Tango Notes

Parada

Introduction to Paradas

A parada (English stop) is a characteristic “foot play” element of Argentine tango. It is often followed by moves such as pasada (stepover ), sandwich (sanguchito), or barrida (sweep, arrastre, drag). 

In a parada the leader places a foot against the follower’s foot, indicating that the follower should not move that foot.   Although it looks like the foot touch stops the follower, the actual stop is from the embrace.

Leader Technique for Paradas

  • Embrace stops Follower. It’s the upper body embrace which stops the movement of the follower.
  • Foot signal. The leader’s foot touch is another part of the lead.  The leader’s  foot must be placed so that the follower feels this signal.
  • Leader’s foot position
    • The parada should normally be toward the front of the follower’s foot, touching the toe or ball of the foot.
    • For the follower to pivot, the leader’s foot must leave room for the follower’s pivoting foot.  This may require the leader to shift their foot after the parada to make room.
    • The leader’s foot may follow a graceful arc, not shoot straight out.

Introductory Videos

Videos

Common Steps preceding and following a Parada

A parada can occur at almost any place, but these are the most common situations:

  • Preceding a Parada
    • Pivot (eg in a front ocho) is a common place to Parada
    • Back ocho or walking: After the follower steps back in a back ocho or walking, it is common to parada the side of the trailing, unweighted, foot.
  • Following a Parada
    • Pasada (stepover) is almost always next, and it may be preceded by an embellishment by the follower.
    • Following: One common move is a sandwich.
    • Following: Another is to lead a pasada (stepover), altho the leader may have to move their other leg to make room.
    • Following: A barrida (sweep) may follow.

[Move ParP01s] Parada a Forward Ocho Pivot 

 [Move ParP01s] The parada from the Forward Ocho Pivot and the following Pasada (stepover) is a popular move with a number of variations. 

  • Good beginner combination: When the follower’s right is stepping forward across in a front ocho and then pivots+180,
    MRout parada WRtoe > WL PasadaIn > WL Piv- > Face.
  • Signaling a Parada.
    • The stop is led by the embrace.
    • The foot touch is a signal to reinforce the embrace lead and let the follower know where that foot is.  The foot touch must be felt by the follower.
    • The leader leaves weight on the non-parada foot.
  • Altho this is most easily done on the closed side because of the embrace asymmetry, it can be done from both sides.
  • Easiest for leader to use foot closest to pivoting foot.
  • Pause to give the follower a chance to embellish.   Not all followers will do this, so if it doesn’t work the first time, don’t bother trying it again.
  • Across or diagonal parada.
    •  [Move ParP01s] Parada the foot directly opposite:
      WR FOcho > MR Par WR and the symmetrical version  WL FOcho > ML Par WL. 
    • [Move ParP05s] Parada the foot diagonally opposite :
      WR FOcho > ML Par WR and WL FOcho > MR Par WL
  • Almost always followed with a follower’s pasada/stepover, which also presents an opportunity for the follower to add  embellishments (adornos).
  • [ParP02s] Exercise: Parada on both sides repeatedly one after another by sliding leader’s foot from side to side.  Can also do this with M alternating feet.

Placement of the leader’s foot in the Forward Ocho Pivot Parada

There are several options for the leader’s foot placement to make a Front Ocho parada. 

  • Outside of leader’s foot against follower’s toe.  Danger is that this may hurt the follower’s foot as it pivots if it is placed before the pivot is finished.
  • Leader’s toe against ball of follower’s foot.  It may not be felt by the follower if it touches further back on the shoe.
  • Leader’s foot passes over follower’s so that the parada is with the top of the foot or ankle.  This avoids follower’s toe damage and allows a more compact position.  It does leave a little less room for the parada.  See [Video HO03].
  • Inside of leader’s foot against inside of follower’s foot.  Depending on the couple’s position this may feel awkward.  Be careful to make room if followed by a pivot.

Parada WR Back Cross / Back Ocho / Back Step

This covers only the parada from the follower’s back cross (eg back ocho).  The Back Cross parada takes place on the follower’s trailing foot after the Back Cross step.

  • WR BCross > MRin Parada WLout (very common) >
    • … > [ParB01s] ML Sandwich WL > MR BCross > WR Pas(in) MR.  Can be done quickly.
    • … > ML Sandwich WL > ML fwd > MR  Barrida WR cw > Fling, Sandwich or …
    •  … > WL > WL Pivot-90 > WRin Pasada(out) MR
    • … > [ParS04s] ML f Rebote > Both to open side (ie 2).
  • Try everything on both sides.

More paradas

Most paradas fall into several groups:

  • 2a. W back > Parada trailing foot.
  • 2b. Pivot > Parada > …
  • Other
    • Paradas in Ocho Cortado
    • Parada > Barrida

Parada unweighted foot after follower back step

This commonly occurs following a back ocho or walking, either in parallel or the cross system.

  • To Barrida(ML, WL) from WR BCross > ML(out) Parada WL(out) > MR Pasada WL > ML barridas WL to MR(heel).

[ParM01] Parada feet inside from walking in parallel 

  • The leader may lead the follower to continue moving, altho the leader stops, to make sufficient space.
  • When walking in parallel, parada the opposite follower’s foot > M BCross > Pasada.

