Tango turns and circular moves

Some tango milongas are crowded, and the counterclockwise circulation is often very slow. This puts a premium on moves which are done in place. Couple turns may be broadly categorized as traveling or in place. This does not include common turns specifically described elsewhere: for example Giro, Colgada, Calecita (carrousel), etc. Nor does it describe underarm or free spin turns, which are not in the normal social tango repertoire, although they are increasingly used in performances and are starting to be seen occasionally in social tango.

Videos

A good place to start is to watch videos of turns. Here are some, but this list needs to be expanded.

[Video HC21] How to Do the Rock Step aka La Cadencia 2:22 A Howcast video by Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón. Shows counterclockwise starting with rock on the open side and clockwise with rock on the closed side. The sound is missing in part of the video presumably because the music violated copyright restrictions.
[Video 8S02] Tango 102 3 La Cadencia Izquierda Rock Turn to the Left 0:33 By The 8th Style School of Tango. Turn 90 counterclockwise by starting with a rock on leader’s left. The amount of turn can be adjusted up to 180.
[Video 8S01] Tango 102 4 La Cadencia Derecha Rock Turn to the Right 0:24 by The 8th Style School of Tango. Turn 180 clockwise by rocking on leader’s left, leader’s right back behind left, and then two small steps to complete the turn.
[Video TT05] Cambio de frente a izquierda en 6 pasos y base cruzada 0:59 demo by Tango Tools.
[Video PA33] Tango Pivots: 7 tips for balance in the pivots (Tango technique) 11:08 by Pablo and Anne of Tango Space.Turns in place.
[Video LA09] Tango 201: la media vuelta- half turn w Sacadas 2:35 demo by LA Tango Academy.
[Video LA18] Tango 201S – Continuous Sacadas from Forward Ocho 2:08 demo by LA Tango Academy.
[Video AP01] Tango: Ocho-Sacada-Cross Chain Variations 2:30 demo by Alp & Paula shows several traveling turns.

Rocking Turns

[Move Turn01] and [Move Turn02] Rock step turns (Cadencia)

These simple rocking turns are common and can turn 90-360 clockwise or counterclockwise.

Rock step (cadencia) turns are very useful. They can be used in a small space and are useful when the way forward is blocked or to adjust your direction of dance.
See videos [Video HC21], [Video 8S02], and [Video 8S01] listed above.

Pivots

Add ccw pivots at #2 and #6 to linearize basic eight.

Pivot Technique

See [Video PA33] listed above.

Don’t look down. Head will change balance.
Keep hips parallel to the floor. Don’t raise the moving hip.
Control your ankle. Weight equally spread on the ball of foot.
Pivot only after you have transferred the weight.
Control your direction with the dissociation: torso, hips, pivot – in that order.
Relax your toes, knees, and hips.
Keep your free leg on the floor.

Pivot on Sacada Front Ocho

Sacadas often involve a pivot turn.

[Move Sac02s] WR fc, MRin Sacada WL > MR+180, WR+180. Easier side. A possible continuation of this is WR fc and again sacada to end up facing the original direction.
See videos [Video LA09] and [Video LA18] listed above.

Pivot-Pivot turns

Not a beginner move. Difficult to describe, but needs more explanation and video.
[Move Turn07] Americana > MR+180 ML side, WR btwn M legs > ML WR pivot+180 > … Americana
[Move Turn10] Same as above but M continues to face W and step back.

Traveling 360 Turns down line of dance (LOD).

[Move Turn13] LOD 360 ccw in 2 steps

See private [Video XX83]
#2X > #3X
On #4X MR is preparing for a ccw turn
On 5X ML cross behind to prepare for a turn. W is in Cruzada.
From Cruzada, Pivot WL-180 so after WR side W is facing LOD.
M is two foot pivoting. WR- WL BCross to finish turn facing RLOD.
> ML Fwd, WR back
> WL Cruzada, … ?? Is Cruzada difficult here?

