Alteracion
Alteraciones are rebotes which change direction after the co-contraction. Alterations are used to create energetic changes of direction, and acceleration. They are a wonderful addition to musicality. To mark an alteracion we create a strong co-contraction in the rebote’s receiving leg. Flexion in the receiving leg keeps the revel’s free leg extended and gives the mark the power to pivot. The […]
Double-giro
See giro for disambiguation. There are three giros: single-giro (Mark is in the center of the circle, Revel walks), calesita (single-giro with Revel in center of the circle, Mark walks), and double-giro (both partners walk on the circle). Technique In double-giro, the partners are moving lateral to one another in opposite directions. As in any […]
Giro
The word ‘giro’ in Castellano just means turn, which is pretty vague. If you take classes in Buenos Aires you will see all kinds of things referred to as turns. English speakers generally reserve the term ‘giro’ for sequences in which the partners are walking around one another on a circle. Note that a giro refers to progress […]
Obliques
Obliques Anatomy The Oblique muscles rotate the torso. Tango Shows intention lateral to the Mark. This is the muscle that drives all pivots for both partners.
Ocho
Ochos are one of the most basic movements in tango, and very easy to communicate about (unlike change of foot, which is infuriatingly subtle). But ochos are the most mechanically complex movement. On one level they are very simple: a pivot followed by a step. And there are only two variations (front and back). But the […]
Pivot
A pivot is a rotation of the body without a step. One muscle group in in the body is responsible for all rotation around the spine: the obliques. We can pivot in one foot in both feet. In both cases the only part of the base leg’s foot which touches the floor is the ball […]
Pivot-parada
One of the most popular, iconic, and delicious tango moves is a parada to the Revel’s front pivot. It’s not an easy one. The Mark stops the Revel on one foot, curving his body around her as she is still spiraling. To decelerate we always use the control system of the extension of the joints during […]
Single-giro
See giro for disambiguation. There are three giros: double-giro (both partners walk), single-giro (Mark is in the center of the circle, Revel walks), and calesita (single-giro with Revel in center of the circle, Mark walks). In a single-giro, the Revel walks around the Mark using the default method of lateral walking, molinete. Single-giro is the […]
Spiral
Tango’s aesthetic (and substance) is about consequence between bodies. This is why in powerful movements, the revel’s movement will always be a little later than the mark’s. He cracks a whip of power through her body and her foot is the tip of the whip. The revel’s movement is a sexy, languid –sometimes even blasé– […]
Wrap
A wrap (deprecated) is a front gancho.
