Tango for Fusion - 2016
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MagicTango Explorers Learning Group (FACEBOOK) A closed group with information about MT classes / workshops / bootcamps and some materials for learning tango. |
This page was created specially for those students who took part in the Tango 4 Fusion series of workshops in November 2016.
Instructor: Tatiana (+ assistants)
TANGO 4 FUSION Workshop Series was taught in an experimental way combining basic tango concepts and steps with a special sequence of advanced movements and fusion elements for inspiration and dance challenge :). You can watch all the videos as a reminder of some material that we took at the workshops.
This practice will give you a good jump start and a deeper understanding of the difference between Argentine tango and some other dances in terms of posture, embrace, connection, vocabulary and basic musicality.
Even if all these elements taught within 6 hours of workshops are not enough to start dancing Argentine Tango socially, they provide some platform for further learning and allow to add some tango elements to your FUSION dancing.
I also recommend to check 2 videos at the bottom of the page with Etiquette tips and Cabeceo technique for inviting someone to dance.
Enjoy your Tango Practice & hope to see you soon at the Magic Tango classes :).
(cheers, Tatiana)
Instructor: Tatiana (+ assistants)
TANGO 4 FUSION Workshop Series was taught in an experimental way combining basic tango concepts and steps with a special sequence of advanced movements and fusion elements for inspiration and dance challenge :). You can watch all the videos as a reminder of some material that we took at the workshops.
This practice will give you a good jump start and a deeper understanding of the difference between Argentine tango and some other dances in terms of posture, embrace, connection, vocabulary and basic musicality.
Even if all these elements taught within 6 hours of workshops are not enough to start dancing Argentine Tango socially, they provide some platform for further learning and allow to add some tango elements to your FUSION dancing.
I also recommend to check 2 videos at the bottom of the page with Etiquette tips and Cabeceo technique for inviting someone to dance.
Enjoy your Tango Practice & hope to see you soon at the Magic Tango classes :).
(cheers, Tatiana)
POSTURE & EMBRACE:
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Argentine tango is a very healthy dance in terms of alignment of joints and there should not be any pain while dancing. If you have pain either in your hand / arm or hips and back, neck, something has to be adjusted immediately. Whenever you have any pain in the body caused by dancing, please, let your teacher know that you need some assistance in acquiring the right posture and adjusting the embrace and tango technique. Tango is a very healthy dance, dancers stay quite relaxed yet use toned mustles to aquire the right feel in the body, stable frame and smooth partner connection. |
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Acquiring a beautiful healthy POSTURE and establishing an elastic, silky SMOOTH EMBRACE containing a SECURE FRAME is a big part of Argentine tango and crucial for any successful practice. When tango dancers form an open embrace they stand opposite each other and create an oval shape through their frame. Usually dancers keep their axis when dancing in open embrace however a slight tilt forward of both bodies also is possible for adding a bit of dynamics. In close embrace dancers put their weight even more to the ball of their feet to have an upside down V-shape posture. Watch out for keeping your lower back not too curved but rather leaning the whole body as a plank slightly forward to avoid any pain in the back. *** See also the video with Sandwich 2 where close embrace is compared to open.
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Walking backwardsLearn to walk back in an elegant beautiful way. This will not only help you become more authentic in tango dancing but also will allow better connection with the partner, as while walking back in the suggested in the video way, the follower frees space for the leader's steps. Learning how to walk beautifully backwards is also required for leaders. *** Also see the video with "Caminata" / Walk by Sebastian & Roxana (on the right). Warking in Parallel & Cross Systems
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Forward WalkLeaders mostly walk forward in tango counterclockwise along the line of dance in a linear and circular way, however followers usually walk backwards. Even though we are used to walking forward in real life it takes some skill and technique to master a beautiful forward walk in tango, whether in high-heeled shoes or practice shoes. A beautiful example of a TANGO WALK in parallel & cross systems
A beautiful couple from Argentina - Sebastian Achaval & Roxana Suarez demonstrate the Argentine tango walk in parallel and cross system - simple and with a few fancier variations (to learn later). Notice how smoothly the leader and follower are walking, how silky and elastic their ebrace is and how Sebastian uses both inside and outside walk, switching from left to right and how he changes from one system to the other in an unnoticeable elegant way.
Roxana's walk is one of the most elegant in tango. Hips of the partners are not supposed to be connected and having an upside down (vertical) V shape in the embrace helps to free space for leg and feet movements Music: "Recien" by Ricardo Tanturi with Enrique Campos |
OCHOS are one of the most essential and popular movements in Argentine Tango dancing. Please notice how different it is from falsely similar cross steps in kizomba and a few other dances. Ocho has to be performed in a safe way to ensure healthy alignment of the joints and body.
Front Ocho |
Back Ocho |
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Sandwich - Example 1 |
Sandwich - Example 2 |
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Here is an example with sandwich (sandwich is usually done from a back ocho).
The leader catches followers leg indicating a stop (pause), performs a sandwich and lead the follower into a parada (when she is stepping over his foot either right away or with some embellishment movement). |
In this video instructors are telling a bit about close and open embrace specifics.
