Tango Student: Class Notes and Clips

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Upper Body (Int/Adv)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Northampton, MA
October 23, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in Northampton, MA

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Tango Body

The Feet (All Levels)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Workshop 1 – Int/Adv – The Legs

Workshop 2 – Int/Adv – The Hips

Premilonga Lesson: Floorcraft, Navigation and Etiquette

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Workshop 3 – Int/Adv – The Upper Body

Workshop 4 – Int/Adv – The Embrace

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Video Courtesy of Kristin Balmer & Mariano Sana

Workshop 3 - The Upper Body (Int/Adv)

Close Embrace turns in vals (full turns to the left and to the right)

We began in a special embrace, with Leader using no arms and Follower using any arms and flat chest-to-chest connection and the Follower giving light, medium, or strong energy. The Leader tries to lead what he can, always trying not to lose the connection at all.

We were to have good posture, with our chests lifted and heads floating (and no head connection, as we did the entire weekend).

The focus of our work would be on Relative versus Absolute Turns.

We began with a review of our first exercise on Friday: Holding an imaginary fishbowl with sleeping fish, crossing behind while walking forward, and crossing in front while walking back. Do not change height, keep chest up, be elegant. In our crossed feet, our feet form the “A” shape. In regular feet, our feet form the “V” shape with slight turnout. We were to caress the floor with our big toe to know where our feet are.

WASHING MACHINE EXERCISE

We began with the Washing Machine Exercise to help improve our disassociation (give us super association). This is called the Washing Machine exercise because it mimics the spin cycle of a washing machine. It is a good oblique workout.

Here, we turn our bodies to our left and then release the right foot, pivoting on our left foot. Our hips catch up with our chest.

The goal was to do a 90-degree (quarter) turn with our chest, with everything else following, and then do a 180-degree (half) turn with our chest, with everything else following. Then if we could master that, we could try doing a 360-degree (full) turn, with everything else following.

The motion is:
(1) Turn
(2) Release hips
(3) Get all the way around

We were to try this on both sides (turning to our left and turning to our right), engaging and then releasing.

We were also to try this on each foot, in each direction, for four possibilities:
(1) Pivot on left foot while turning to left
(2) Pivot on left foot while turning to right
(3) Pivot on right foot while turning to right
(4) Pivot on right foot while turning to left

For this exercise, or goal is to have the hips go past the shoulders/chest so that we could feel what it is like to have dissonance between our hips and chest.

Level 2 of this exercise is to imagine that we have a partner and need to keep our chest as even and smooth as possible so that we can do it slowly and continuously.

BLOCK TURNS: On this turn, we are on one foot and kick the heel around as our bodies do not disassociate (moves in a block).

PADDLE TURN: Here, we stepped to the side, and with our other free foot, paddle ourselves around, touching the floor as we paddled, using small steps, not big steps. The Paddle keeps the Leader over his axis (like a kickstand for a bicycle) and the function of the free leg helps maintain stability of the standing, supporting leg and gives power.

TWO-FOOT SPLIT-WEIGHT PIVOTED TURN:

With our feet crossed as in the cross walk exercise, we turn by sharing the weight between our feet. Here we can go into another cross, turn out of it, and then turn into another cross, etc. Tight crosses help keep a tight center.

THE SEQUENCE (TURN TO THE LEFT [counterclockwise]):

Leader side step left

Leader side step right

Weight change

Turn counterclockwise

Leader right foot sacada of Follower’s left foot into a tight back cross step into a

Leader’s front cross of his left foot in front of his right foot as Follower does counterclockwise molinete (turn) around him. The Follower’s crosses are tight on the forward and back cross steps. She should not open her hip that’s doing the cross, especially during the back cross step.

Unwind out to resolution.

We were to be flat in our connection with chest-to-chest connection. We did this so that we can work on the black side of the equation (100% connection, appilado style) versus the white side of the equation (open embrace). If we can master the turn in chest-to-chest 100% connection, it will make doing it in V embrace or open embrace easier. Leader needs to be consistent in his connection to the Follower.

To get out from the Leader’s right foot sacada into the left foot front cross, he can do the washing machine disassociation and kick the heel around (pivoting on his left foot).

Follower: side steps of the molinete (turn) need to be long and around the Leader. She needs to keep her belly back, and envision that her legs start fro her rib cage, not her waist.

