Level 2 Jul - Aug 2018

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.

Tango Music - for practicing

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 fabulous 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:

http://www.muraterdemsel.com/250TANGO.zip

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.

For reading:

How to practice without a partner - for leaders
How to practice without a partner - for followers

Homework (for every week)

In addition to reviewing moves from classes make sure to do these drills. Done regularly they will do wonders to your tango!

Can't get motivated? Then watch this video.

Lapiz Walk

Pivoting Walk

Week 6: Starting Aug 20

Continued work on refining and linking all moves from previous weeks. Continued emphasis on navigation and connection (connect at four points for the embrace). Continued emphasis on improvisation (no memorisation!). Please refer to videos from previous weeks.

Week 5: Starting Aug 13

We refined the Giro to the Right from the Parallel Cross and integrated it into our dance with Medialuna, Sandwich and Ochos. Increased emphasis on navigation.

Week 4: Starting Aug 6

Introducing the Giro: