Song: El Rey de Bosque by Francisco Canaro
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
New York City
October 15, 2011
----------------
Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in New York City:
Weekend Theme: The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis
Saturday Theme: "Exploring the Body-Spiral"
2.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
4.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Odyssey (Advanced "Exploration" Class)
----------------
4.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Odyssey (Advanced "Exploration" Class)
Video Courtesy of Luis Campos
This was an exploratory class that built on the first class.
We would work on two musical ideas:
Repeat the movement (i.e., doing double ganchos)
Change the speed (doing it really fast or really slow)
Communication is key.
We were to explore the mechanics of slow versus fast (slow can be more difficult) and repeating the movement. Here, the Leader has to lead the first gancho. The second gancho can be led by the Leader or stolen by the Follower.
Again, in the gancho it was reiterated that the Follower needs to really let her leg swing so that the Leader can know clearly where he needs to be. The Follower should not change height: she should stay tall whether she is short or tall. She should really go for the chicken thigh when she ganchos (don’t hold back or be timid about the gancho). In leading the double gancho, the movement is shorter, with a shorter movement in the Leader's torso.
NEW CONCEPT:
WHEREVER THERE IS A BACK SACADA (LEADER OR FOLLOWER), IT CAN ALSO BE A GANCHO (LEADER OR FOLLOWER).
Next, we worked on a very simple sequence of the Follower's back sacada.
The Leader's footwork: side step left, right foot forward, to pivot 90 degrees into a left foot side step continuing in the line of previous the right foot forward step.
Here, Follower does a right foot back sacada of the Leader's trailing right foot on his left foot side step.
For the Leader, it is important that he continuously moves his torso so that the Follower does a 100% pivot/spiral with her legs/feet collected before stepping back in a back sacada.
Since the Follower needs to pivot so much (100%), she needs to wake up her ocho factory (her hips).
We worked on this concept by going from close embrace to open embrace, while waking up and firing up the Follower's ocho factory. For the Follower, there should be fire in her hips, but ice in her back/back ocho step as if there was an egg underneath her heel. She should transfer the weight nice and easy, as if letting the air out of a tire.
We began with close embrace no-pivot ochos, to close embrace pivoted ochos, to open embrace pivoted ochos, with the sacada from the open embrace back ocho transition.
Are exploratory phase of the class also included experimenting with leading Follower's gancho or Follower's back sacada using the footwork above. The difference in the two came from the spiral energy and the lead energy. For the back sacada, the rotation has to be continuous to finish before transferring the weight or stepping. Regarding the Leader's footwork, on the last step, if the Leader makes his left foot side step closer to the Follower, he leads a gancho. If his left foot side step is in line or slightly away from the Follower, it is a sacada.
The secret for the Leader helping the Follower get more out of her ocho factory (hip momentum and foot pivot), is that he attacks the floor with his foot to tap into the Follower's spiral energy to get her to pivot more dynamically. Here, she will feel more connection and energy. This is called impulse leading (or impulse ochos). The Leader should not and cannot force the Follower to do more pivoting.
To work on getting more pivot and spiral, the Follower can work on her ochos at home against the wall. In partnership, she can do forward ochos and back ochos in open hand in hand embrace with no leader and follower role, twisting her upper body and make the disassociation more extreme so that she can coax 100% spiral.
After the class review, Maestros demo'd the material.
Nocturne Milonga @ Dancesport, with premilonga lesson taught by Homer & Cristina Ladas.
Video Courtesy of Luis Campos
Our lesson focused on primarily fun and something you could do at the milonga that night. We would work on the fundamental concepts. Our music for the evening was Canaro.
First, Maestros showed us a pattern to see how we would deal with it. It is a nice tango surprise that can be done in close embrace.
In close embrace, rock step of Leader’s left foot forward (Follower’s right step back), to his right foot cross behind, to catch the Follower’s right foot forward outside step with his left foot front cross foot to the right side of his right foot.
So the Leader steps left foot forward into her, his right foot crosses behind, the weight goes to his right foot, he pivots on his right foot, the left foot is the trap foot that stretches a little across the front of his right foot to catch her right foot, (he can pivot a little to catch her more easily) to left foot exit, collect and go out.
For the Follower, her right foot goes back without weight during the rock step. As the Leader pivots, her right foot extends and reaches in a right foot front cross step to the outside of the close side of the embrace, reaching around the Leader with no weight on her foot so he can drag her foot to a side step, and then pivot. When she makes her right foot extension and reach it should be around the Leader, and it should be long and reaching, unweighted step.
To really test our leading with the chest ability, we did this simple sequence in Sugar Bowl Embrace, to get in touch with how the Leader uses his body to lead the turn. He needs to open up his hips/shoulders/chest. This embrace helps to develop the Leader’s body lead.
The Leader should also pay attention to his footwork, making it as pretty as possible with no sickling feet.
The Leader should not tilt, but keep things straight and horizontal as he rotates counterclockwise.
The fundamental technique behind the lead for this sequence is the turn (molinete).
We worked on matching the timing of this step to the QQS rhythm, and taking the Follower out on the next strong beat.
Maestros concluded with a demo to Canaro’s El Rey de Bosque
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
Song: Patotero Sentimental by Carlos Di Sarli
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
New York City
October 15, 2011
----------------
Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in New York City:
Weekend Theme: The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis
Saturday Theme: "Exploring the Body-Spiral"
2.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
4.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Odyssey (Advanced "Exploration" Class)
----------------
The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
Video Courtesy of Luis Campos
The purpose of this class was for the Leader and Follower to get in touch with our inner spiral. The music for our class was DiSarli with Rufino on vocals.
It began with Maestros showing us a simple pattern, and then breaking down each element. The simple pattern was the 8CB to 5 (Follower's cross), to a Follower's big clockwise pivot on her left foot, to do a Follower right leg back gancho through the Leader's legs.
GETTING TO THE CROSS
Our work first involved cleaning up the lines of the Leader leading the Follower to the cross. We should be very compact in the space when walking forward, on two tracks or one.