RELATIVE VS ABSOLUTE TURNS

An Absolute Turn is where either the Leader or Follower is the center of the circle with their partner going around and axis remains fixed.

A Relative Turn is where the axis moves. As the Leader does his sacada, he moves the axis. Every step the Leader makes, he can control it, moving the turn to where he wants to move it. This is a relative turn.

CLEAR TURN VS DIRTY TURN

Dirty relative turns are where the Leader goes every which way from place to place to place.

Dirty absolute turns are where the Leader shifts the tilt of the axis forward, back, sideways, every which way.

TIMING OF THE TURN

Next, we worked on the timing of the turn:

Follower: QQS on the back, side, forward steps

Leader: SSS throughout

TURN TO THE RIGHT (clockwise):

When Leader goes to the right in a clockwise turn, nothing changes in the Leader’s footwork. He still sacadas with his right foot/leg, and does the forward enrosque from this sacada. There is no sneak attack weight change. For the Follower, her right foot forward step is a full forward step (not a truncated front cross step) because her right hip has room.

Maestros concluded with a demo to D’Arienzo’s Hotel Victoria.

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

The Hips (Int/Adv)

The Legs (Int/Adv)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Northampton, MA
October 22, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in Northampton, MA

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Tango Body

The Feet (All Levels)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Workshop 1 – Int/Adv – The Legs

Workshop 2 – Int/Adv – The Hips

Premilonga Lesson: Floorcraft, Navigation and Etiquette

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Workshop 3 – Int/Adv – The Upper Body

Workshop 4 – Int/Adv – The Embrace

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Video Courtesy of Kristin Balmer & Mariano Sana

Workshop 1 - The Legs (Int/Adv)

We began with removing our shoes.

With our feet hip-width apart, there was about 6-8 inches between our two feet.

We were to look down and consider them as if they looked like the letter H.

We were to distribute the weight evenly between our two feet, backward and forward, and side to side. We were stand up as straight as we can, and envision a line going down from the top of the center of our heads going through the middle of our bodies. We were to push from the waist down, and also push from the ribcage up. This creates more room in our torso. We should keep our knees soft. Then we had flexion in our ankles, moving our weight toward the ball of our feet, and then back up to axis to the sweet spot. We should imagine a hanger pulling our chest up and slightly forward. Then again we go back to axis.

Curling the toes creates a gap in the arch, which is bad for stability, so we should not do it. It’s important that we spread our toes, and imagine that our feet have four corners (where the pinky toe is, and where the future or current bunion is, and at the left and right sides of the heel). In standing, we should press the four corners of our feet into the floor and lift up the inside parts of our legs, lifting the inner thighs. Here, we can feel more strength in our arch. In dancing, we should be on all four corners, the front two corners or three corners (two front corners and inside back corner), but not on the two outside corners.

Standing with our weight on the right foot, we put our left foot beside it so that only one foot has weight on it. We were to try to push down on the four corners of our right foot, but lift up in the body, lifting the inner thigh. We should not have any tension in our butt. Here, we are creating length as we ground ourselves.

End of Exercise.

NO HEAD TOUCHING IN CLASS

Our homework assignment and goal for our exercises in class was to work the material in close embrace, but to not have our heads touch. After our class work was done, we could dance like we usually do, likely with heads touching. We would ponder whether it felt different and whether we could switch back and forth.

It is not wrong to touch heads, but there is a good way to do it and a bad way to do it (pushing your head into each other or when the head becomes distracting). The class rule we would employ for our workshops is to not touch heads. This would give us a greater sense of control, and will help us be OK with coming off each other as needed.

Our topic for this workshop is the Legs, and our focus would be amplifying the lead with our legs.

LEADER LEADS FOLLOWER BACK STEP

In a partnered exercise, the Leader tries to lead the Follower do step back by using just the flexion in his ankles. The Follower has her hands on the front of the Leader’s rib cage below his chest or at the tops of his hips. As the Leader tires to move the Follower’s leg, their point of contact is through the Follower’s arms at the Leader’s lower ribs or top of his hips. The Follower needs to have tone in her arms, and they should be like Spaghetti Al Dente, not too soft and not too firm, and her arms should be connected to her back. The Leader feels a bit of Follower resistance so that he knows her body is behind.

THE PATTERN

Next, we went onto a simple pattern.

