Leader side step

13.  In a right turn, Follower side step, Leader forward step

14.  In a right turn, Follower back step, Leader forward step

15.  In a right turn, Follower front step, Leader forward step

16.  In a right turn, Follower side step, Leader back step

17.  In a right turn, Follower back step, Leader back step

18.  In a right turn, Follower forward step, Leader back step

 

After the Leader starts the turn and captures the moon, he should not take an extra step.

 

Musically, we were to drill doing everything on the strong beat, and not double time any steps The Follower should make equal steps around the Leader, and do a big pivot on the back cross step of the turn.  She should activate her standing leg to really reach and not fall into the Leader and have lots of disassociation in the spine.

 

SPICE

To add spice to our alterations, the Leader should get closer to the Follower when he captures the moon on his side step.  Then he steps diagonally behind to facilitate the Follower’s next orbit around the Leader.

 

AVOID THE A.O.R.

The A.O.R. is the Automatic Ocho Reflex.

We were to not do any ochos!

To avoid doing ochos instead of an alteration, the Leader should focus on leading the Follower around his axis as he leads a turn (in doing an ocho, the lead is around her axis).

 

PROPERTIES OF ALTERATIONS

Alterations can have a slingshot sensation – a dynamic feeling or dynamic action.

We explored this by adding in the QQS.

Because the Leader captures close and steps diagonally behind the Follower, he can also do the QQS rhythm.

 

In the Leader’s diagonally back step, in the change of direction he adds more energy to the embrace, and he can contain the energy and not lose control. The Follower also adds more energy to the embrace.  The Follower only has two steps that are QQ: the forward and side steps.

 

We drilled these concepts to three Alterations on both sides:

1.     In a turn, Follower side step, Leader side step

2.     In a turn, Follower back step, Leader side step

3.     In a turn, Follower front step, Leader side step

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to 7 Years by Jasmine Thompson

 

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

 

Creating Seamless Transitions (Advanced)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 19, 2024

 

In our class we were to create seamless transitions that flow and are not abrupt, with a focus on extreme transitions going from extremely close embrace (like in Volcadas) to extremely open embrace (like in Colgadas) and playing with the axis (on and off).  

To one song, we would open and close the embrace with a pattern that works socially and include both a colgada and a volcada.  Since this was an advance class, we would not go into great detail regarding how to do colgadas or volcadas or any of the other steps in the pattern.

 

In close embrace, we began with a Leader’s right foot rock step / Follower’s left foot rock step on the close side of the embrace, to turn clockwise with the Leader’s right foot catching the Follower’s left foot side step.  (IMPORTANT NOTE: The Follower’s side step arrives first, then the Leader’s side step catches the Follower’s side step.) Then Leader shifts weight and opens the embrace to send the Follower out in Colgada while her left foot is weighted, so she can raise her right leg and then step over with her right foot around the Leader. This is called the Hard Side Stepover Colgada.  The Leader’s embrace shifts as his right supporting hand goes to the outside of the Follower’s left lats.  Leader does a cheat step around the Follower.  After her right foot stepover, they transition back to close embrace.

 

Finer point: THE LINE OF POWER: Two points of the Leader’s feet are in a line, indicating the direction of where the Follower's hips will go. The Follower's hips go out straight: that's the line of power.  So there is a linear sendoff in the line of power, and Follower has good support.

 

The Leader leads a turn, which causes the Follower to lift her right leg in preparation for her to do her forward step after her hips are sent out in the Line of Power.

 

The Leader leads the Follower to just transfer her weight and not do an actual side step.  In the Colgada moment, the Leader is the mountain and the Follower is the climber, so he should be engaged in both his left and right hands as she raises her left leg.  

 

The Leader should finish on his right foot to be closer to the Follower and end really holding on to the Follower during the Kodak Moment when she is on her left foot, her left hip is out and away, and her right leg is up while his body counterweights her hip as it is out.  He can even hold this pose before moving through the movement.

 

From the Colgada, after the Follower steps over, the Leader brings her immediately back into very close embrace to lead a left foot Volcada, and driving her left foot back into a front cross of her left foot against her weighted right foot. He then opens up the embrace more to send her back out, freeing her right leg out and back.  He then brings her back in in closer embrace to lead her right leg to wrap against his right leg.  

 

The Leader does a left foot side step to supply volcada support as the Follower steps left foot forward.

 

Pattern summary:

In close embrace in line of dance

Leader’s right foot/Follower’s left foot rock step on close side of the embrace

Follower’s left foot side step/Leader’s right foot catch of Follower’s left foot (captures the moon).

Leader opens the embrace

Leader sends Follower out in Colgada while she is on her left weighted foot.

Follower lifts her right leg as Leader counterbalances her with good support (Kodak moment)

Leader makes little cheat step around

Leader turns, pivoting on his forward heel

Follower steps over with right foot in curved step around Leader, with them turning to get back into line of dance

In open embrace, Leader leads Follower’s Left Foot Volcada

Getting into close embrace Leader drives Follower’s left foot volcada to close against her weighted right foot, going deep enough to touch thigh to thigh

Leader sends the Follower back out a little in Colgada energy, freeing her right leg to go back out and away

Leader brings Follower back in toward him, as well as her right free leg, which wraps around his right leg.

Her right leg then goes back out to normal resolution.

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to Idea 10 by Gibran Alococer

 

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

Refining Connection Via Follower’s Sacada (Advanced)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org/
Tucson Tango Festival
April 19, 2024

 

 

All Sacadas (Leader or Follower) are all based on turns.