Parada feet outside from walking in parallel, back barrida

  • [Move ParM05] @3 MR(out) Parada WR(out) > MR(out) Barrida WR(out) to closed side >
  • [Move ParM06] above > WR Pivot+ > WL Pas(in)
  • [Move ParM07] above > ML bcross > repeat barrida.
  • [Move ParM08] above > ML reverse Sandwich > MR (enganche or back sacada) WR
  • [Move Sand06] Reverse sandwich.  WR BCross > MR(out) Par WL(in) > ML(out) Par WL(out).
  • Video: 2016 TC Tango Videos/Kim/2016-09-19 Kim 3 Parada Barrida

Parada from WalkXR

  • WalkXR > MR(in) Parada WR(out)
  • WalkXR > Rebote(MR, WR) > WR fwd > MR(top) Parada WR(front ankle) > MR Barrida WL back. [Par09] 

Parada pivots

  • From a pasada+pivot the M foot that was stepped over immediately moves to parada W stepping foot as it pivots to create another parada.
  • Before the follower can pasada, lead them to step straight back.  Nice because it’s unexpected.
  • Before the follower can pasada, reverse their path into a back cross.

Parada from WalkR backwards

  • See the “A simple, beautiful and connected parada in close embrace” video (below).
  • Also “Pivot to Parada vs Ocho Cortado – Clint and Shelley Argentine Tango Class” video.

Other paradas

Paradas in Ocho Cortado at WL side rock

  • [OchoC03] Quick parada.  At WL side rock MRin Parada WRin.  This is sometimes done as a quick parada and the MR is then retracted as the WL comes back to a Snap Cruzada.   Two reasons for this are (1) it signals to the W that a stop, otherwise the follower might think this is the start of a Giro and be tempted to continue.  And (2) it makes the step look more interesting.  “Quick parada”
  • WL side rock, MR(in) parada WR(in) > WL pasada MR “to pasada”
  • WL side rock, MR(in) parada WR(in) > MR slides to Parada WL > MR slides to Parada WR > “back and forth paradas”
  • [Move Bar18] WL side rock, MR(out) parada WL(in) > WL barrida MR > Cruz  “magnetic barrida”

Parada weighted foot after a follower back step

  • From cruzada to back stepover: Cruz > WL-90 > WR back >  MR(in) Parada WR(in) > WL back Stepover MR. Part of “Forget about it” figure.
  • From WL side (works well after WR FCross) > ML(out) Parada WR(in) > MR Stepover WR > MR enganches WR into front boleo > either pivot W into BOcho or WR FCross, or WR forward as M walks back.   Joachim and Michelle Enganche video.

Parada back foot of Front Cross

  • Eg WL fwd > MR(in) Parada WR(in) {ie back foot}  > ?.   Same on other side.
  • Parada back foot:  MR(in) Parada WR(in) > (WL back Stepover | WL Gancho MR)
  • ??? Not a meaningful parada: Parada To [Double] Gancho from WR FCross > MR(out) Parada WL(in) > Gancho.  Really only for alignment (compare to leg inserted gancho at same W move).
  • Parada stepping foot of side Front Ochos.   MR(top) Parada WR coming from Cruzada > ?

Misc

  • Leader adornment: Leader can make a quick little front boleo move before the barrida step.
  • ???> [magnetic barrida] Lead WL(in) barrida MR(out) > cruzada.

Parada side steps

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Back Catch (trap)

  • Back catch – At 3 ML cross back to catch WL
    • Walk out.
    • Followed by MR back sacada WL then
      • Big ccw+cw sweep to (1) Volcada or (2) Walk or (3) WL cross front. 
    • ? maybe to reverse sandwich.From Front Cross / Front Ocho

Flow Diagrams

  • Parada Pivot – This diagram looks at some options following a pivot, eg in the common front ocho.
  • Parada Side – For example, following the follower’s back step, parada the side of their trailing foot.
  • Parada Front Cross – This is the less common parada of the follower’s forward step without a pivot.

Previous Lessons

Lesson

  1. WL BCross > MR(in) Par WL(out) > Sandwich WL
    • Discuss the Sandwich, which is very common with this Parada
    • First moving the MR foot
      1. Sand WL > MR BCross (or back)  > WR Pas(in) ML
      2. Sand WL > MR fwd > ML Bar WL > …
    • Then moving the ML foot
      1. Sand WL > ML BCross > WR Pas(out)  MR > …
      2. Sand WL > ML Back > WR Pas(out)  MR > …   Similar to above.
      3. Sand WL > ML Side > MR Bar WL > …
  2. WL BCross > MR(in) Par WL(out) > WR Pas(out) MR
    • Digression on Pas(out)
      1. WR Pas(out) MR > WR Piv+ (ie Ocho), MR shift to Parada WR
      2. WR Pas(out) MR > WR Gancho MR.  Difficult and dangerous.   Leader’s angle must be good and beware of follower’s foot hitting opposite knee.
      3. WR Pas(out) MR > …
  3. WL BCross > MR(in) Par WR(in)

Lesson (no beginners present)

  1. General idea of Paradas
  2. Overview of lessons
    1. Intro and FOcho Paradas – Pasada
    2. BOcho Paradas – Sandwich, Barrida, …
    3. Other
  3. Parada as W pivots
    1. M’s foot: front, side, over, back.
  4. Pasada with optional Adornos
    1. Show several adornos.
  5. Following the Pasada
    1. Pivot to face, Optional spiral cross.
    2. FOcho on other side.
      1. Sliding parada foot back and forth
      2. Changing feet for each parada.
    3. Gancho
    4. WL Pivot-90 to Face > WL Pivot+100 > WR BSacada MR > W-90 WL side, MR Sac WR
  6. Symmetrical, except more difficult for some moves (eg Gancho).
  7. Didn’t do, but should consider
    1. Outside Gancho
    2. Pivot to side step.

Lesson

Review Paradas from FOcho and BOcho

Barridas

  • From B8 Sandwich > Pasada.
  • From #2 > MR(in) Barrida WR(in) > Pasada.

Lesson

  • Review Paradas and Pasadas
  • Maybe add Paradas leading to Pasadas to outside?
  • Paradas to Barridas