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Digital learning can’t replace the social aspects of group lessons, but we can give you the information you need to understand Argentine Tango thoroughly and train your body to dance with confidence.
When you want to improve your technique, it can be hard to know what to practice. Home Solo Practice Courses show you the specific exercises you need to do. If you have a hard time remembering the sequences from class, the MasterCourse helps you to understand the 25 Elements of tango and their systems of improvisation, so you can improvise, instead of memorize. The Exercise Center helps you train the 10 key tango muscles. The KnowledgeBase is a quick reference Encyclopedia to help you make the most of all your classes.
We walk together in systems, on tracks, and we can change feet in different combinations.
An ocho is a step beginning with a pivot of 90-270 degrees
Molinete lineal is tango's custom for walking sidewards.
In a sacada the partners step perpendicular to one another, with one partner displacing the other.
There are Three Giros. Double-giro and two Single-Giros, the Mark’s Single Giro and the Revel’s Single Giro (also known as Calesita).
The free leg crosses in front or behind the base leg.
A stop, during any point of a step or pivot.
A barrida moves the Revel's free leg by direct contact with the Mark's free leg.
These are the off-balance elements. In Volcada the partners lean on one another. In Colgada the partners hang.
Adornos are unmarked embellishments. Both partners can do almost anything they want, as long as they remain reliable and predictable.
A soltada goes out of the standard embrace.
A rebote is an elastic step which returns to the origin. Alteración is a rebote which pivots and releases at a different point than the origin.
Voleo Circular maximize front and back projections during a pivot. Voleo Linear maximize front, back, and side projections.
Ganchos hook a voleo through the partner's leg or around the body.
Contra block to Revel's Pivot. Patada is a kick, usually between the partner's legs, marked with a contra block.
A salta is a situation in which the Revel's weight is off of both of her feet. This could be a jump, lift, drag, or sostenida.
Until the mid-1990s, tango was understood in groups of steps, or sequences. The Cochabamba Investigation Group analyzed tango and identified the basic Elements, from which dancers can compose.
There are 25 distinct tango Elements (see the Lexicon), each with a number of variations ranging from 5-100. We can do any variation with a number of different dynamics bringing our total expressive possibilities to roughly 1000.
The technique for each Element is consistent across its variations, so once we learn how to go looking for variations, and how to move with different dynamics we have a huge vocabulary at our disposal.
Dancing from the Elements empowers dancers to to express every music, challenge partners to maintain intense concentration, and use space skillfully for better floorcraft. Improvisation skills are essential to navigating crowded dance floors and dancing on diverse music.
We studied and analyzed every tango move to understand its biomechanics. We distilled technique to a memorable set of just 5 tools. We want you to understand what you are doing and apply it to new situations.
The tools enable you to diagnose problems, analyze movements to learn from any teacher or video, and help fellow dancers.
Regardless of which “style” of tango you prefer, all Argentine Tango relies on the same skills.
We have studied anatomy and biomechanics to be able to give direct and clear instructions for sublime connection, balance, clear communication, and fluid movement.
We describe motion in terms of position and action of joints and contraction of muscles. We use scientific terms to describe communication between the bodies and the science of animal gaits to describe the various ways four legs can move along.
All of our biomechanical claims have been evaluated by two physiologists, Brendan Roach of Wellington’s BodyLab and Michael Chang of Sydney University.
Many people are skeptical about online tango education. Of course group classes are more fun and social, and of course it’s necessary to feel expert execution of movements.
Dancers also need information, conveyed with words and demonstrations. Many teachers don’t offer actionable instruction or fail to provide equal instruction to both roles. Our Digital School provides precise, empowering information about what to do with your body, and how to find variations, so you can improvise, instead of memorize.
*or being annoyed with yourself for not being able to remember them.
We didn’t start online education in March of 2020. We started in 2014. Learn more about our Digital School