Leader: should not drift when leading the Follower into the cross. He should be close to the Follower, perhaps with his thighs touching hers as he walks forward. From the close embrace, on the Leader's left foot forward step, his thigh can touch the Follower's thigh and he walks forward on one track, one foot in front of the other.
Follower: when she does her back steps, one foot should be behind the other foot.
The Leader's side step is a straight step to the side, not slightly diagonally forward, as some Leaders were doing.
The Leader leads the cross by a little bit of twisting in his torso, with his left shoulder going forward clockwise on the Follower's right foot back step (4 of the 8CB). Here, the Follower needs to be attentive to have spiral and if the Leader is really leading the weight change after the cross.
For the Leader and Follower, as they both arrive to the cross, the Leader releases his right arm so that the Follower can return to axis as she completes the cross. The Follower returns to axis as she arrives to the cross, and is completely on axis when the cross is completed.
GETTING TO THE GANCHO
The Leader needs to give good energy for the Follower pivot, and a good block for the Follower to do a good gancho.
The Follower might not get enough disassociation and her left shoulder and arm might get in the way and block the range of motion, so she needs to soften her left shoulder a bit and allow it to open up.
At the point of the gancho after the big pivot, her belly button faces away from the Leader while she tries to maintain connection to him at the top of her body. She should not tilt forward or bend over to create range for the ganchoing leg.
The Leader puts his own energy in the gancho, but it's up to the Follower to answer, even though the Leader proposes. The Follower, when she ganchos, should move such that her leg starts at the top of her hip bone. She should not do a “knee gancho”, where only the calf of the leg goes back.
PENDULUM EXERCISE
Level 1: Follower and Leader eyes are open
Level 2: Follower closes eyes
Level 3: Leader and Follower close eyes to develop Leader's sense of feeling.
The Follower should imagine that the four corners of her right foot are connected to the floor. Her leg is like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. She should keep her chest up, and have her leg swing start from the top of her hip. Her arms and hands should be such that they are holding an imaginary large fish bowl filled with sleeping fish. Again, it was emphasized that the movement is not done from just the knee, but starts at the top of the hip joint and involves the entire leg.
In partnership, we did the pendulum Exercise, and the Follower’s goal was to be consistent in the speed and motion of her leg swing so that the Leader could predict where he needs to put his leg to receive her gancho leg (swinging pendulum leg). He had the option of placing his gancho’d leg’s foot in front of or behind her standing, supporting foot to set up the gancho so that she comes through the center of his legs.
The Leader assumes the Captain Morgan (of rum fame) position, with heel off the ground and ball of foot in the ground. His hip opens up, and he offers the fleshy part of the thigh (chicken leg), so that the Follower can wrap around it. The other standing, supporting leg is the elevator leg, which by bending the knee, the Leader can change the elevation and length of the space should he need to for a taller or shorter Follower. The Leader needs to be perfect in timing and movement of getting into the Captain Morgan stance.
The Follower should watch the shape of her foot, and not sickle or twist it, and not flex the angle. She should have the intention to have a little bit of turnout and not pronate or twist the foot in. She should point the toe at the end of the pendulum leg swing.
The Follower should keep her pelvic floor equal in the gancho. She should not go down, or to the side, or look for the gancho.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The details are where it's at because these foundational elements appear in many places over and over.
The Leader’s Captain Morgan leg is weightless, except if the Follower is off balance. Then he might need to have a little bit of weight on the Captain Morgan leg. We did a muscle memory Captain Morgan footwork exercise where we stepped with our left foot forward, transferred the weight and pivoted and rotated our chests clockwise, with our right foot going into the Captain Morgan position. The Captain Morgan leg position is key for the Leader giving the Follower enough space to do the gancho. The Leader can flex his standing supporting anchoring leg or move his whole leg if she needs the room.
MOVING ON
The Follower’s back pivot is more than a back ocho. She needs to keep her feet together until the last moment of when the gancho is beginning. She needs to wait for the Leader's blocking energy so that he actually leads the gancho (instead of her doing it on her own).
For the Follower, she needs to let her hand/arm slide to let her left shoulder open up so that she can pivot more and gancho more fully and easily.
The Leader's right hand should not squeeze and hold the Follower. If he does, he would not be helping her. He can keep the Follower on axis by not doing too much. Here, less is more. If he has a problem with his right arm clenching her or pressing her into him, he should practice leading this in the teapot embrace, where his right arm his behind his back like the handle, and his left arm is up and wrist is fixed like the spout. He should then lead our simple gancho pattern in this embrace.
The Leader should not unwind the Follower from the cross because then it will take more work for her to do the gancho. At the point of the gancho, the Leader can exaggerate the opening of the embrace to let her know that's what he wants.
We also tried double ganchos.
SINCE CLASS SPACE WAS TIGHT, IT WAS EMPHASIZED THAT WE WORK COOPERATIVELY, JUST LIKE ON THE SOCIAL DANCE FLOOR.
We also tried to do ganchos from a circular ocho cortado.
OVERTURNED GANCHOS VERSUS BACK SACADAS
Then we tried mixing them up, overturned ganchos versus back sacadas. The difference between the two are that axis (center of the circle) is the key. In the overturned gancho, the Follower is the axis (center of the circle). In the Follower's back sacada the Leader is the axis (center of the circle).
In receiving the Follower back sacada, the Leader lets his right leg go and can kick the heel around to pivot without any spiral in the body as the Follower does her clockwise molinete around him. His goal is to have a smooth and continuous energy and she goes around him.
After the class review, Maestros demo'd the material to DiSarli's Patotero Sentimental.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
New York City
October 15, 2011
----------------
Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in New York City:
Weekend Theme: The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis
Saturday Theme: "Exploring the Body-Spiral"
2.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
4.30pm: The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Odyssey (Advanced "Exploration" Class)
----------------
The Overturned Gancho/Sacada Experience Made Easy (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)
Video Courtesy of Luis Campos
The purpose of this class was for the Leader and Follower to get in touch with our inner spiral. The music for our class was DiSarli with Rufino on vocals.
It began with Maestros showing us a simple pattern, and then breaking down each element. The simple pattern was the 8CB to 5 (Follower's cross), to a Follower's big clockwise pivot on her left foot, to do a Follower right leg back gancho through the Leader's legs.
