Level 2/3 May 2021

Week 6: 8 June 2021
In Week 6 we reviewed and refined all moves from the term and included a focus on navigation and timing. Here's a demo from end of class:

Week 5: 1 June 2021
In Week 5 we continued reviewing and refining moves from previous weeks and included a focus on navigation and floor-craft.
  • A particular focus on the following moves:
  • Parallel Cross with Ochos
  • Medialuna and Sanguchito
  • Change of Direction (mini COD 90 degrees)
We also focused on walking technique and posture.
No new moves were covered. Please refer to previous week videos for above moves.

Week 4: 25 May 2021
Theme: Navigation
Review in small space the following moves from this term:
  • Parallel Cross with Ochos
  • Giro to Right from Parallel Cross
  • Ocho Cortado
  • Change of Direction (mini COD 90 degrees)
See previous lessons for videos.

Week 3: 18 May 2021
1. introduced Change of Direction turn  (180 degree turn) ending with Parallel Cross or Ocho Cortado:

2.Reviewed previous weeks' moves.

Week 2: 11 May 2021
1. Focused on dancing to the beat throughout the lesson and introduced Ocho Cortado


2. Reviewed the following moves:
  • Parallel Cross
  • Parallel Cross - Forward and Backward Ochos
  • Parallel Cross - Giro to Right
  • Parallel Cross - Forward and Backward Ochos - Giro to Right
Week 1: 4 May 2021

Focused on dancing to the beat the following fundamental moves:
  • Parallel Cross
  • Parallel Cross - Forward and Backward Ochos
  • Parallel Cross - Giro to Right
  • Parallel Cross - Forward and Backward Ochos - Giro to Right

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.