Fwd: Tango Class Newsletter CMUBDC 101-2

Tue Jan 25 19:17:47 EST 2011

Hello Argentine Tango-ers,
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!

Helen Chao
Lessons Coordinator, Spr '11
CMU Ballroom Dance Club

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: capellan tanguero <capellantanguero at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 6:39 PM
Subject: Tango Class Newsletter CMUBDC 101-2
To: helenc at andrew.cmu.edu

*CMUBDC / Pittsburgh Tangueros*

*Class Newsletter*

*Tango is walking in an embrace*
------------------------------

*101 Week 2*
*Contents:*

   1. *Summary of 1st half of class:*

   - *Review of 1**st** week*
   - *Technique: steps & pivots*

   1. *Summary of 2nd half of class*

   - *Application: Backward Ochos*
   - *Back ochos → parada-sandwich-pasada*

   1. *Featured tangueros:*

    -

      Chicho & Juana

   1. *Preview of the next class*
   2. *Events Calendar*

------------------------------
*Summary of the 1**st** half of class*

*Review of 1st week*

We did a rapid review of the previous week for those who were joining us for
the 1st 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.

FYI, the four patterns we used were:

   - walk-walk-walk-walk weight-change weight-change pause
   - walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change weight-change pause
   - walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change check-step weight-change
   - walk-walk-walk-walk check-step weight-change pause

*Technique*

For the follower, there are really only two letters in the tango alphabet::

   - step
   - pivot

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:

   - when to step
   - where to step
   - how far to step

The follower must also know:

   - when to pivot
   - how much to pivot.

The more difficult task for the follower is knowing *whether* 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.

*Step/Pivot Exercise*

We demonstrated an exercise that teaches the followers when to step, and
when to pivot. The exercise consisted of two instructions:

   1. The leaders had to walk forward three steps, while their partner
   walked backward three steps. This is the normal tango walk in an embrace.
   2. 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.
   3. (repeat the 1st two instructions)

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.

Here is a video clip that relates to the step/pivot
exercise<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q11rV_Q1SQM&feature=related>.
(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.

 ------------------------------

*Summary of 2nd half of class *

*Application*

Ochos are an integral part of Argentine tango. We introduced the backward
ocho, aka *back ocho* for the follower. Here is what the follower does:

   - step (on right foot)
   - pivot (on right foot)
   - step (on left foot)
   - pivot (on left foot)

Each pivot (except the 1st ) was 180 degrees. The biggest challenge for the
followers was staying on one foot during the pivot. The 2nd biggest
challenge was completing the pivot on time, in order to step on the next
beat.

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 *chasse* to the left, i.e. left-together-left.

Once the ochos were started, the leader could just step
left-right-left-right-etc.

Here is a clip that shows back
ochos.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP1r9S39cnU>

Finally we integrated the back ochos that you learned this week with the
parada-sandwich-pasada sequence that you learned last week.

------------------------------

*Featured Tangeros*

Chicho Frumboli and Juana Sepulveda are exquisite dancers. Here they are
dancing to some alternative music<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjakUQf3VE8>.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

------------------------------

------------------------------
*Preview of the next class*

In the next class you will learn about tango waltz and milonga.

*Events calendar*

Click here for a calendar of Pittsburgh milongas, practicas and
workshops<http://www.pittsburghtangueros.org/calendar.html>.
Once you get to the calendar you can click on individual events to see
additional event details (like addresses).

*weekly events:*

   -

   *Tuesday* practica at WSCC $5-$8 7:30 – 9:30 pm
   -

   *Wednesday* milonga at Peter's Pub *free* 8-9pm lesson; 9-12am dance
   -

   *Thursday* practica at Zafira's $5 7:45 – 9:00pm
   -

   *Sunday* milonga at Wightman $10-15 7-8pm lesson; 8-11pm dance

Future milongas:

   -

   Feb 4 – Rich's
   -

   Feb 12 – Zafira's
   -

   Feb 26 – Absolute Ballroom

*"tango...two hearts, four legs, one dancer"*

Jerry Minshall
412-661-2480
CapellanTanguero at yahoo.com
http://www.pittsburghtangueros.org/classes.html
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