[Move xxx] Traveling 360 ccw on closed side cross foot

See [Video AP01]
Starting from 2XL.
1. ML fwd on closed side, start to pivot ccw -1/4; WL back.
2. MR side down LOD, WL front boleo
3. ML back, WL front around M starting pivot ccw 1/4
4. MR together, WR side around M continuing pivot.
5. Should end in 2X. At this point it can repeat with ML fwd on closed side …

[Move xxx] 360 ccw from Media Luna

See private[Video XX02]

Start 1 MR back turning ccw 1/4 so the Media Luna will be in direction of dance.
Media Luna: 2, MR back cross, WL back cross.
WL Pivot cw 1/2
1. ML Fwd starting Pivot -1/4 WR back
2. MR side (down LOD), WL back. Now in promenade.
3. ML back diag center, WR back diag center
4. MR together, WL front boleo
5. ML front diag, WL in front of M pivoting CCW to move LOD
6. exit Walk X Open

[Move xxx] 360 cw from ML W rock

From Cruzada. All in parallel.
1. ML fwd start pivot cw. WR back
2. MR back LOD, WL rock back onto.
3. ML side wall, WR front cross. Pivot cw.
4. MR together pivoting LOD, WL side wall.
5. Walk…
[Video XX03]

[Move xxx] 360 cw Walking Turn

From #2
1. On #3 MR pivot +90 so that
2. ML4 is a sidestep LOD. Stop W from back step.
3. MR cross behind. Lead WL in front of M to step LOD.
W can either step LOD in front or in back (in Molinete style).
End facing LOD, perhaps with a B8.
See private [Video XX04]
Should contrast to #2X similar CW turn from DVIDA men’s technique..

Other Moves

[Move Turn04] Rolling Eight: ML fwd Piv-90 > MR Side Piv-90 > ML back long > MR back
[Move Turn05] CW turn. MRf > MLb+90 > Rs > MLt. 4 counts. Repeat as necessary.
[Move Turn06] CCW turn. MLf > MRb-/8 > MRLb-1/8 > MRt. Repeat as necessary.

[Move Turn08] Rocking ccw turn. ML rebote > MLs. Repeat by adding MR touch > MRs
[Move Turn09] Back and forth. MRbr > MLb > MRtog+180, WLs+
[Move Turn14] Cruzada > ML f rock > MR BC+ > MLtog+ > MR+
[Move Turn20] CruzadaX, ML lock behind MR > WRs, MRside Sac WLin > WLbc, MR-180 > … See [Video PA21].

Lessons

Lesson 1 – Turns

Introduction

Not including Giro, Calecita, etc. Some in-place, some traveling.
Many figures naturally turn.
Can bend a lot of moves.

In-place turns

Rock step (QQSS) turns cw and ccw. 90 and 180 turns.
[Move Turn05] Multiple rocks turn ccw.

Inserting pivots

Basic eight with pivots at #1, #2, #5, …

Traveling turns

[Move Turn04] Rolling Eight traveling turn. Start first turn early with ML fwd. See [Video TT05].

Lesson 2 – Turns

Review

Review both styles of rock turns.
Review inserting pivots in basic eight.
Review Rolling Eight

Traveling turns

[Move Turn11] XL ccw 360s chained.
[Move Turn07] and [Move Turn10] Pivot-Pivot turns.

Other

[Move Sac05] Paul’s move

From Private Videos

The following are videos I’ve taken and aren’t shared. I’ll find versions on YouTube when I have time.

Private [Video XX01] Turns/2011-11-12 LOD 360 ccw X
Private [Video XX02] Turns/2011-11-06 LOD 360 ccw from Media Luna
Private [Video XX03] Turns/2011-11-19 LOD 360 cw from L rock
Private [Video XX04] 2013-02 Uruguay/2013-03-09 LOD 360 cw Walking + B8 Boleo Sacadas 1
Private [Video XX83] Turns/2011-11-25 LOD 360 ccw in 2 step

From Dance Vision DVDs

Lesson 1 – From Dance Vision Bronze Syllabus

From Dance Vision Bronze syllabus

Figure 2 – Cadencia from Dance Vision Bronze Syllabus
Figure 3 – Cadencia left turn from Dance Vision Bronze Syllabus
Figure 5 – Cadencia right turn with Ocho Cortado from Dance Vision Bronze Syllabus

Lesson 2 – From Dance Vision Bronze Syllabus

Figure 6 – Forward Ochos in Parallel System (counter move)
Figure 10 – Forward Ochos with Sacadas.
Figure 12 – Media Vuelta to Walking and Turning.
Figure 15 – Molinete Right with Gancho and Sacada