<div>Hello Argentine Tango-ers,</div>
<div>Your instructor, Jerry, has asked that I forward the below message for those of you that want a quick review of what we learned last week. See you tomorrow for the last Argentine Tango lesson!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Helen Chao</div>
<div>Lessons Coordinator, Spr '11</div>
<div>CMU Ballroom Dance Club<br><br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">capellan tanguero</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:capellantanguero@yahoo.com">capellantanguero@yahoo.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 6:39 PM<br>Subject: Tango Class Newsletter CMUBDC 101-2<br>To: <a href="mailto:helenc@andrew.cmu.edu">helenc@andrew.cmu.edu</a><br><br><br>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff" align="center"><font size="5"><b>CMUBDC / Pittsburgh Tangueros</b></font>
<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff" align="center"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size="4"><b>Class Newsletter</b></font>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff" align="center"><font size="4"><i><b>Tango is walking in an embrace</b></i></font>
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<p align="center"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size="4"><b>101 Week 2</b></font>
<div><font style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size="4"><b>Contents:</b></font> </div>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Summary of 1<sup>st</sup> half of class:</b></font></div></li></ol>
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<div><font size="3"><b>Review of 1</b><sup><b>st</b></sup><b> week</b></font></div>
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<div><font size="3"><b>Technique: steps & pivots</b></font></div></li></li></ul>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Summary of 2<sup>nd</sup> half of class</b></font></div></li></ol>
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<div><font size="3"><b>Application: Backward Ochos</b></font></div>
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<div><font size="3"><b>Back ochos → parada-sandwich-pasada</b></font></div></li></li></ul>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Featured tangueros:</b></font></div></li></ol>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Chicho & Juana</p></li></ul></ul>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Preview of the next class</b></font></div>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Events Calendar</b></font></div></li></li></ol>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Summary of the 1</b></font><sup><font size="4"><b>st</b></font></sup><font size="4"><b> half of class</b></font></div>
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<div><u><b>Review of 1<sup>st</sup> week</b></u></div>
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<div>We did a rapid review of the previous week for those who were joining us for the 1<sup>st</sup> time. This review included: embrace, weight-change, walking, check steps, and pauses. We also reviewed some walking patterns which fit into an 8-count phrase. These patterns allowed you to practice the basic elements, but the emphasis was on feeling and expressing the musical phrase. </div>
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<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.49in"><font size="2">FYI, the four patterns we used were: </font>
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<div><font size="2">walk-walk-walk-walk weight-change weight-change pause</font></div>
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<div><font size="2">walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change weight-change pause</font></div>
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<div><font size="2">walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change check-step weight-change</font></div>
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<div><font size="2">walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change pause</font></div></li></li></li></li></ul>
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<div><font size="3"><u><b>Technique</b></u></font></div>
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<div>For the follower, there are really only two letters in the tango alphabet::</div>
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<div>step </div>
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<div>pivot</div></li></li></ul>
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<div>The follower doesn't have to memorize dozens of sequences. She just has to be able to step and pivot. Of course, the devil is in the details. She must learn how to walk backwards gracefully without wobbling or pulling her partner off balance. If she is taking a step, the follower must know: </div>
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<div>when to step </div>
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<div>where to step </div>
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<div>how far to step </div></li></li></li></ul>
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<div>The follower must also know: </div>
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<div>when to pivot</div>
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<div>how much to pivot. </div></li></li></ul>
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<div>The more difficult task for the follower is knowing <b>whether</b> to step or to pivot. Basically, if the leader is moving her off-balance in a horizontal direction, then she should take a step in that direction. On the other hand, if the leader is moving around her axis, then she should pivot in place. </div>
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<div><u><b>Step/Pivot Exercise</b></u> </div>
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<div>We demonstrated an exercise that teaches the followers when to step, and when to pivot. The exercise consisted of two instructions: </div>
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<div>The leaders had to walk forward three steps, while their partner walked backward three steps. This is the normal tango walk in an embrace. </div>
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<div>Then the leader had to move around the follower without her taking a step. The leader was free to take as many steps as he wanted, and he could move in either direction. </div>