Leader does side step, weight change, snakes outside of Follower’s feet without moving Follower at all (sneak attack), flex at ankle, whereby Follower does a small step back, and then Leader makes a big/giant forward step, driving Follower to do a big step into the cross.

The Follower needs to maintain compression energy the entire time, otherwise the Leader will get the sensation that he is falling forward. She should be consistent in her embrace/compression energy so that there are no bubbles/hiccups. To do this, the Follower puts pressure into the floor to put energy into her back and body into the embrace. Both dancers should keep their heads upright and floating, and Follower’s steps should glide into the floor. She should also not rush her cross, but do it slowly.

The Leader’s surprise step of his left foot does not have any weight to it. The tilt of the Leader’s body is what causes the Follower to step back. He should not rotate his chest/shoulders at all. As he puts weight on his left foot, he has a small rotation in his shoulders. On his right foot step forward, there is a big rotation on his big forward step to drive Follower into the cross.

The Follower’s biggest challenge is knowing where to land the first short step (and when to put weight fully on that step). This all depends on how far the Leader’s body comes forward. If the Follower is unsure, she should make the step a little shorter. She should not lose compression, and really pay attention to how the Leader moves his center.

Note that the compression does not stay the same throughout. It builds. In compression, the Follower should focus on horizontal energy (not vertical energy).

PART B VARIATON

The Leader does one or a few side step left touch steps, then he twists going into a split pivot 90 degrees counterclockwise while at the same time slightly hugging and lifting the Follower to control her weight change. The Follower needs to wait and stay with the Leader, and then they step out with the Follower taking a step back with her left foot.

CONCEPTS

Legs are connected to our feet, which should be connected to the floor. We build energy through the floor up, not through the embrace.

Four corners of the feet

The Leader’s cheat steps helps to develop compression because to add more tilt and so that we can support each other more.

Engage the floor with the feet and legs.

PET PEEVES

(1) Touching heads. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it, which will give us a headache or crick in our neck. We should let our heads float.

(2) Bending our knees and changing height unnecessarily; not staying level

(3) Controlling our lines when we step (when we step back, it should be straight).

Maestros also demonstrated Pattern C, to show us the easiest way to get into the material. Here, the Leader steps around the Follower with his right foot, then splits the weight, then gets into the 8CB.

Maestros concluded with a demo to Demare’s No Te Apures Carablanca

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

The Feet (All Levels)

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Northampton, MA
October 21, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in Northampton, MA

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Tango Body

The Feet (All Levels)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Workshop 1 – Int/Adv – The Legs

Workshop 2 – Int/Adv – The Hips

Premilonga Lesson: Floorcraft, Navigation and Etiquette

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Workshop 3 – Int/Adv – The Upper Body

Workshop 4 – Int/Adv – The Embrace

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Video Courtesy of Kristin Balmer & Mariano Sana

Friday

THE FEET

Today our work would be fun, and tomorrow we would focus on more serious topics.

CROSSING BEHIND WHILE WALKING FORWARD; CROSSING IN FRONT WHILE WALKING BACK

We began with a warm-up exercise done in circle formation, individually crossing behind and trying to walk forward. We were to be elegant with our chests lifted, not sloppy, and don’t fall into our steps. This exercise is not a race. In our arms, we were to imagine holding a big fish bowl filled with sleeping fish, so our upper bodies needed to be as quiet as possible to not disturb them or wake them up. We should also not tilt from side to side or forward to back, but keep even.

Then we did this same exercise, only in reverse: crossing in front while trying to walk back.

Our feet should touch when we walk back, and our knees should be soft.

We should look across the circle to the person on the opposite side, keeping our head up and floating.

When in regular feet forward position, we should have a slight bit of turnout so our feet look like a “V”. When we cross behind or cross forward, our feet should look like an “A”.

On the forward cross step, we bend the receiving knees without height change, picking up our heels and using our whole leg. We should keep our thighs together and caress the floor with our feet.

SNAKE WALK

In a partnered drill in close embrace, the Leader snake walks in a crossed way while the Follower walks back in a straight line. We should take equal, long steps. In the snake walk, the Leader takes a left foot forward step toward the Follower’s left foot as she takes a back step, and a right foot forward step toward the Follower’s right foot as she takes a back step. He gets into it by doing a left foot side step, to quick weight change, and then steps forward with his left foot.