In our class, we were to explore what we can do versus hanging back a little in the context of sacadas.

 

In partnership without touching, we began with a precursor to the game, facing each other and transferring weight nice and slow.  The Follower should readily transfer weight and go to either side.  

 

The Sacada Game

The dancers face each other with open side steps.  The Sacadaing person (actor) does their sacada, the other person (receptor) receives the sacada. The actor transfers weight to their arriving step and raises their free leg while pivoting on the standing leg, and then does an open step in setup to then become the receptor of the other person, who will now become the actor to do a sacada.  This is an exercise in creativity with each dancer alternating doing sacadas (his sacada, then her sacada, then his sacada, then her sacada, etc.).  Each person needs to create space for the other person to enter.  We did this going back and forth, alternating between who is the actor (initiator of the sacada) and who is the receptor (receiver of the sacada).

 

Level 2 of the Sacada Game

The constraint of being in fingertip hold was added, so we could be connected, or break the embrace when necessary or not. In adding the embrace, each dancer needs to really sense where the other dancer is, but be sure they are really stacked on their standing leg.  Each dancer does long reaching side steps, so they can sense the other’s points of contact so both dancers are stable.  Actor needs to stack themself really well.  Actor rotates only as much as they need to, to lead the receptor to step and arrive on their step.  Both Leader and Follower need to turn on their listening skills.  Both dancers were to have careful extension and careful transfer of weight, and to pay attention to their partner in their pivots so that they are stable.

 

Level 3 of the Sacada Game (we did not do this, but just discussed it)

Same as Level 2 of the game, but with 3 people.  We can do this in regular embrace and break the embrace.

 

The difference between Leader and Follower Sacadas are in the timing of the turn:

Leader sacada timing he turns, and reaches while turning, and then follows through.

Follower’s Sacada she reaches first, there is no turn yet.

 

Exercise:

 

In Sugar Bowl embrace, the Leader “hypnotizes” the Follower by doing one side step to one side and then a side step to the other side.  The Follower follows the Leader’s pace.  Both dancers should take long, nice, even side steps.  Leader does sneak attack weight change, extending his leg to mark the space, then turns to transfer the weight, to lead the Follower to step forward around.  In our exercise, the Leader arrives on his left, then turns to the right to lead the Follower forward around him clockwise.  The Leader’s legs should be wide as he rotates his body in the appropriate direction to Lead the Follower to step forward into the Leader in a sacada.

 

For the success in the both dancers’ forward step in a sacada, they should use good walking technique: extend, push off from standing foot, collect, take a long reaching forward step curved around, make good pivots, activating standing leg, creating projection, have smooth transfer of weight.

 

The Leader transfers weight and rotates at the same time clockwise, while Follower does right foot forward ocho step.  We also did this to the opposite side (Leader rotates counterclockwise, Follower left foot forward ocho step).

 

The Leader needs to really sense where the Follower is, and be sure she is really stacked on her standing leg, so he can really vacuum and feel her free leg.  Follower can take her time.  Leader does long reaching side steps in hypnotizing, so he can sense her points of contact so the Follower is stable.  Leader needs to stack himself really well.  Leader rotates only as much as he needs to, to lead the Follower to step and arrive on her step.  Both Leader and Follower need to turn on their listening skills.

 

Next, we tried doing a few of these sacadas in a row, to wiggle and waggle into the Leader.  Follower needs to be clear and use connection in her hands and with the floor.  Leader should try to create a vacuum sensation.  The Follower is in control with respect to how she arrives with confidence and security to arrive at the sweet spot and connect with the floor and Leader.  The Leader rotates just enough to lead the Follower to do a curved step.  Leader gets his free leg into Captain Morgan stance:

 

The Captain Morgan stance is with one heel lifted off the ground, legs wide, weight mostly to one side:

·       His nonstanding leg is unweighted and free to pivot in and out in his hip socket so space is offered

·       Gives his leg more flexibility.

·       Creates space between his legs for her to step into sacada

 

The Follower’s right foot sacadas the Leader’s right foot when he is in Captain Morgan stance, though we can do this on either side. After Follower does her sacada into him he does a block turn and kicks around. The Follower should really arrive after her sacada and not change weight and not take an unled side step.  She should have a good embrace with the Leader and really receive the Leader’s energy but allow flexibility in the embrace to have good reach in her step and be stable.  Her embrace should be flexible, dense, and engaged enough.

 

The Leader should only do Follower’s sacadas with Followers who reach and transfer weight well, and who do not fall into their steps.

 

Exercise: 

In partnership in Sugar bowl embrace, the Leader steps diagonally back and then does another diagonally back step (instead of side steps), so that the Follower steps into the Leader, doing sacadas while she does slightly snaky forward ocho steps.  

 

To get into this, since the Leader is walking against the line of dance for this series of Follower Forward Sacadas into him, he can do several (3-4) of rock steps to turn the dancers back into the correct line of dance, whereby he will be walking backward while she is walking forward into him, but both properly dancing in the line of dance.  After the series of Follower forward sacadas, he can either turn or do another series of rock steps to get back into the line of dance with Leader going forward and Follower going back.  He can also end with a wrap or gancho or a half-turn (half-hiro) to face the line of dance.

 

In leading the Follower’s sacadas, the Leader’s turn technique must be more refined, in his reach and transfers of weight and really arriving. 

 

Level 2:

As the Leader arrives, he turns his shoulders.

 

Level 3:

As Leader arrives, he opens the embrace.

 

Maestros concluded with a video class summary and demo to Ariele e Calibano by Sineterra

 

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