Level 2/3 Feb - Mar 2021

Week 4: 9 March 2021
We started with practicing the 'connection walk' exercise
We then reviewed, refined and linked all moves from previous weeks:
  • Closed Side Salida: Follower's back step crossing leader 90 degree turn + rebound steps to Left and Right of Leader  - end with Parada or Parallel Cross / Cross System Cross (Week 3)
  • Closed Side Salida with Follower's Back Step Crossing Leader + 90 degree turn - end with Parallel Cross (Week 2)
  • Enter from Closed Side - Cross over to Open Side combinations and variations (Week 1)
- Ending with Parallel Cross
- Ending with Giro to Right
- Ending with Forward Ocho and Parada to Left:

Although we did an end of lesson display it appears not to be on my phone! Apologies for this. 

Week 3: 2 March 2021
Started with exercises from Week 2 and review of moves from Weeks 1 and 2.
Introduced Closed Side Salida: Follower's back step crossing leader 90 degree turn + rebound steps to Left and Right of Leader:

Week 2: 23 February 2021
Connection walking exercise in pairs with arms extended.
Reviewed Week 1 moves
Introduced Closed Side Salida with Follower's Back Step Crossing Leader + 90 degree turn:


Week 1: 16 February 2021

Introduced new move: Enter from Closed Side - Cross over to Open Side combinations and variations
- Ending with Parallel Cross
- Ending with Giro to Right
- Ending with Forward Ocho and Parada to Left:

Here's some notes and resources from previous terms that you may find useful as a refresher...

Tango Music - for practising 
Spotify 
Check out Sophia's Spotify lists:
Tango (Trad) Best for practicing musicality - walking to single, double and half time.
Tango (Neo) contemporary songs (good for practicing technique)

Link to 250 songs
The following link will download a collection of 250 of the most popular songs (tango, vals and milonga) played in milongas around the world! Focus for now only on the tangos. Also focus on instrumental songs as opposed to vocals as these are easier to find the beat. Di Sarli is one of the better orchestras to start with: 250 songs download
This link goes to a zip file (little less than a 1 GB file). 

Here's a link to help you better understand tango music for dancing. 

Good habits for tango dancers
  • 'Steel vs spaghetti': Your standing leg is like steel - dynamic, strong and grounded, your free leg is like spaghetti: light and loose without tension.
  • Your free leg hip is stable yet loose and lower than your base leg hip (this removes tension from your free leg)
  • 'Collection' - Thigh or ankle (as you prefer) connection as you walk
  • Push off the floor as you walk - to make your walk more dynamic. 
  • Never lock your knees: You standing leg knee is softly flexed (not locked) - this gives you better contact with the floor.
  • Always find your axis - 'it's your beauty and your power'
  • Walk in the line of your hips - Imagine your hips are at the centre of 2 crossing lines: one going forward / back and the other - left /right. The first line is the guide for forward and back steps, the second line guides side steps.