The look of the snake walk is very similar to the look of runway models, walking in a straight line on a balance beam, but weaving and keeping (really pulling) the thighs together (“I have to pee”), so in this walk the Leader’s spiral all happens below the waist. His upper body should be quiet and straight as he is only leading the Follower to walk straight back.

Snake walking is basically cross system walking.

The Leader needs to keep his chest lifted, tilt forward at the ankles but keep his belly back. There is a world of space at your feet.

Some details to think about:

Leaders: practice walking down a hallway with weaving legwork and “I have to pee” thighs. Keep the chest square. Do not sickle or twist the feet.

Followers: Collect at the inner thighs and ankles when the opportunity arises. Put more attention on the ankle down to the toe. Be a little outturned in your straight back steps to be a little more solid. Do not pronate. Shape your collections with flexion in your ankles. Think about how you use the distribution of weight, from back to front, and how you land heel to toe, and how you use pressure on the floor to control the progression of your body.

GETTING INTO THE SNAKE WALK

The Leader makes a back cross, then walks forward, alternating in regular walk or crossed (snake) walk. The Follower walks smoothly on the strong beat, placing feet elegantly, and keeping steady. She should not transfer weight too fast, and be consistent with how she connects in close embrace. She should not float away or pull away from the Leader.

For the Leader, it is important for him to know how to walk in parallel and then into and out of the snake walk (cross system walk). In the Leader’s back cross, his feet need to be tight and deep, otherwise the Follower will go away in the embrace.

For our drill, we did:

Snake walk two steps

Back cross (left foot cross behind right foot)

Parallel walk two steps

Back cross

Snake walk two steps

Back cross

Etc.

The QQS rhythm fits in well with the back cross, which we tried to do musically. The Leader’s easiest foot to start the QQ on is the left foot forward, right foot back cross. So the Leader has to plan ahead when he’s stepping on his right, so that he really projects himself on his left foot forward step. In the Leader’s back cross, he should go deep and tight.

Maestros then did a short demo in vals of the forward step, cross behind, at the boom-chick-boom points in the music.

As always, the Follower should not push her head into the Leader, and keep her chest up.

Next, things were made more complicated in the context of our foot pattern in vals:

L Forward step

R Back cross step (tight and snug)

L Side step

Or

R Forward step

L Back cross step (tight and snug)

R Side step

Here, with this additional step but still keeping within the same music, the step size needs to be as small as possible to hit the two chicks (the Boom-Chick-Chick in vals music). This footwork changes the quality of movement, fitting in a nice sway forward with a little backward to vals music.

Maestros concluded with a class review and demo to Canaro’s Vibraciones Del Alma.

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

Premilonga Lesson on Navigation, Floor Craft and Etiquette

Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
Northampton, MA
October 22, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in Northampton, MA

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Tango Body

The Feet (All Levels)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Workshop 1 – Int/Adv – The Legs

Workshop 2 – Int/Adv – The Hips

Premilonga Lesson: Floorcraft, Navigation and Etiquette

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Workshop 3 – Int/Adv – The Upper Body

Workshop 4 – Int/Adv – The Embrace

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Premilonga Lesson on Navigation, Floor Craft and Etiquette

It was noted that sometimes people who should be here the most, are not.

We began with a warm-up dance made in an artificially smaller space, the goal of which was to touch all four corners of the space at which chairs were placed.

GAME 1: MONSTER WALK

Walk across the dance floor, in a random direction, either across or diagonally, but not counterclockwise or in the line of dance, to get to the other side of the dance floor. Do not run. First, walk slow. Then go faster. Then faster. The point of this game is:

(1) to watch where you are going

(2) to make adjustments

(3) to increase your sense of awareness and vision

On the milonga dance floor, it is OK to dance in the middle or outside, but do not weave or zig zag between couples.

GAME 2: TOUCH THE CORNERS

In partnership, we danced in the line of dance, specifically touching the four corners of the dance floor with one foot of the Follower, where chairs were set up to clearly delineate what the corners were. We were to try to touch the chairs with the Follower’s feet to make sure we actually went all the way to the four corners. The point of this game is:

(1) to be aware of how much space we have behind us and in front of us

(2) to keep the line of dance moving (do not slow it down or speed it up)

(3) increase our sense of awareness (to ourselves, to our partner, to the music, and to surroundings)

GAME 3: BLIND TANGO

We built on Game 2, Touch the Corners, with the eyes of both the Leader and Follower closed. We were to dance with our eyes closed, in the line of dance, and touching the four corners with the Follower’s foot. We were to do simple things, small movements, and nothing complicated. The point of this game is:

(1) to sense other people around us

(2) to keep the line of dance moving

What helped us? Lots of people, so that we could hear and feel them. No hard elbows, so no one got hurt even if there were little bumps. The bumps, if any, were soft. Soft bumps/taps are important. We need each other on the dance floor and can use each other as markers. For any bumps, they should be soft love bumps. No elbows up, no defensive arms/tactics. Use all of your senses to be aware of where you are on the dance floor, and where others are. Allow touch to be a nice part of the dance (not a bad one).