GETTING TO THE CROSS
Our work first involved cleaning up the lines of the Leader leading the Follower to the cross. We should be very compact in the space when walking forward, on two tracks or one.
Leader: should not drift when leading the Follower into the cross. He should be close to the Follower, perhaps with his thighs touching hers as he walks forward. From the close embrace, on the Leader's left foot forward step, his thigh can touch the Follower's thigh and he walks forward on one track, one foot in front of the other.
Follower: when she does her back steps, one foot should be behind the other foot.
The Leader's side step is a straight step to the side, not slightly diagonally forward, as some Leaders were doing.
The Leader leads the cross by a little bit of twisting in his torso, with his left shoulder going forward clockwise on the Follower's right foot back step (4 of the 8CB). Here, the Follower needs to be attentive to have spiral and if the Leader is really leading the weight change after the cross.
For the Leader and Follower, as they both arrive to the cross, the Leader releases his right arm so that the Follower can return to axis as she completes the cross. The Follower returns to axis as she arrives to the cross, and is completely on axis when the cross is completed.
GETTING TO THE GANCHO
The Leader needs to give good energy for the Follower pivot, and a good block for the Follower to do a good gancho.
The Follower might not get enough disassociation and her left shoulder and arm might get in the way and block the range of motion, so she needs to soften her left shoulder a bit and allow it to open up.
At the point of the gancho after the big pivot, her belly button faces away from the Leader while she tries to maintain connection to him at the top of her body. She should not tilt forward or bend over to create range for the ganchoing leg.
The Leader puts his own energy in the gancho, but it's up to the Follower to answer, even though the Leader proposes. The Follower, when she ganchos, should move such that her leg starts at the top of her hip bone. She should not do a “knee gancho”, where only the calf of the leg goes back.
PENDULUM EXERCISE
Level 1: Follower and Leader eyes are open
Level 2: Follower closes eyes
Level 3: Leader and Follower close eyes to develop Leader's sense of feeling.
The Follower should imagine that the four corners of her right foot are connected to the floor. Her leg is like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. She should keep her chest up, and have her leg swing start from the top of her hip. Her arms and hands should be such that they are holding an imaginary large fish bowl filled with sleeping fish. Again, it was emphasized that the movement is not done from just the knee, but starts at the top of the hip joint and involves the entire leg.
In partnership, we did the pendulum Exercise, and the Follower’s goal was to be consistent in the speed and motion of her leg swing so that the Leader could predict where he needs to put his leg to receive her gancho leg (swinging pendulum leg). He had the option of placing his gancho’d leg’s foot in front of or behind her standing, supporting foot to set up the gancho so that she comes through the center of his legs.
The Leader assumes the Captain Morgan (of rum fame) position, with heel off the ground and ball of foot in the ground. His hip opens up, and he offers the fleshy part of the thigh (chicken leg), so that the Follower can wrap around it. The other standing, supporting leg is the elevator leg, which by bending the knee, the Leader can change the elevation and length of the space should he need to for a taller or shorter Follower. The Leader needs to be perfect in timing and movement of getting into the Captain Morgan stance.
The Follower should watch the shape of her foot, and not sickle or twist it, and not flex the angle. She should have the intention to have a little bit of turnout and not pronate or twist the foot in. She should point the toe at the end of the pendulum leg swing.
The Follower should keep her pelvic floor equal in the gancho. She should not go down, or to the side, or look for the gancho.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The details are where it's at because these foundational elements appear in many places over and over.
The Leader’s Captain Morgan leg is weightless, except if the Follower is off balance. Then he might need to have a little bit of weight on the Captain Morgan leg. We did a muscle memory Captain Morgan footwork exercise where we stepped with our left foot forward, transferred the weight and pivoted and rotated our chests clockwise, with our right foot going into the Captain Morgan position. The Captain Morgan leg position is key for the Leader giving the Follower enough space to do the gancho. The Leader can flex his standing supporting anchoring leg or move his whole leg if she needs the room.
MOVING ON
The Follower’s back pivot is more than a back ocho. She needs to keep her feet together until the last moment of when the gancho is beginning. She needs to wait for the Leader's blocking energy so that he actually leads the gancho (instead of her doing it on her own).
For the Follower, she needs to let her hand/arm slide to let her left shoulder open up so that she can pivot more and gancho more fully and easily.
The Leader's right hand should not squeeze and hold the Follower. If he does, he would not be helping her. He can keep the Follower on axis by not doing too much. Here, less is more. If he has a problem with his right arm clenching her or pressing her into him, he should practice leading this in the teapot embrace, where his right arm his behind his back like the handle, and his left arm is up and wrist is fixed like the spout. He should then lead our simple gancho pattern in this embrace.
The Leader should not unwind the Follower from the cross because then it will take more work for her to do the gancho. At the point of the gancho, the Leader can exaggerate the opening of the embrace to let her know that's what he wants.
We also tried double ganchos.
SINCE CLASS SPACE WAS TIGHT, IT WAS EMPHASIZED THAT WE WORK COOPERATIVELY, JUST LIKE ON THE SOCIAL DANCE FLOOR.
We also tried to do ganchos from a circular ocho cortado.
OVERTURNED GANCHOS VERSUS BACK SACADAS
Then we tried mixing them up, overturned ganchos versus back sacadas. The difference between the two are that axis (center of the circle) is the key. In the overturned gancho, the Follower is the axis (center of the circle). In the Follower's back sacada the Leader is the axis (center of the circle).
In receiving the Follower back sacada, the Leader lets his right leg go and can kick the heel around to pivot without any spiral in the body as the Follower does her clockwise molinete around him. His goal is to have a smooth and continuous energy and she goes around him.
After the class review, Maestros demo'd the material to DiSarli's Patotero Sentimental.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Transition from Close Embrace Back Ochos to Open Embrace Back Ochos
Song: Din Don by Lucio Demare
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Dancesport, New York City
October 14, 2011
Video Courtesy of Florin Oprisa
This lesson would serve as a precursor/springboard lesson as a teaser for tomorrow's workshop topics, sacadas. The focus of the class is the transition from close embrace back ochos to open embrace back ochos. The sacada workshops are predicated upon going from open embrace back ochos into sacadas. Our orchestra for the evening was Demare.
