Tango Sound Bites
Have you ever experienced a moment when something becomes crystal clear? or received instruction from a different perspective and suddenly you and your body understood? or taken a private and walked out "fixed"? This page is about those moments for me. Please feel free to email me with any of your sound bites at jackie@tangopulse.net
Brandon Shaw "Here are quotes from Carlos Gavito that are golden".
1. "In my leg." --Answer to question, "how do you keep your balance while you're doing that?"
2. "I lead every thing. Everything! I lead her foot during the boleo...if she blinks, I lead that, too!"
1. "In my leg." --Answer to question, "how do you keep your balance while you're doing that?"
2. "I lead every thing. Everything! I lead her foot during the boleo...if she blinks, I lead that, too!"
Laxmi Parida: A little silent attitude on the dance floor never hurts: it magically
improves your form and sharpens your fidelity to the music. Try it to
believe it.
Fabienne Bongard: If you dance milonga and you have a wrinkle in your forehead,
you have a problem. I say, "Give yourself a break. Things don't always have to be tragic".
Everyone's tango heat/magic feels different. When you apply yourself and you are open, all kinds of magical things can happen in the least expected places with the least expected partners. On the other hand, if he is not the partner of your dreams, there's always the music, the feel of the floor under your feet,
the embellishments you make, or maybe the texture of his shirt.
the embellishments you make, or maybe the texture of his shirt.
Whatever magic you try to create with your partner is gone when you bump into someone.
Santiago Steele: old ballroom saying...use the floor ..feel the floor..remember it's your other partner.
Diego DiFalco: Some people think "tonight I'm going to do these steps". I think "tonight I'm going to have my partner do these steps". You should always know where your follower is. At milongas I notice that many leaders don't wait for their follower. They have a step in mind and that's what they do. Instead, they should focus on the follower's steps. That's how you connect.
Jackie, you have a space between your knees. (Thank you Diego for noticing that I'm bowlegged) So, when you dance and have to bring your feet together, bring the arch of one foot slightly behind and next to the heel of the other foot and that will close the space.
When you do sacadas, you don't need to look down. Just aim for your partner's shoulder that is on the same side as the secada.
Don't think about your feet. Lead with your chest, the feet will follow. (Totally different feeling and it made my legs more relaxed)
For people who walk in first position (with heels together and toes pointed out), they should place their weight on their heels and turn their toes in. If they start by placing their weight on their toes and then turning their heels out, they will round their bodies.
Turns are the most difficult technical move of tango. You use centrifugal force. Some people have the force originate in the upper body. I prefer that the upper body of the follower stay close to the leader and the feet provide the centrifugal force. Therefore, your body is tilted towards me with your feet out and away. (This worked for me. My turns became easier, smoother, and more centered and my steps were longer)
Carolina: Take your body to its limit when doing the boleo. First you must turn the hips as far as you can, then boleo. That means that the leader must be able to feel the tension in the follower's back when she reaches her limit. Then he leads the boleo.