The song for this exercise was Tom Waits’s Blind Love.

GAME 4: CHAOTIC MOLECULES

There are three types of molecules that make the milonga dance floor chaotic:

(1) Random/Rogue Molecule

(2) Space Hog: Leaving lots of space in front of you and backing up everyone else behind you

(3) Space Jammer: A tailgater, dancing right up to the couple in front of you

Three couples were assigned the molecule roles and were to dance to disrupt the milonga dance floor. All other couples were to dance in the line of dance and not cut each other, but remain in line and flowing with the rest. We were to try to dance this way anyway, even with the Rogue Molecule, Space Jammer, and Space Hog. Our goal was to try to make things work no matter what.

Next, the concept of the Tango Train was introduced

GAME 5: CHAOTIC MOLECULES AND TANGO TRAINS

All dance couples were formed into dance trains of 3 couples, each train having one couple as the front engine, one as the back caboose, and one in the middle. The goal of the engine is to keep going and not let the line get jammed up into the train in front of them. The goal of the caboose is to keep the train moving, protecting the middle segment. The goal of the middle is to keep with the engine. Our goal was to keep the line of dance moving, but not move too fast or too slow. If we move too fast, we end up jamming the people in front of us. If we move too slow, we end up being a space hog.

To our trains, the Rogue Molecule couple was let loose with its goal to try to break into a train.

The trains’ goal was to not let the Rogue Molecule break any train. How was this done? By closing the space so that the Rogue Molecule could not get in.

How to form a train: This is a tool the Follower can implement, and you do not have to know another couple to make a train. When coming into the dance floor, make eye contact with the couples on the dance floor. The one who acknowledges you and lets you in makes it a tacit agreement to take care of each other. If there is no eye contact and they do not acknowledge you, you should not enter there. Eye contact with another couple suggests “You take care of me and I will take care of you.”

CABACEO ETIQUETTE

For the Etiquette portion of our class focused on the cabaceo.

Follower should sit upright and attentively, looking ready and enthusiastic to dance. She is presenting herself, and should not sit back and slouch. She should look like she is ready to dance.

Leaders and Followers look at each other, make eye contact, nod to each other. Leader walks to Follower (the Walk of Pride), then verbally asks to confirm/verify the cabaceo.

When entering line of dance, make eye contact with the couple you are going in front of.

After the dance, the Leader should walk the Follower off the dance floor and back to where he got her.

There was no didactic demo due to the nature of the class.

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

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Exploring Stylistic and Functional Use of Colgadas (Advanced "Exploration" Class)

Song: Anibal Troilo by Julio De Caro
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
New York City
October 16, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in New York City:

Weekend Theme: The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis

2.30pm: Building One Social Dance Step-Over Colgada (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)

4.30pm: Exploring Stylistic and Functional Use of Colgadas (Advanced "Exploration" Class)

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Exploring Stylistic and Functional Use of Colgadas (Advanced "Exploration" Class)

Video Courtesy of Luis Campos

Since this was an advanced, exploration class, it went very quickly with Maestros demonstrating the colgada, and then the students trying to replicate it or just play with it and explore it to see how to Lead/Follower it and get used to the muscle memory, physical feeling of executing it.

Two new Back Step-Over Colgadas were introduced:

1) Left-Left-Left: Leader’s Left Foot traps Follower’s back cross Left foot and they turn to the Left with She Goes, He Goes exit

2) Right-Right-Right: Leader’s Right foot traps Follower’s back cross Right foot and they turn to the Right with Spin exit

LEFT-LEFT-LEFT

The Leader’s left foot traps the Follower’s left foot back cross step of the turn (molinete), and she steps over behind. He should not put weight on his left foot, until he intentionally transfers it, which will get the colgada.