Open Embrace No-Pivot Ochos
We began with working on open embrace no-pivot ochos.
Leader: Upper body remains stable and straight forward. He does not turn his ribcage or spine, and keeps his core engaged so that his upper body is quiet. His footwork is rollerblading footwork.
Follower: Does not pivot in her hips. She creates a long step by keeping the knees soft, connecting her feet to the floor, and pushing off the floor to create a long step. In making her step, she first opens hip, so that her leg can reach across behind herself with her foot slightly outturned so that her hips don’t pivot as she reaches. She should not change height in her steps. Her feet are icing on the cake. Her strength comes from her connection to the floor. She should be aware of how she is using her feet. She should not pigeon toe. Again, it was emphasized that her hip should open up, and then the foot follows this opening by being slightly outturned. The Follower squeezes thighs together to collect. Her hip and footwork are the same for both sides, left and right.
We began with a footwork exercise, with everyone in class in one large circle formation, and then we all did the Leader’s footwork of rollerblading into the middle of the dance floor, while keeping our upper bodies straight with no torsion.
When we got to the center of the circle, we did the Follower’s footwork on the way back out, whereby we open our hips, so that our leg could reach across behind ourselves with our feet slightly outturned so that our hips didn’t pivot as we reached with our legs, walking out to the outside of the circle and doing the same hip/footwork for both our left and right legs.
The Leader’s goal is to be symmetrical in his foot movements, with the angle and length of both his left and right steps being the same. He will notice that the right side is harder. He should also have a longer moment of collecting, really bringing his body weight over to one side or the other so that the Follower has time to collect as well and not rush through her collection.
The Follower needs to be consistent and maintain pressure/consistency in her embrace, and not allow bubbles or hiccups in the embrace. She should also not bounce, go down, or pull away.
Both Leader and Follower need to keep their chests up in the embrace.
Our homework is to practice doing this close embrace no-pivot ocho in single time and double time (QQS), all in close embrace.
Next, we moved to pivoted ochos with the embrace opening up.
Pivoted Ochos without Chest-to-Chest Fixed Position
Follower: She collects faster but reaches slower to get the thighs out of the way.
Leader: instead of his upper body remaining fixed as in the no-pivot ocho, he lets his chest go so that it can rotate contra body. He also releases the right hand of the embrace a little to let the Follower pivot and her body rotate inside the cradle of his arm. (It was emphasized that the Leader should not squeeze her and ask her to pivot as this annoys most Followers.) He can maintain his connection with her by remaining in contact with the back of her clothes, but he should not clamp down on her back or keep her fixed with his right hand. In the pivoted ocho, she needs to be able to slide while she is in the cradle (not coffin) of the Leader’s arm.
It is important to maintain good posture during our work, whether it is in close embrace or open embrace ochos. Here, Alexander Technique can help so that our necks are long and chests are up.
In the double time (QQS) pivoted ocho, the steps are shorter so that the Leader creates a clear perimeter and the Follower swivels her hips.
Next, we did a partnered exercise with no Leader and no Follower, both dancers hand to hand doing back ochos together. The goal was to stay close to each other with our hips. We needed to reach our back cross (back ocho) steps close to each other, and pivot enough (a lot). If we didn’t pivot enough, we would go away from each other. This exercise was a test in that the Leader needs to be comfortable with stepping back; that’s when he needs to have the Follower experience.
Slot Ochos
In Sugar Bowl Embrace (formerly known as the Tea Kettle Embrace), with Leader’s hands at the small of his back, elbows out to the side, and Follower’s hands on Leader’s triceps, Follower does back ochos. Leader rotates his chest 35-40 degrees on each side, being even. The Follower does back ochos in a slot in front of the Leader, so this exercise does not travel and is not floor-space intensive if done correctly. Leader can stand with just chest rotation, and Follower does slot ocho footwork in a straight line in front of the Leader. In her embrace, the Follower provides horizontal energy, not vertical, so she does not press down onto the Leader or force him into the ground.
From here, we were running out of class time, but did a little bit of work on the body spiral, starting in close embrace to transition to open embrace to lead the Follower to do a back sacada in the Leader’s Sugar Bowl embrace. The Leader’s legwork was such that he got into the Captain Morgan (Rum) leg position.
Maestros concluded with a demo to Demare’s Din…Don
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Dancesport, New York City
October 14, 2011
Video Courtesy of Florin Oprisa
This lesson would serve as a precursor/springboard lesson as a teaser for tomorrow's workshop topics, sacadas. The focus of the class is the transition from close embrace back ochos to open embrace back ochos. The sacada workshops are predicated upon going from open embrace back ochos into sacadas. Our orchestra for the evening was Demare.
Open Embrace No-Pivot Ochos
We began with working on open embrace no-pivot ochos.
Leader: Upper body remains stable and straight forward. He does not turn his ribcage or spine, and keeps his core engaged so that his upper body is quiet. His footwork is rollerblading footwork.
Follower: Does not pivot in her hips. She creates a long step by keeping the knees soft, connecting her feet to the floor, and pushing off the floor to create a long step. In making her step, she first opens hip, so that her leg can reach across behind herself with her foot slightly outturned so that her hips don’t pivot as she reaches. She should not change height in her steps. Her feet are icing on the cake. Her strength comes from her connection to the floor. She should be aware of how she is using her feet. She should not pigeon toe. Again, it was emphasized that her hip should open up, and then the foot follows this opening by being slightly outturned. The Follower squeezes thighs together to collect. Her hip and footwork are the same for both sides, left and right.
We began with a footwork exercise, with everyone in class in one large circle formation, and then we all did the Leader’s footwork of rollerblading into the middle of the dance floor, while keeping our upper bodies straight with no torsion.
When we got to the center of the circle, we did the Follower’s footwork on the way back out, whereby we open our hips, so that our leg could reach across behind ourselves with our feet slightly outturned so that our hips didn’t pivot as we reached with our legs, walking out to the outside of the circle and doing the same hip/footwork for both our left and right legs.
