Tango Notes

Walking

Tango walking (caminata) should look like dancing, not ordinary walking.  The notes below have links to videos which explain and demonstrate elements that turn your walking into dancing:

For both leader and follower

  • Posture. The knees must be “soft” (slightly bent) with weight on balls of the feet.
  • Don’t lean back. In close embrace the chest should be slightly forward.
  • Smooth and level. Avoid bouncing, loping, etc.
  • Don’t slide feet on floor. Altho feet should be close to the floor and even appear to slide on the floor, they should not make any sliding sound.

For the leader

  • Lead with the chest. The feet don’t lead; the chest does the leading.
  • Foot dynamics. A common way to style a forward step is to drag the toe of the shoe until it is even with, and close to, the standing foot and then accelerate to finish the step. This change in speed looks dramatic, but many steps are made without it.
  • Toe or heel first? Both are acceptable. See below.

For the follower

  • Walk backwards from the hip with a long reach.
  • Don’t lean back. Keep chest forward and slightly lifted as leg reaches down and back.

Foot placement – heel, toe, flat?

Should the leader’s forward step should be toe-first, heel-first, or on whole foot? There is no general agreement on this; some instructors and good dancers prefer one way and some the other. Even with a preference, dancers use both as appropriate for a move. The following quote from Tango – Wikipedia says:

In Tango from the River Plata, Uruguay and Argentina, the ball or toe of the foot may be placed first. Alternatively, the dancer may take the floor with the entire foot in a cat-like manner. In the International style of Tango, “heel leads” (stepping first onto the heel, then the whole foot) are used for forward steps.

Tracks

To be done.

Parallel and Cross System Walking

Parallel footwork is the “normal” style where the leader’s left moves with the follower’s right and leader’s right with the follower’s left. This is usually done in two tracks. See Walking (Caminata) for information about the parallel system of walking, All of the style issues for parallel walking also apply to cross system walking.

In cross footwork, the leader’s left moves with the follower’s left and similarly with the other feet. Walking with cross system footwork is usually done in three tracks with the leader offset to either the open or closed side.

  • [Video HC16] How to Do the Cross System Basic 1:47 By Howcast’s Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón. Basic Eight but using the cross system from 2 to 5. This can make the Basic Eight look a little more elegant.
  • [Video HC17] How to Walk in Parallel & Cross System 3:41 By Howcast’s Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón. Brief, helpful, tips about walking in general. It shows one way for the leader to change to cross foot and walk on the open side.
  • [Video OC02] Demystifying the Cross System 4:38 By Oscar & Mary Ann Casas. Cross and parallel walking.

More advanced walking

The following video shows two cross system walking styles that are a little more difficult to do well.

  • A weaving “snake” walk that is done cross foot in two tracks.

[Video HO07] Tango Lesson: Snake Walk Hook Behind 9:51 By Homer & Cristina Ladas. Teaches the “snake walk” and briefly demonstrates the “roller-blade” skater walk.

Videos

Alternatives Following Walking Forward

With ML forward in parallel system

  1. Rocking ccw turn
  2. Sacada MRin WRin
  3. Both Pivot in to Americana
  4. Rolling Eight turn
  5. MR cross over to WalkRR (walking in parallel right side to right side).
  6. Both to side.

Lessons

Walking Lesson 1

  • Explain difference between cross and parallel.
  • Will sometimes use term “crossfoot”, “right-to-right”, or “left-to-left”.
  • Discuss tracks (2, 3, 4).  Cross is generally 3 tracks, danced on either side.
  • Leader: Discuss addition or omission of leader step.
    • Addition of step is usually quick and so smooth follower doesn’t notice.
    • Leader can omit a step while leading the follower to take a step.
    • Entirely the leader’s decision.  Follower doesn’t have to do anything.
  • Getting into cross system from quick foot change at 2.
    • Same technique as starting ochos from 2.
    • Leader takes longer or shorter side step depending on desired side.
    • From BOchos.
    • Easy from any position where M’s feet are together.
  • Follower: Don’t freak out and don’t try to “correct” back to parallel.
  • Observation: Ochos typically use cross system.
  • Exercise: Practice walking in cross on both sides.
  • Exercise: WalkX switching sides.
  • Move 1 [WalkX01]: Going to Cruzada in cross system. 2XR > … >Cruzada (5).
  • Move 2 [WalkX02]: 2XL > WalkXL> Pivot- > WalkXR > Cruzada.
    As W pivots-, M may change weight > Walk > Cruzada.
  • Combo: WalkXL > BOcho
  • For advanced students: [Turn11].

