Co-contraction
Co-contraction is a method of using our muscles to increase the power of our bodies. We use co-contraction for several things in tango. To intensify connection To create elasticity To put power into the Revel’s free leg, maximizing a projection What is co-contraction? Co-contraction is a biomechanical function of our muscles. Our muscles work in pairs. […]
Contra
(Disambiguation) Contra is used in two contexts. It is often used to teach walking. The contra walk is deprecated as it is often counterproductive. Similar to the term disassociation, contra is an instruction both imprecise and excessive. Arbitrary implementation of contra motion at the wrong point in the step weakens the body by causing internal rotation […]
Energy
Our muscles burn fuel for the energy to contract. Muscles do not create energy (deprecated), they use energy. These contractions create power, which is expressed as force and velocity. Wikipedia Power is created through different kinds of contractions (concentric, eccentric, isometric). Force, at a velocity, is transmitted to the partner. The structure of the arch of […]
Gancho
A gancho is a voleo, interrupted by the partner’s leg, creating a hook between the legs or around the body (piernazo/castigada). There are three architectures, each of which has many variations. Revel’s gancho to one of the Mark’s legs, with both of his feet on the floor. Mark’s gancho to one of the Revel’s legs, […]
Geometry
Geometric aspects of tango: The architecture of the arch of connection. Direction: For the Mark there are four fundamental directions, all relative to his own body: away from him, toward him, and lateral to him. The Revel’s free leg always moves in the direction indicated by the Mark’s power – to the limit defined by the […]
Piernazo
Any gancho can become a piernazo, enfolding the mark’s hips instead of hooking through his legs. The piernazo can be marked distinctly from the gancho. It can also be an artistic or functional modification initiated by the Revel. (It’s especially useful if the Revel is much taller than the Mark.) Since a piernazo moves only within the couple’s […]
Planeo
Planeo is an arc of the revel’s free leg in the horizontal plane, with toe pointed and touching the floor. It is sometimes called voleo baso. Some revels prefer to keep their toes on the floor, so they choose to do planeo instead of voleo circular (which arcs through the horizontal and vertical planes. Planeo is […]
Pulpeades
Maestro El Pulpo applied the rules of barrida to the entire leg, creating a delicious and surprising system of play for the partners’ legs. Because of the softness and twisting interplay that results from these movements, El Pulpo was named “the octopus”. The key to these movements is flexion of both legs’ hip and knee joints with minimal […]
Rebote cadera
Rebote cadera is a rebote (rebound) of the revel’s cadera (hips). It’s a fast and sharp reversing pivot with the revel’s legs touching. It’s a special effect created by co-contraction, applied in a contra direction to her pivot (front or back), with a change of embrace to block. In contrast to a contra voleo-circular, where the mark’s […]
Voleo
A voleo is a special effect in which the Revel’s projection is maximized into the air. Voleo = projection + power. The power comes from co-contraction. The mark creates co-contraction and the revel’s body mirrors it. There are several different shapes of voleos: Voleo circular: The voleo arcs in both horizontal and vertical planes. There are only two of these, […]
Voleo Circular
A voleo is a special effect in which the Revel’s projection is maximized into the air. Voleo = projection + power. If it’s a front projection, you get a front circular voleo. If it’s a back projection, you get a back circular voleo. The power comes from co-contraction. The mark creates co-contraction and the revel’s body mirrors it. The […]
Voleo Linear
Linear voleos maximize the extension of the revel’s projection without pivot, creating an arc in the vertical plane, but not the horizontal plane (voleo circular). There are only two circular voleos (front and back) but there are three linear voleos (front, back, and side) Voleo lineal back is an arc that returns. Front and side voleo […]