The Leader’s goal is to be symmetrical in his foot movements, with the angle and length of both his left and right steps being the same. He will notice that the right side is harder. He should also have a longer moment of collecting, really bringing his body weight over to one side or the other so that the Follower has time to collect as well and not rush through her collection.
The Follower needs to be consistent and maintain pressure/consistency in her embrace, and not allow bubbles or hiccups in the embrace. She should also not bounce, go down, or pull away.
Both Leader and Follower need to keep their chests up in the embrace.
Our homework is to practice doing this close embrace no-pivot ocho in single time and double time (QQS), all in close embrace.
Next, we moved to pivoted ochos with the embrace opening up.
Pivoted Ochos without Chest-to-Chest Fixed Position
Follower: She collects faster but reaches slower to get the thighs out of the way.
Leader: instead of his upper body remaining fixed as in the no-pivot ocho, he lets his chest go so that it can rotate contra body. He also releases the right hand of the embrace a little to let the Follower pivot and her body rotate inside the cradle of his arm. (It was emphasized that the Leader should not squeeze her and ask her to pivot as this annoys most Followers.) He can maintain his connection with her by remaining in contact with the back of her clothes, but he should not clamp down on her back or keep her fixed with his right hand. In the pivoted ocho, she needs to be able to slide while she is in the cradle (not coffin) of the Leader’s arm.
It is important to maintain good posture during our work, whether it is in close embrace or open embrace ochos. Here, Alexander Technique can help so that our necks are long and chests are up.
In the double time (QQS) pivoted ocho, the steps are shorter so that the Leader creates a clear perimeter and the Follower swivels her hips.
Next, we did a partnered exercise with no Leader and no Follower, both dancers hand to hand doing back ochos together. The goal was to stay close to each other with our hips. We needed to reach our back cross (back ocho) steps close to each other, and pivot enough (a lot). If we didn’t pivot enough, we would go away from each other. This exercise was a test in that the Leader needs to be comfortable with stepping back; that’s when he needs to have the Follower experience.
Slot Ochos
In Sugar Bowl Embrace (formerly known as the Tea Kettle Embrace), with Leader’s hands at the small of his back, elbows out to the side, and Follower’s hands on Leader’s triceps, Follower does back ochos. Leader rotates his chest 35-40 degrees on each side, being even. The Follower does back ochos in a slot in front of the Leader, so this exercise does not travel and is not floor-space intensive if done correctly. Leader can stand with just chest rotation, and Follower does slot ocho footwork in a straight line in front of the Leader. In her embrace, the Follower provides horizontal energy, not vertical, so she does not press down onto the Leader or force him into the ground.
From here, we were running out of class time, but did a little bit of work on the body spiral, starting in close embrace to transition to open embrace to lead the Follower to do a back sacada in the Leader’s Sugar Bowl embrace. The Leader’s legwork was such that he got into the Captain Morgan (Rum) leg position.
Maestros concluded with a demo to Demare’s Din…Don
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Finding Your Style via Leg Wraps
Song: Pobre Yo by Carlos Di Sarli Y Su Sexteto Tipico
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
June 1, 2011, Cellspace, San Francisco
Homer and Cristina Ladas summarizing an intermediate tango lesson on
style and structure in tango.
0:23 - A little plug for http://theorganictangoschool.org/
0:39 - One important idea was the difference between style and
structure. Style can be something unique and personal, and alter the
appearance and the feel of the moves with the same structure.
0:48 - Another important idea was the importance of communication: any
application of style by the leader only works if the follower can
receive it properly. As an illustration, students were tossing little
objects to each other in groups, throwing with different levels of
creativity. At the end, there seemed to be a tentative tradeoff:
groups with extreme creativity caught the ball the least. Creativity
in tango works only if "the ball is caught".
1:06 - a pattern - leading the follower into a cross and then lead a wrap.
1:25 - the leader's structure - lead the follower into the cross while
keeping a straight line of walking, without height change, keep the
shoulders overturned while leading into the cross, extend the left
leg, touch the follower's thigh, and, while keeping the follower on
her axis, turn the spine and shoulders to lead a wrap.
1:48 - the follower's structure - keep with the leader at all times,
including the twisted position, keep own balance, and being able to
unwind into the wrap. Thigh contact is important.
2:22 - the style parameters - it is possible to alter many aspects of
the sequence without altering the structure - such as speed of the
wrap, the rhythm of going into the cross, height changes in different
places (including the wrap). Stylistic games are all fair, as long as
the partner "catches the ball" and the couple executes the cross and a
wrap as intended.
3:14 - four branches of tango awareness that Homer and Cristina try to
develop - awareness of self, partner, music, and surroundings.
4:22 - a little demo of the sequence with stylistic alterations by
Homer and Cristina.
As a kind of individual experiments, the students were also attempting
to lead multiple wraps after the cross.
Notes courtesy of Leo Landa
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
June 1, 2011, Cellspace, San Francisco
Homer and Cristina Ladas summarizing an intermediate tango lesson on
style and structure in tango.
0:23 - A little plug for http://theorganictangoschool.org/
0:39 - One important idea was the difference between style and
structure. Style can be something unique and personal, and alter the
appearance and the feel of the moves with the same structure.
0:48 - Another important idea was the importance of communication: any
application of style by the leader only works if the follower can
receive it properly. As an illustration, students were tossing little
objects to each other in groups, throwing with different levels of
creativity. At the end, there seemed to be a tentative tradeoff:
groups with extreme creativity caught the ball the least. Creativity
in tango works only if "the ball is caught".
1:06 - a pattern - leading the follower into a cross and then lead a wrap.
1:25 - the leader's structure - lead the follower into the cross while
keeping a straight line of walking, without height change, keep the
shoulders overturned while leading into the cross, extend the left
leg, touch the follower's thigh, and, while keeping the follower on
her axis, turn the spine and shoulders to lead a wrap.
1:48 - the follower's structure - keep with the leader at all times,
including the twisted position, keep own balance, and being able to
unwind into the wrap. Thigh contact is important.
2:22 - the style parameters - it is possible to alter many aspects of
the sequence without altering the structure - such as speed of the
wrap, the rhythm of going into the cross, height changes in different
places (including the wrap). Stylistic games are all fair, as long as
the partner "catches the ball" and the couple executes the cross and a
wrap as intended.