Walking Lesson 2

  • Review
    • Review basic idea of cross system, idea of tracks.
    • Review walking on both sides.
    • Review two moves from 2X (see above).
  • Move 3 [Am05]: From Americana Pivot-180, WR side, WalkXL [Optional sacadas].
  • Move 4 [Turn11]: Chained rolling ccw turn. Start FaceLL.
    • MLXL curved -90 > MRs > MLback slightly-, WLXL curve- > MRtog-.

Walking Lesson 3

  • Dynamic transitions in and out of the cross system.
  • [WalkX03a,b] – From BOchos > WalkXL 
  • [OchoC10] – Cross system Ocho Cortado.
  • [OchoC11] – BOcho steparound > Cross sys Ocho Cortado.  Unlike the “regular” linear Ocho Cortado, the circular momentum of the M’s steparound make this easy to turn into a circular Ocho Cortado.   Perhaps also also good for an enganche end to the Ocho Cortado.

Not covered

  • [BOcho06b] – 3XR > Back Ocho
  • [WalkX04a,b] – WalkXL > Back Ocho
  • [WalkX07] – Snake walk
  • [Sail01] – Sailor walk.
  • [Ex14] – Exercise: Jon’s “She goes, he goes” then walking in parallel or cross.
  • Practice Marcia and Harby’s repeating move ??
    • [WalkXR > Cruzada > 6 MQQ >] WalkXL > WR Pivot- > Walk XR > Cruzada

Walk in Cross System

Parallel and cross systems

Typical dancing is done in the parallel system where the leader’s right foot moves with the follower’s left foot – ie the one directly across.  The parallel system is naturally used in much of tango dancing, but so is the cross system, where the leader’s right foot moves with the follower’s right foot (and similarly with the left feet).   Sometimes the term “crossfoot” is used for the cross system.

Left-to-left side or right-to-right side

When dancing in the cross system the leader and follower are typically offset with either both left sides together or both right sides together.

Tracks: Explain and demo in terms of tracks

  • Two-track is typically parallel (except for snake walk).
  • Three-track is cross system.   Can be on either side.
  • Four-track when leader is very outside follower can be either.

Switching systems – Leader takes one more or one fewer steps

  • With a little practice it’s easy to switch back and forth between parallel and cross.
  • This is the responsibility of the leader, not the follower.
  • The change is accomplished by inserting a change of feet or omitting a step.  This is often done quickly.
  • The change should be smooth and imperceptible so the follower isn’t tempted to follow.
  • The follower does nothing special.

Leader: Getting into cross system

  • Change when leader’s feet are together.  Another easy place to insert a quick change is when the leader’s feet come together, eg at the Cross (position 5 in the Basic Eight), position #2 or #8.   Or when doing Ochos, Giros, etc.
  • Add a quick step
    • Change at #2 with quick step.  An easy place to change is at a side step, eg at #2 in the Basic Eight.  The leader makes a quick change of feet for front or back ochos.
    • Change when walking with quick step.  Sometimes done with a lock step.
  • Omit a step
    • Change at 3 by omitting step: 3 > WR side, Mnull > WalkXL. Needs good lead because W typically expects beginning of molinete or other move..
    • ??? Change when walking by omitting step.   This seems hard to do. Eg, WalkMR > M0, WR side > WalkX
  • Lead follower to take an extra step
    • Follower takes extra side step crossing  in front of leader.  Eg, at #3 leader leads follower right side step with leader not taking a step.