Tango Notes

Gancho

A Gancho (English “hook”) is a move where the follower hooks their leg round the leader. The most basic form involves a sharp leg movement back and around a leader’s leg. It’s a move that is uniquely tango and is visually fascinating.  Check out the videos listed below to see the wide range of ganchos.

Family of moves: The follower’s hooking leg movement can take many forms, coming from the front or back of the leader, with a backward or forward leg movement, fast or slow, the follower reverses direction or not, etc. The range of moves blends into other similar moves such as wrap (enganche) or sacada.

Caution: Whenever a high heel is being flung somewhere, there is a danger of hitting another dancer – or your partner. On a spacious dance floor there is little danger, but the gancho is inadvisable or even forbidden when dancers are tightly packed.

Introductory Gancho Videos

  • [Video HC19] How to do the Hook aka the Gancho 3:29 By Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón. Nice introduction to the gancho done from back and front ochos. From back ocho follower’s right ganchos leader’s left from inside to outside.   From forward ocho, follower’s right ganchos leader’s right from back to front.
  • [Video HO14] Smooth Ganchos and Exits 8:18 By Homer and Cristina Ladas. Instruction and demo. There’s a good discussion of the basics and a demo that is rich in advanced Gancho variations.

More advanced Gancho Videos

Advice to leaders

  • On a rebound style gancho following a parada-pasada, as the follower takes a forward step (eg pasada or front cross) the leader inserts a leg between the follower’s legs, stops the follower after their foot has hit the floor, and makes a quick tug backwards so that the follower rebounds.   The follower flings that free leg back between the leader’s legs.
  • Follower position. From the parada lead the follower to in front of the leader, both facing in approximately the same direction.  There they have a direct path to gancho.   The leader’s leg must not be in the way.  Leading the follower to the correct position requires a substantial adjustment to the embrace.  Getting the follower close and aligned correctly is critically important.
  • Don’t let the back lead for the gancho pull the follower backward off their axis.  They remain on their axis while their leg swings freely.
  • Bailout. If the position isn’t good, turn it into a front boleo (perhaps with a high sacada) instead.
  • Gancho from front ocho.  If the follower’s ocho is small, the follower may not leave enough room for the insertion of the leader’s leg. Try to lead a large ocho, but if the follower still takes small steps, don’t try to lead a gancho.
  • Make room for the follower’s leg by flexing the knee and going up on the toe of the leg to be ganchoed. Be sure the knee is turned out.  Generally keep this leg unweighted.
  • Ganchos feel quite different on different sides because the embrace is asymmetric.
  • From a back ocho the leader should overturn the follower to get better alignment for the ocho.
  • If this is a gancho from the back, the leader’s hips must be rotated to create the correct alignment.

Advice to followers

  • From hip not knee. Swing the leg from the hip; don’t just bend the knee. The lower leg should swing up naturally as the leg reaches the hip’s limits or the leader’s thigh.
  • Straight back. Fling directly back.  Don’t twist your leg if you are not in a good position.
  • Alternative. If the leader fails to place you in a good gancho position, a front boleo is a good alternative.
  • Don’t lean back or forward.

Gancho – Lesson 1

Overview

  • Cover basic ideas and techniques of Gancho from the front (GanchoF) after a Pasada.
    • On rebound after pasada
    • Positioning and making room.
  • Ganchos from front to back
    • Ocho – Parada – Pasada – Gancho on closed (easier) side
    • Same on open side, altho this is more awkward because of the embrace.
    • Exercise alternating ganchos on open and closed sides.
  • Ganchos from back to front – more dangerous
    • This is more dangerous to the M because the W foot may hit the M knee.
    • Sandwich WL then ML back then WR Pasada MR then WR Gancho MR from back to front.
    • Follow with M sliding foot to parada for a pasada from back to front.
    • Parada front ochos with diagonal foot then pasada then gancho from back to front.

Overview of specific Gancho moves

  • PasadaIn > Ganchof2b (from front to back).   Both L and R.
    • Exercise to alternate on both sides.
    • Perhaps exercise to lead it sometimes (lead nothing or gancho or front boleo).
  • PasadaOut > Ganchob2f (back to front)

Pasada to inside then Gancho front to back – [Ganf2b01s]

  • Can do it on either the open or closed side altho the closed side is usually easier because of the asymmetry of the embrace.
  • The Pasada is usually preceded by a Parada (often of a FOcho), Barrida, or Sandwich.  
  • Start with the easier closed side.
    • From WR FOcho.  As the W Pivots, MRout paradas WRtoe > WL Pasada > WL Ganchof2b > WLf- > Face.
    • M slides arm around W.
  • Open side.
    • The open side hand hold may be released to avoid contortions. M may put arm around W.
  • Follow with pivot to face.
  • Exercise: Parada on both sides repeatedly one after another.

Pasada from in to out then Gancho from back to front

  • [Move Ganb2f01s] – Pasada  from in to out > Gancho.   Easy entries are
    • Diagonal parada in FOchos, eg MR par WL, WR pas(out) MR, WR Gancho:b2f MR.
    • Parada trailing foot (taught in Sweden)  ??? MR Par WL as > WR Gancho
    • From Sandwich followed by M’s BCross (which one depends on which W foot).

Gancho – Lesson 2

Review of moves in lesson 1.

Overview of moves in lesson 2

  • Sailor Gancho front to back
  • BCross to Gancho front to back
  • FCross to Gancho front to back
  • Gancho in Giros

Sailor Gancho front to back [Ganf2b04]

  • As both step on left foot, M leads WL to gancho MR.
  • The lead starts with a slight downward pressure on the W’s left to enhance the rebound.
  • Sailor:L > WL Gancho:f2b MR

Back Cross Gancho front to back – (BCross > Ganchof2b [Ganf2b02])

  • As WR back crosses, MR is inserted between W’s legs so that the WL will naturally be able to gancho MR from front to back.
    • Eg WR BCross, MR insert > WL Gancho:f2b MR.
  • Easier if back ocho is overturned.
  • M’s footwork for BOchos may be different to make this work easily.
  • The gancho on the open side is somewhat more awkward.

Front Cross Gancho front to back – (FCross > Gancho:f2b – [Ganf2b03s])

  • WL FCross and MR insert then M stops W forward movement to lead a Gancho..
  • If coming from front ochos, M’s footwork may be adjusted.
  • Does it work with WR FCross???? Verify.

Gancho in cw Giro at Back Cross

Altho the Giro contains both front and back crosses, the only easy gancho is in the cw Giro on the Back Cross.   This may not always be possible because of the speed or small step taken by the W.

Other Ganchos

  • There are lots of ganchos that are not included here.  Watch the videos to see the wide range.
  • [Move Ganb2f03] To [Double] Gancho: WR FCross -> Parada(MRout, WLin) > Gancho.  Really only for alignment (compare to leg inserted gancho at same W move).
  • [Move Ganf2b05] – Gancho from Cruzada.
    • At Cruzada MR should be weighted and crossed behind ML. WRf, ML insert > WR Gancho:f2b ML
  • [Move Ganb2f04] – @3.  MR long fwd positioning and turning ccw > WR Gancho:b2f MR
  • Double ganchos – both partners gancho each other simultaneously.