3:14 - four branches of tango awareness that Homer and Cristina try to
develop - awareness of self, partner, music, and surroundings.
4:22 - a little demo of the sequence with stylistic alterations by
Homer and Cristina.
As a kind of individual experiments, the students were also attempting
to lead multiple wraps after the cross.
Notes courtesy of Leo Landa
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Rock Step - Concept and Variations
Song: Rawson by Juan D'Arienzo
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
April 6, 2011, Cellspace, San Francisco
Our focus of class was the rock step, and how to execute it so that it feels good and so that we do it efficiently in tango or milonga.
We began with a warm-up 1/2-song dance doing as many rock steps as we can so that Maestros could asses where we were skillwise and tailor the class accordingly.
BASICS OF COMMUNICATING THE ROCK STEP
Beginning with the basics, Leader begins in Tea Kettle arm position, or what is now known after Maestros' visit to New Orleans as the Sugar Bowl hold, with Leader's hands at the small of his back, elbows out to the side. The Follower holds onto the Leader's arms at his triceps. In this embrace, the Leader and Follower were to communicate the Lead and Follow of the rock step. We were to make the movement as small as possible. The goal for the Leader is to communicate the rock step cleanly without using his hands. The goal for the Follower is to engage appropriately to read the Leader's communication correctly. We drilled this for a song.
ROCK STEP LEG WORK
Then we backed up a bit from here. With everyone working independently and separately, we were to do the rock steps on our on, keeping our upper inner thighs together as if holding on to a quarter. We tried this rock step with our left foot forward, then right foot change weight, to do left foot forward again in rock step.
We also did this with our right foot forward and left foot weight change, back to right foot rock step, etc.
We also tried turning clockwise and counterclockwise with our left foot forward rock steps and right foot forward rock steps.
We were to keep our back foot heels off the floor.
The knees are bent and soft.
The muscle memory goal was to make our rock step efficient by being tight, controlled, and quick. In doing it this way, we would make our partner feel more comfortable.
For the Leader, it is important that when he does the rock step, that he has enough room in between both his feet. Ideally, this should be 1-1.5 shoe lengths. Thus, at least one foot/shoe should fit in between the Leader's front and back feet. He should lock the top of his pelvis so that he is tight at the tops of his inner thighs.
For the Follower, it is important in her back foot rock steps that she reach back first, and then transfer the weight to catch the rock step. She should not just step back and automatically transfer the weight back fully. She should also not go too far back in her rock step.
KEEP BACK HEEL OFF FLOOR
It is important to not send the weight too far back on the weight change of the rock step, and not land on our back heel. If we do, then it takes the weight too far back. We need to keep our back heels off the floor. The rock step is not a huge range of motion. We should try to prevent ourselves from going too far back or too far forward. One way for us to practice this is to do one rock step, and then a forward step.
THE EMBRACE IN THE ROCK STEP
How does the Leader use the embrace?
The Leader's right hand is like a wall, but it should not be alike a Star Wars trash compactor where the Leader's arm moves independently. He should not telescope or move his arms, but keep them consistent. He should not force the Follower to do anything with his right hand.
The Follower also has to engage, but not anticipate the rock step.
HEIGHT CHANGE
In terms of height change, we go down a little when doing the rock step since we are on two feet. While doing the rock steps, we remain level at that slightly lower height. To get out of the rock step, we can also use the height change rise to fully communicate that we are getting out of it.
ROCK STEP VARIATIONS
PARALLEL POSITION ROCK STEPS are the normal ones we usually do.
Leader's left foot forward
Follower's right foot back.
CROSS POSITION ROCK STEPS
Both Leader and Follower begin with side steps (Leader left, Follower right).
Leader does a quick cheat weight change. Follower does not change weight.
Leader steps inside with his left foot, touching the Follower's right foot/thigh in the rock step.
Here, he can turn the rock step, clockwise.
As an exercise, we also tried to turn it counterclockwise.
Our homework was to practice our Leader's Snake Walk (slight forward ochos), as the Follower walks straight back. Here, it is important for the Leader's thighs to be together as if he has to pee.
ROCK STEPS TRAVELLING TO THE SIDE
Here, we do the parallel position rock steps, with travel to the side.
As an experiment, we also tried this in Cross Position, and though possible, we found it to be more difficult for the Follower to follow.
Adding the Snake Walk adds a lot more possibilities to how we get into doing the rock step.
WINDSHIELD WIPER ROCK STEP
Finally, we concluded with the most difficult type of rock step.
Here, the Leader puts a lot of energy into his middle (his belly area), but keeps his embrace steady and torso toward the Follower to maintain connection.
In the Windshield Wiper rock step, the Leader does his rock steps first in a forward slight front cross step, then a forward slight open step, like a windshield wiper, side to side. His back weight change step is generally in the same position.
The class concluded with a short quiz and Maestro doing a demo dance to D'Arienzo's Rawson.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
April 6, 2011, Cellspace, San Francisco
Our focus of class was the rock step, and how to execute it so that it feels good and so that we do it efficiently in tango or milonga.
We began with a warm-up 1/2-song dance doing as many rock steps as we can so that Maestros could asses where we were skillwise and tailor the class accordingly.
BASICS OF COMMUNICATING THE ROCK STEP
Beginning with the basics, Leader begins in Tea Kettle arm position, or what is now known after Maestros' visit to New Orleans as the Sugar Bowl hold, with Leader's hands at the small of his back, elbows out to the side. The Follower holds onto the Leader's arms at his triceps. In this embrace, the Leader and Follower were to communicate the Lead and Follow of the rock step. We were to make the movement as small as possible. The goal for the Leader is to communicate the rock step cleanly without using his hands. The goal for the Follower is to engage appropriately to read the Leader's communication correctly. We drilled this for a song.
ROCK STEP LEG WORK
Then we backed up a bit from here. With everyone working independently and separately, we were to do the rock steps on our on, keeping our upper inner thighs together as if holding on to a quarter. We tried this rock step with our left foot forward, then right foot change weight, to do left foot forward again in rock step.