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<div>(repeat the 1<sup>st</sup> two instructions)</div></li></li></li></ol>
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<div>One of the most important learning outcomes of this exercise is that the follower does not have to step every time the leader takes a step. This is a fundamental characteristic of tango, but it is somewhat unusual in most other dances. </div>
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<div>Here is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q11rV_Q1SQM&feature=related" target="_blank">video clip that relates to the step/pivot exercise</a>. (They are using a practice position for this demonstration so that you can easily see what they are doing. They don't dance that way.) In this exercise it's valuable for the man to move all the way around the woman, but in the actual dance it may only be 1-2 steps. In order for this to work, the woman must have a straight, stable axis. </div>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Summary of 2<sup>nd</sup> half of class </b></font></div>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><u><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Application</span></u></font>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Ochos are an integral part of Argentine tango. We introduced the backward ocho, aka <b>back ocho</b> for the follower. Here is what the follower does:</span></font>
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<div><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">step (on right foot)</span></span></font></div>
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<div><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">pivot (on right foot)</span></span></font></div>
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<div><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">step (on left foot)</span></span></font></div>
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<div><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">pivot (on left foot)</span></span></font></div></li></li></li></li></ul>
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<div><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Each pivot (except the 1</span></span></font><sup><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">st</span></span></font></sup><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"> ) was 180 degrees. The biggest challenge for the followers was staying on one foot during the pivot. The 2</span></span></font><sup><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">nd</span></span></font></sup><font size="3"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"> biggest challenge was completing the pivot on time, in order to step on the next beat.</span></span></font></div>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">The challenge for the leaders was getting the ochos started. The leaders needed to take 3 steps while the follower just took 2 steps. The leaders' steps were like a <i>chasse</i> to the left, i.e. left-together-left. </span></font>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Once the ochos were started, the leader could just step left-right-left-right-etc. </span></font>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Here is a clip that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP1r9S39cnU" target="_blank">shows back ochos.</a></span></font>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Finally we integrated the back ochos that you learned this week with the parada-sandwich-pasada sequence that you learned last week.</span></font>
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<p style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><font size="4"><b>Featured Tangeros</b></font>
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<div>Chicho Frumboli and Juana Sepulveda are exquisite dancers. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjakUQf3VE8" target="_blank">Here they are dancing to some alternative music</a>. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.</div>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Preview of the next class</b></font> </div>
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<p style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><font size="3">In the next class you will learn about tango waltz and milonga. </font>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size="4"><b>Events calendar</b></font> </span>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Click <a href="http://www.pittsburghtangueros.org/calendar.html" target="_blank">here for a calendar of Pittsburgh milongas, practicas and workshops</a>. Once you get to the calendar you can click on individual events to see additional event details (like addresses).</span></font>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><u><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">weekly events:</span></u></font>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"><b>Tuesday</b> practica at WSCC $5-$8 7:30 – 9:30 pm </span></font></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"><b>Wednesday</b> milonga at Peter's Pub *free* 8-9pm lesson; 9-12am dance</span></font> </p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"><b>Thursday</b> practica at Zafira's $5 7:45 – 9:00pm</span></font> </p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%"><font size="3"><b>Sunday</b></font> m<font size="3">ilonga at Wightman $10-15 7-8pm lesson; 8-11pm dance</font></span></font></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Future milongas:</span></font>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Feb 4 – Rich's </span></font></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Feb 12 – Zafira's</span></font> </p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: #ccccff; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Feb 26 – Absolute Ballroom</span></font></p></li>
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<div><i>"tango...two hearts, four legs, one dancer"</i> </div>
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<div>Jerry Minshall</div>
<div>412-661-2480</div>
<div><a href="mailto:CapellanTanguero@yahoo.com" target="_blank">CapellanTanguero@yahoo.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.pittsburghtangueros.org/classes.html" target="_blank">http://www.pittsburghtangueros.org/classes.html</a></div>
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