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