We also did this with our right foot forward and left foot weight change, back to right foot rock step, etc.
We also tried turning clockwise and counterclockwise with our left foot forward rock steps and right foot forward rock steps.
We were to keep our back foot heels off the floor.
The knees are bent and soft.
The muscle memory goal was to make our rock step efficient by being tight, controlled, and quick. In doing it this way, we would make our partner feel more comfortable.
For the Leader, it is important that when he does the rock step, that he has enough room in between both his feet. Ideally, this should be 1-1.5 shoe lengths. Thus, at least one foot/shoe should fit in between the Leader's front and back feet. He should lock the top of his pelvis so that he is tight at the tops of his inner thighs.
For the Follower, it is important in her back foot rock steps that she reach back first, and then transfer the weight to catch the rock step. She should not just step back and automatically transfer the weight back fully. She should also not go too far back in her rock step.
KEEP BACK HEEL OFF FLOOR
It is important to not send the weight too far back on the weight change of the rock step, and not land on our back heel. If we do, then it takes the weight too far back. We need to keep our back heels off the floor. The rock step is not a huge range of motion. We should try to prevent ourselves from going too far back or too far forward. One way for us to practice this is to do one rock step, and then a forward step.
THE EMBRACE IN THE ROCK STEP
How does the Leader use the embrace?
The Leader's right hand is like a wall, but it should not be alike a Star Wars trash compactor where the Leader's arm moves independently. He should not telescope or move his arms, but keep them consistent. He should not force the Follower to do anything with his right hand.
The Follower also has to engage, but not anticipate the rock step.
HEIGHT CHANGE
In terms of height change, we go down a little when doing the rock step since we are on two feet. While doing the rock steps, we remain level at that slightly lower height. To get out of the rock step, we can also use the height change rise to fully communicate that we are getting out of it.
ROCK STEP VARIATIONS
PARALLEL POSITION ROCK STEPS are the normal ones we usually do.
Leader's left foot forward
Follower's right foot back.
CROSS POSITION ROCK STEPS
Both Leader and Follower begin with side steps (Leader left, Follower right).
Leader does a quick cheat weight change. Follower does not change weight.
Leader steps inside with his left foot, touching the Follower's right foot/thigh in the rock step.
Here, he can turn the rock step, clockwise.
As an exercise, we also tried to turn it counterclockwise.
Our homework was to practice our Leader's Snake Walk (slight forward ochos), as the Follower walks straight back. Here, it is important for the Leader's thighs to be together as if he has to pee.
ROCK STEPS TRAVELLING TO THE SIDE
Here, we do the parallel position rock steps, with travel to the side.
As an experiment, we also tried this in Cross Position, and though possible, we found it to be more difficult for the Follower to follow.
Adding the Snake Walk adds a lot more possibilities to how we get into doing the rock step.
WINDSHIELD WIPER ROCK STEP
Finally, we concluded with the most difficult type of rock step.
Here, the Leader puts a lot of energy into his middle (his belly area), but keeps his embrace steady and torso toward the Follower to maintain connection.
In the Windshield Wiper rock step, the Leader does his rock steps first in a forward slight front cross step, then a forward slight open step, like a windshield wiper, side to side. His back weight change step is generally in the same position.
The class concluded with a short quiz and Maestro doing a demo dance to D'Arienzo's Rawson.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Arizona State University Tango Performance
Song: Mil Pasos by Soha
Performers: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
April 1-3, 2011, Arizona State University Workshops, California
Performers: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
April 1-3, 2011, Arizona State University Workshops, California
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A Guide to Focused Intention & Energy
Song: Milonga de Los Fortines by Orquesta Tipica Victor
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
March 28, 2011, The Beat, Berkeley, CA
We would explore the topic of Focused Energy and Intention in the context of doing open embrace style ochos, with the Leader doing side steps and the Follower doing reaching and touching steps.
REVIEW OF BASIC OCHO TECHNIQUE
We began our work on the basic technique to lead and follow ochos well.
For the Leader, in teakettle hold (coming back from New Orleans, some students renamed this the “sugar bowl”), with both hands at the small of his back and elbows out to the side and his chest up, his goal was to have symmetry in his spinal rotation, aiming for about 30-45 degree rotation on both sides, so that the Follower pivots. He should also time the beginning of leading her pivot, which should happen as she arrives to axis.
For the Follower, as the Leader leads the ocho with his torso rotation, the Follower amplifies the energy down to her hips (her ocho factory). The Follower’s standing, supporting leg is the pivoting one. The Follower needs to be on her axis or slightly away from the Leader while she does her ochos. She should engage horizontally, and not press down on the Leader. She should have an elastic embrace, holding on with both her hands, and having tone in both arms, but also be flexible and elastic, like pasta “al dente”. She should have good, reaching steps, and amplify the Leader’s energy in her ocho response from her hips.
The Leader takes long side steps as he leads the Follower to do either forward or back ochos. We drilled this for a while, doing it slowly.
CHAPTER 1: FOCUSED INTENTION
Next, we took our work beyond ochos to work on Focused Intention. The goal here was to physically manifest intention by using our energy and connection with the floor.
In teakettle (sugar bowl) hold, the Leader leads the Follower to do an ocho, and then a little touch step. For the Follower, her footwork is a forward front cross step, and then a side touch step, or a back cross step and a back step. For the Leader to lead these various Follower steps, he makes either front cross steps, back cross steps, or side steps simultaneously with his torso rotations to lead the Follower ochos. The steps were the structure in which we were to figure out how and where to lead and follow the touch step.
With respect to intention, the two things to focus on are:
(1) Leader leads Follower to pivot with him. He needs strong intention in his chest/torso rotation.
(2) Whether the weight transfer is complete or slight/partial/in the middle so that the Follower just touches the floor.
We drilled, with the idea of experimenting by changing the speed, just touching in place, going back and forth, or transferring the weight completely. We did this with the Leader in teakettle position so that we focused on using the floor, and the Follower listening to how the Leader uses the floor, while she also uses the floor. The Leader uses the floor by using his whole body and the connection to the floor, up through his hips, through his back and through his shoulders. The Follower has to copy what the Leader does. She has to mirror his movements.