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* Calesita *
We've done Calesita with the counterclockwise motion, however in this videos you can see how dancers perform it in both directions. At the fusion workshop we've used a fancier version in terms of Follower's let position, however the principle is the same.
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* Calesita *In this video you can see an example with the L's change into the cross system with the step on the right from the partner leading into a calesita. We took this combination breaking down the ADV combination from the video by Cecilia & Serkan (see on the right). Time: 1.06 - 1.10 / 1.17. Only I'd recommend to just keep the F's leg straight in the front rather than doing anything fancier like in the video. At the workshop we talked about an example when the F can start with her left leg in the front and then put it smoothly to the back (as a straight leg as well), that gives a beautiful look. However the F can also keep the free leg close to the standing leg. *** Leaders - make sure you keep your Follower in her axis.
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* Advanced Combination for inspiration *At the workshop we've learned this combination inspired by the demo of Cecilia & Serkan. Time: 1.09 - 1.15 (with an adapted beginning and ending).
(the L leads F to a back step from the cross system into a turn followed by her 2 back ochos with his forward (soft) sacadas initiating F's embellishment front boleos and the ending was the zigzagish / "christmas tree" walk followed by a soltada (inside turn)). |
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* Etiquette & Tango Floor Craft *Homer Ladas & Cristina Ladas from San Francisco explain how to invite or refuse politely and respectfully in a milonga (Argentine tango party) using a common technique called Mirada & Cabeceo. They also give here a few tips on navigation - floor craft - an essential skill for any Argentine tango dancer. |
* Floor Craft Basics *Murat Erdemsel & Michelle Lamb demonstrate in a humorous and memorable way how to use Cabeceo technique and other skills for safely entering the dance ronda. Dos & Don'ts of Floor Craft. |
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TRADITIONAL MUSIC:
Music for MagicTango Students - Playlist >>
These compositions are among the most favourite in the tango world and beautiful examples of TANGO, VALS & MILONGA music.
Notes:
At the milonga (a traditional tango event where people dance socially) music is played by DJs in tandas.
A TANDA is a set of 3 or 4 songs compiled together usually from the same or similar tango orquestras (or matching alternative / neo songs if it is an alternative milonga). There are certain very common ways to combine those songs and a lot of DJs try to do it in their unique way. There are 8 traditional TANDAS in this playlist (3 songs each), as I mentioned at the bootcamp the common structure for a milonga is: T - T - M - T - T - V - T - T (of V can be first and then M... they are usually alternated). At some milongas and especially at the festivals a DJ would play 4 songs in 1 tango tanda and usually 3 for Vals and Milonga. Depending on the community, event or a DJ tandas of 3 or 4 songs might be played as a preferred format.
The DJ usually also includes between tandas extra songs - "cortinas" (= curtains), however I skipped those for this playlist.
At the end of the playlist you can find a special song called "cumparsita" (a song which is played last at most of the milongas, it can be by various orchestras depending on the DJ's choice. Followed by a clip from a famous "tango" movie "Tango Lesson", it is an old film yet worth watching, maybe we can watch it together some day.
And the last song is an alternative tango (which is an electrotango in this case), one of the many possible songs which one can dance tango to.
Music for MagicTango Students - Playlist >>
These compositions are among the most favourite in the tango world and beautiful examples of TANGO, VALS & MILONGA music.
Notes:
At the milonga (a traditional tango event where people dance socially) music is played by DJs in tandas.
A TANDA is a set of 3 or 4 songs compiled together usually from the same or similar tango orquestras (or matching alternative / neo songs if it is an alternative milonga). There are certain very common ways to combine those songs and a lot of DJs try to do it in their unique way. There are 8 traditional TANDAS in this playlist (3 songs each), as I mentioned at the bootcamp the common structure for a milonga is: T - T - M - T - T - V - T - T (of V can be first and then M... they are usually alternated). At some milongas and especially at the festivals a DJ would play 4 songs in 1 tango tanda and usually 3 for Vals and Milonga. Depending on the community, event or a DJ tandas of 3 or 4 songs might be played as a preferred format.
The DJ usually also includes between tandas extra songs - "cortinas" (= curtains), however I skipped those for this playlist.
At the end of the playlist you can find a special song called "cumparsita" (a song which is played last at most of the milongas, it can be by various orchestras depending on the DJ's choice. Followed by a clip from a famous "tango" movie "Tango Lesson", it is an old film yet worth watching, maybe we can watch it together some day.
And the last song is an alternative tango (which is an electrotango in this case), one of the many possible songs which one can dance tango to.
Tango Demos for MagicTango Students >>
This playlist is compiled of various Argentine tango demos, some of my favourite are in the beginning, however there are lots of them in general.
You can see the variety of music and styles. Feel free to share this particular playlist with it if you want to inspire your friends to learn Argentine Tango :).
This playlist is compiled of various Argentine tango demos, some of my favourite are in the beginning, however there are lots of them in general.
You can see the variety of music and styles. Feel free to share this particular playlist with it if you want to inspire your friends to learn Argentine Tango :).
See you at the Magic Tango Classes!
Enjoy your practicing & dancing! :)