The Leader’s right foot traps the Follower’s right foot back cross step of the turn (molinete), and she steps over behind.

SHE GOES, HE GOES EXIT

We worked on a She Goes, He Goes colgada to the left, where the Leader leads a full turn first, then catches her left foot back cross step, and as she goes out in her back step-over colgada, he pivots a little, and steps through with his right foot, while she does a long side step simultaneously with his right foot step through.

On the Left-Left-Left Back Step-Over Colgada, if the Leader’s thigh is too high, the Follower may do a gancho. He can close the space by keeping the thigh low and his weight on his right leg.

Contact in the thighs/leg would lead to a gancho/wrap and start and stop energy.

We can add a barrida after on the left foot back step-over colgada. The Leader needs to gently lead the Follower through by rotating his torso and providing continuous energy.

We also tried boy ganchos after his step through, he can pivot a little to do a gancho.

In the Left-Left-Left back step-over colgada, the Follower step-over is her right foot up and collected back down, then her right leg goes down and out to the side.

RIGHT-RIGHT-RIGHT

On the Right-Right-Right back step-over colgada, there is a spin exit where the Follower pivots on her right foot and the Leader goes around her as much as he wants, knowing as always that he should keep it in the line of dance.

COLGADA WRAPS

In our work with the functional use of colgadas, we did the 8CB to 5 (cross), then the Leader places his left foot or right foot next to the Follower’s left foot, sends her back in the line of power, and then brings her back in to wrap around either his left or right leg. This is more of a linear wrap, not a circular one. This works if the Follower knows how to do a wrap/gancho. The Leader stops the Follower as she is over her axis to do the gancho/wrap. If she is off axis, this will be a volcada.

The Follower compresses.

The Leader has forward-oriented Captain Morgan legwork, so he opens up his thighs and knees, with a little bit of weight on it, forward orientation, so that the Follower has space to wrap around his leg and is mentally comfortable to do so.

The exit is simple and elegant: The Leader goes a little to the right so that she does a right foot tight back cross against her left foot. This can also be done from the ocho cortado, especially during fun rhythmic tandas (Rodriguez, D’Arienzo).

As always, we should try to be aesthetic, musical, and creatively based in our dance, and to have graceful exits.

Maestros concluded with a class review and demo to Julio De Caro’s Anibal Troilo

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

Building One Social Dance Step-Over Colgada (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)

Song: La Capilla Blanca by Francisco Canaro
Instructors: Homer & Cristina Ladas
http://theorganictangoschool.org
New York City
October 16, 2011

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Homer & Cristina Ladas Workshops in New York City:

Weekend Theme: The Body-Spiral and Body-Axis

2.30pm: Building One Social Dance Step-Over Colgada (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)

4.30pm: Exploring Stylistic and Functional Use of Colgadas (Advanced "Exploration" Class)

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Building One Social Dance Step-Over Colgada (Intermediate "Foundation" Class)

Video Courtesy of Luis Campos

Our music for the class was DiSarli with Podesta on vocals.

We began the class immediately with Maestros showing us the step, and then us trying to replicate it.

From the rock step, the Leader steps left foot side step to trap the Follower’s right foot side step, sending her out, and then she steps over with her left foot out and around the Leader counterclockwise.

For the Leader to keep this in the line of dance, he can keep turning the Follower.

After we drilled this for a little while, we went on to clean up the technical details of the step.

For the Leader rock step, in the middle he can pivot 90 degrees on his right foot, so that his left foot trap of Follower's right foot is not in the Line of Dance when he traps the Follower’s right foot (Leader puts weight on his right foot). This pivot will enable the Follower to make a long step around him. Leader sends her out. Leader puts his weight on his left foot at the same time Follower transfers her weight to her right foot to send her out. Leader does right foot cheat step up to a quarter turn around Follower (Leader can be on his heel to do this) to provide support as she hangs and steps around with her left foot Leader and Follower both keep their chests up. Follower steps long and around Leader as she goes over in her colgada, and as she passes through, the Leader puts his weight on his left foot, then changes his weight to the right foot, to then walk off with his left foot.

For the Follower, the beginning right foot rock step back is not weighted. She need to pivot 90 degrees on her right foot so that it makes it easier for her to make a long, reaching left foot front cross step around the Leader. Note that her step is unweighted (weight is on her standing, supporting right leg). As the Leader leads the transfer of weight to his right is where the colgada starts and she is sent out off axis. After the Follower’s side step around the Leader, she pivots on her left foot and they walk out (she with her right foot back step).

