Argentine Tango
Do you know how the Tango was born?
Combinations: You can combine the basic moves to create more complicated ones. (The following instructions are addressed to the man.)
8 Count Basic: Retroceso, salida, resolucion.
La Cunita ('Cradle Rocks')
forward with left, lady back with right.
bring right foot to back of left and just tap the floor with toe. Lady move left foot back and tap floor with toe, in front of right foot.
back with right, lady forward with left.
back with left to tap in front of right foot, lady forward with right and tap behind left foot.
Variation: side to side.
Don't shift weight to the free foot, just hold the position for a moment before bringing the foot back.
La Cadencia: staying in the same spot, shifting weight from one foot to the other. Used to get in sync with the lady, to know which foot she has free, before starting to move
Back Ochos with Rock
when lady goes back left, perpendicular, bend right leg and straighten left. Lady is forced to do same. Hold her for a beat, then rock her back and forth, before letting her continue.
To end, unbend right leg, bringing it together, touch (1, a2) next to left, and do back boleo left, stopping by resting foot perpendicular to floor on toes.
Stop on Forward Ochos
from the cross, rotate torso left, lady brings forward her RF, for an ocho.
while her RF is in the air, before it comes next to the LF, throw your LF against lady's LF, causing her to stop.
the lady has the option to do a sandwich, or a pasada.
Sandwich Rocks
after a lady's sandwich, you can come up for a man's sandwich, causing the lady to fall back on her LF.
she can then do the same to you, causing you to fall back on your RF. (Can repeat a few times.)
to finish,
from man's sandwich, pull lady up as you push her back: she goes back on her LF, you start on outside left.
from lady's:
rotate torso left to make her do a pasada to the right, OR
bring back RF, crossing in front of LF, then on toes, uncross drawing around the shape of the shoe, step back.
Left Turn
forward left (straight).
forward right (starting to turn left).
left meets right (together) and passes back.
two steps backwards (right back, left back) (feet together before 180 degree turn)
turn back to face the line of dance again.
walk outside with the LF.
Cross Hesitations, back walk, ocho
rotate torso slightly left, LF forwards fast, without weight, lady brings back RF.
LF back, lady brings RF forwards, on the outside
take 3 steps back LF, RF, LF together(remember to put feet together and pause briefly as you walk.) Lady walks forward outside.
to end, rotate torso left, lady ocho's to the cross.
Cross Hesitations, back walk molinete, ocho
as above, but rotate torso to make lady do forward, side, back.
on 3rd step, straighten torso as you cross legs and coil them, making lady do a back ocho, forward to the cross.
Right surprise Sandwich
to the right, insert LF next to lady's LF.
lady does RF lapiz.
rotate torso left, then right to invite lady to the rigth.
as lady goes right, man rotates 90 degrees on tips, following her.
lapiz with RF, feet together.
Right Amague to Ciguena
bring left hand down and up quickly, as RF is sent quickly right and back together (with no weight). (Can repeat.)
side right, put lady in promenade position.
LF back, lady symmetrical move.
RF back and across right, cutting off lady, causes her to rotate counter-clockwise, pivoting on RF.
Lapiz with LF to put feet together (of just simply cross LF in front)
No weight change: step outside with RF, lady steps back with RF.
Molinete con Barrida
Cross RF behind at the cross (resting on to toes perpendicular to floor)
Lead lady to right, forward, side (start of Molinete.)
Uncoil legs, facing lady square on 'side'.
on the 'back' (the lady has to keep the back foot inside the imaginary circle), do lapiz with RF, feet together.
continue with RF forward, placing it outside the lady's LF, without either placing weight in those feet.
continue turning torso right, lady sweeps your foot on the 'side'.
lady puts both feet together, end with pasada.
Left Molinete
side left.
RF forward, put weight on it.
lead lady left, starting molinete.
coils legs as lady goes around.
when back facing starting position (360 degrees) uncoil legs as lady goes back.
Note: to end any molinete, wait for lady
'forward' and change direction: instead of 'side', lady ocho's.
Salida Americana
side right.
back promenade: LF together and passes back (symmetrical for lady).
both do a front boleo away from each other (RF man, LF lady)
when feet come down optional 'cunitas'.
LF crosses behind RF, invite lady left.
as she goes forward to the left, do a 'sacada' with RF (which was crossed in front)
keep on turning left: lady does back low boleo (or feet together, LF back if crowded)
LF lapiz (optional) and stop her RF with LF.
Another lapiz to bring feet together.
Lady ocho's in front to the left.
Left Amague, lady boleo, man back step, ocho
cross, jerk down and amague left (lady uncrosses, feet together, amague.)
repeat, but leave LF out, with no weight.
push with left hand to rotate lady 90 degrees right, causing her to do a low back boleo.
bring her back square (repeat - optional)
bring LF together (lady too.) but continue back with LF.
cross RF in front.
lady ocho's to the left, ending on the cross (both.)
Molinete Cortado
side right, smaller step than lady. The lady start the molinete with the 'side'.
lady follows with forwards, you rotate in place.
lady does 'side'.
instead of doing the 'back' around, you go forward with LF (having gone 180 degrees), lady back straight with RF.
Right Cross-Over Lead
LF forward, hesitation, rotate RF 90 degrees (when weight is momentarily on LF), inviting lady right.
Step in place, LF, RF, waiting for the lady.
Ó 2003-2006 Carlos Escolar