The two philosophical things we were to think about:
(1) The Leader has to know what he wants before he leads it. Thus, he needs to plan ahead.
(2) The Leader has to be completely in the moment too (which is contradictory to philosophical point no. 1)
CHAPTER 2: ADDING THE EMBRACE
Add the embrace. The lead still has to come from the Leader’s body and his connection to the floor.
We went back to our original exercise, only we added the embrace (some Leaders chose to use the teapot embrace of left hand as spout and right hand at the small of his back as the handle to prevent the use of his right hand to influence her ochos and pivoting range of motion), with the Leader doing side steps, and the Follower doing forward ochos (so these are “with” ochos). The Leader was to employ the technique of leading the Follower to do touch steps or full transfers of weight.
The Leader should direct energy from the floor into his body, so that he uses his right arm/hand less to lead the Follower to do ochos. This way, he will be able to do more with his core/body rotation/disassociation.
We drilled this for a while.
Timing is the most important thing. The Leader needs to plan ahead, as his weight transfer should be a little ahead of the Follower’s. The Follower is always a little behind the Leader. The Leader puts his weight half way, and then retracts it for the touch step. We drilled this doing it slow, in double time, with ochos, and without ochos.
The Leader should keep his chest up, be symmetrical in his torso rotation, plan ahead, be in the moment, and phrase the movement to the music. The Follower’s touch step does not have pressure into the floor, but it is OK to bounce or rebound off the floor. The Leader can put pressure into the floor, but not put the weight into the floor to have fast and responsive intention without changing weight. The idea is to put pressure into the floor to bounce back quickly, all the while engaging with his whole body.
Maestros concluded with a short class quiz followed by a demo to Orquesta Tipica Victor’s Milonga de Los Fortines.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://www.freshlaundrytango.info
March 28, 2011, The Beat, Berkeley, CA
We would explore the topic of Focused Energy and Intention in the context of doing open embrace style ochos, with the Leader doing side steps and the Follower doing reaching and touching steps.
REVIEW OF BASIC OCHO TECHNIQUE
We began our work on the basic technique to lead and follow ochos well.
For the Leader, in teakettle hold (coming back from New Orleans, some students renamed this the “sugar bowl”), with both hands at the small of his back and elbows out to the side and his chest up, his goal was to have symmetry in his spinal rotation, aiming for about 30-45 degree rotation on both sides, so that the Follower pivots. He should also time the beginning of leading her pivot, which should happen as she arrives to axis.
For the Follower, as the Leader leads the ocho with his torso rotation, the Follower amplifies the energy down to her hips (her ocho factory). The Follower’s standing, supporting leg is the pivoting one. The Follower needs to be on her axis or slightly away from the Leader while she does her ochos. She should engage horizontally, and not press down on the Leader. She should have an elastic embrace, holding on with both her hands, and having tone in both arms, but also be flexible and elastic, like pasta “al dente”. She should have good, reaching steps, and amplify the Leader’s energy in her ocho response from her hips.
The Leader takes long side steps as he leads the Follower to do either forward or back ochos. We drilled this for a while, doing it slowly.
CHAPTER 1: FOCUSED INTENTION
Next, we took our work beyond ochos to work on Focused Intention. The goal here was to physically manifest intention by using our energy and connection with the floor.
In teakettle (sugar bowl) hold, the Leader leads the Follower to do an ocho, and then a little touch step. For the Follower, her footwork is a forward front cross step, and then a side touch step, or a back cross step and a back step. For the Leader to lead these various Follower steps, he makes either front cross steps, back cross steps, or side steps simultaneously with his torso rotations to lead the Follower ochos. The steps were the structure in which we were to figure out how and where to lead and follow the touch step.
With respect to intention, the two things to focus on are:
(1) Leader leads Follower to pivot with him. He needs strong intention in his chest/torso rotation.
(2) Whether the weight transfer is complete or slight/partial/in the middle so that the Follower just touches the floor.
We drilled, with the idea of experimenting by changing the speed, just touching in place, going back and forth, or transferring the weight completely. We did this with the Leader in teakettle position so that we focused on using the floor, and the Follower listening to how the Leader uses the floor, while she also uses the floor. The Leader uses the floor by using his whole body and the connection to the floor, up through his hips, through his back and through his shoulders. The Follower has to copy what the Leader does. She has to mirror his movements.
The two philosophical things we were to think about:
(1) The Leader has to know what he wants before he leads it. Thus, he needs to plan ahead.
(2) The Leader has to be completely in the moment too (which is contradictory to philosophical point no. 1)
CHAPTER 2: ADDING THE EMBRACE
Add the embrace. The lead still has to come from the Leader’s body and his connection to the floor.
We went back to our original exercise, only we added the embrace (some Leaders chose to use the teapot embrace of left hand as spout and right hand at the small of his back as the handle to prevent the use of his right hand to influence her ochos and pivoting range of motion), with the Leader doing side steps, and the Follower doing forward ochos (so these are “with” ochos). The Leader was to employ the technique of leading the Follower to do touch steps or full transfers of weight.
The Leader should direct energy from the floor into his body, so that he uses his right arm/hand less to lead the Follower to do ochos. This way, he will be able to do more with his core/body rotation/disassociation.
We drilled this for a while.
Timing is the most important thing. The Leader needs to plan ahead, as his weight transfer should be a little ahead of the Follower’s. The Follower is always a little behind the Leader. The Leader puts his weight half way, and then retracts it for the touch step. We drilled this doing it slow, in double time, with ochos, and without ochos.
The Leader should keep his chest up, be symmetrical in his torso rotation, plan ahead, be in the moment, and phrase the movement to the music. The Follower’s touch step does not have pressure into the floor, but it is OK to bounce or rebound off the floor. The Leader can put pressure into the floor, but not put the weight into the floor to have fast and responsive intention without changing weight. The idea is to put pressure into the floor to bounce back quickly, all the while engaging with his whole body.
Maestros concluded with a short class quiz followed by a demo to Orquesta Tipica Victor’s Milonga de Los Fortines.
Notes courtesy of Anne at http://scoutingtour.blogspot.com
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