After drilling this for a while, we then went on to some deeper concepts:

1) Understanding initiation: when, how?

To get an idea, we did the step-over colgada in teapot embrace with the Leader’s right hand at the small of his back and elbows out (the handle), and left arm up (the proper angle of the left arm is to measure with his right hand where the thumb and pinky fingers go from his bicep to his wrist). His left arm remains fixed (as a teapot’s spout would be). The Follower embraces the Leader at his spout and handle, engaging both her left and right arms/hands so that she can hang on to the Leader. The Follower should have equal stability on both sides of her embrace/arm tone. Both dancers need to be connected to their cores so that the whole body is behind their arms. In the teapot embrace, the Leader’s right hand is taken away so that he doesn’t overuse it and so that the Follower uses both sides of her embrace to hang onto the Leader.

THE LINE OF POWER: The "Line of Power" was introduced. Two points of the Leader’s feet are in a line in the direction of where the Follower's hips are going to go. The Follower's hips go out straight: that's the line of power.

A more advanced level of this is to do it in Sugar Bowl embrace where the Follower needs to hang onto both sides of the Leader with her hands/arms only and he does not hold onto her at all, but only lead with his chest/torso rotation and is tested to see if he can lead any Colgada.

In this same step-over colgada, we drilled in Sugar Bowl embrace to work on timing, using the floor, the line of power, having more finesse, and being comfortable with throwing our weight around. The Sugar Bowl embrace also makes the Follower smarter and responsive about the embrace and hanging onto the Leader and using his body as a wall.

Next, we went on to a foundational drill to develop trust in a playful way.

TRUST EXERCISE: LEADER KNOCKS FOLLOWER OFF AXIS

Here, the Follower has her feet hip-width apart. The Leader walks into her, knocking her off axis. The Leader enters her space, displacing the Follower. Then he/she/they catch each other.

Level 1: Both catch each other

Level 2: Leader catches Follower

Level 3: Follower catches Leader

Next, we went onto a social colgada posture/counterbalance exercise.

SOCIAL COLGADA POSTURE/COUNTERBALANCE EXERCISE

Holding at the wrists, we were in hip under position, with our hips lined up with our rib cages. The Leader's feet, which can be in a "V" position, were outside the Follower's feet, sandwiching them. Elbows have 90 degree bend to them. We were to squeeze our transverse muscles, using our center mass in our backs and cores, keeping our chest open, and pushing our shoulder blades down. We were to hang from the hips and counterbalance each other. We were not to crunch our shoulders. We could move our belly out back a little. We were not to use our upper backs, but just use our mid/lower backs and power of our hips/legs and our core muscles. Our back and leg muscles are engaged. Our backsides were such that there is a high bar back stool behind us and we were reaching back to get up into to the chair (so it is not sitting down on a low chair).

Leader initiates the send out and controls how far the Follower goes out. The Leaders tried with different Followers to feel the height and weight differences, and how he had to change his counterbalancing efforts depending on the Follower's height and weight. This exercise was the most important five minutes of class so that we could understand the concept of counterbalancing each other.

Next, after these drills, the goals of which were to improve our Colgada technique, we went back to doing the step-over Colgada in Sugar Bowl Embrace. Only this time, the Leader sends her out and then freezes, and then sends her over, pulling her through with his left shoulder rotation counterclockwise.

Note that during the Colgada the Follower’s hips are almost perpendicular to the Leader’s.

In the freeze, the Follower starts stepping over when the Leader starts turning. The Follower’s colgada ends when she steps down and touches the floor and transfers weight.

The Follower's embrace becomes elastic first, stretching first and then start engaging it when the movement starts. The Leader’s left arm should remain fixed and stable at all times, and not telescope out or forward.

The challenge portion of the class was to work on the back step-over colgada. Or to control the timing (fast or slow) of the regular step-over colgada.

In doing the Colgada it is important for the Follower not to do any height changes because that adds another level of complexity to all that the Leader has to think about (on top of counterbalancing her weight, sending her out, and leading the turn).

Maestros concluded with a class review and demo to Canaro’s La Capilla Blanca.

During our half-hour break, Maestros generously gave us the option of using that time as a guided practica, which most students enthusiastically took advantage of.

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