Weekly tango classes are evolving into monthly workshops. Email or fb Heather Morrow [email protected] with any Qs. www.aspentango.com
Argentine Tango is a social dance from Argentina. It is an improvisational partner dance with very specific supporting roles of lead and follow. These roles connect in tango like a lock and key to create blissful connection, musicality, art and flow, with in a community of like dancing couples. It was first documented in the late 1800s in Buenos Aires.
Argentine tango is much like a language and I teach it as such by first teaching small common introductory phrases and then adding more vocabulary and grammar along the way. I teach specific tango Tools as vocabulary to give students more colors and textures to add to their improvisational possibilities. We practice technique to continually shape our bodies and minds to the discipline of the dance. Please come and learn and practice with us!
Each class will have the elements of:
A. Musicality:
• Timing (walking on the downbeat, breaks and pauses, the half beat, slow time and the sincopa)
• Texture either rhythmic or melodic or both
• Different orchestra families
B. Connection:
• What does the leader feel/do? What does the follower feel/do?
• The action required for connection
• Connection exercises
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C. Movement Vocabulary/Tools
• Travelling/Walking, Ochos/Pivoting,
• Turning/Jiros
• Stopping/Paradas…etc
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D. Technique:
• How to move Drills ie leg extending first, chest over toes and hips over heels, collect knees and ankles through center, changeable embrace etc
E. Social Etiquettes:
• Line of Dance
• Dancing to the outside in Avenues
• Cabaceo
• How to begin and end, etc.
Important Information for All:
Classes are arranged in 5 week sessions and take place predominantly at the Aspen Red Brick Dance Studio at 110 Hallam St. (corner of Hallam and Garmisch streets - please park on the street and not in the parking lot).
At no extra charge: Beginners may take their 1.5 hour class and stay to watch or participate in the following Experienced Level class with someone at their own level; Experienced dancers are encouraged to come early to warm up and refine their technique in the previous beginning class and are asked to respectfully assist when appropriate. All dancers are expected to participate in the technique drills between the two classes in order to progress in balance, strength and agility. All class participants are welcome to attend the practica following classes. Experienced dancers will be asked to show a step for all to learn from as part of the traditional practica experience; experienced dancers, please come prepared to offer your idea.
All classes are meant to be taken in order and build off each other, but students with experience may take them out of order if teacher agrees student is prepared. Each class will connect via technique drills. All Salon classes start with a Beginners class with an idea that the Experienced class takes further; music will focus on a diff orchestra/era each class. Weekly class descriptions are given out days prior to each class via email and often including video or musical drills.
The Complete Beginning Class and Salon Traffic are recommended prerequisites before taking any other classes. But On-Going Beginners may take any series. Experienced dancers are encouraged to attend both the beginners and their own class weekly. The Salon Tango classes will all start with fundamentals that beginners to advanced dancers need to know for all social dancing and will advance in the following Experienced class to where that basic concept leads us. The 5th class in each series will be devoted to practical combinations including concepts from previous classes.
Aspen Tango Curriculum
For Complete Beginners plus those interested in Milongero Basics:
Example Complete Beginning Milongero Style Tango Class in weekly detail..
Week 1
A. Find the down beat and the breaks
B: Pay attention to each other-Listen-point of gaze at each other’s centers, Frame-introduce resistance as connection – find Boundarie
C: Lead and Follow change of weight in place, Side or Open step, Front and Back steps –Travelling in all directions while still in the line of dance –La Crusada
D: Posture, leg extension, collection
E: Line of Dance, stay to the outside
Week 2
A: Review and find the half beats (quick quicks)
B: Review and practice Satellite exercise
C: Rock Steps and leader Rock Turn to the left, Rock Step turn to the left
D: Fully change weight but have back knee bent-front leg straight, use hips, disassociate upper body from lower, Follower keep back leg extended
E: Cabaceo and where to enter the dance floor
Week 3
A: Review walking on downbeat, breaks and the quick quicks
B: Listen and Lift
C: Back Ochos exiting into Crusada
D: Leader changes systems from Parallel/Crossed etc via relaxing lower body and Follower relaxes in the back steps and Stays in front of the leader
E. Thank you and Take follower back to where you found her
Week 4
A: Review and quick quick slow/ quick quick slow
B: Without arms practice
C: Media Luna and Ocho Cortado
D: Leader/fFollower Disassociation
E: Tandas Explained
Week 5
A: quick quick slow quick quick and find the slow
B: Keep hips facing each other-changeable embrace
C: Media Vuelta
D: Jiro practice
E: Community
Great for complete and on-going beginners:
Example Salon Traffic Class – in weekly descriptions:
I. Traffic Salon Tango Sequencing (Tools for crusadas to single axis turns)
6:30-7:45 pm Beginning Class – 7:45-9 pm Experienced Class
1) Walk to the Crusada in 16 counts – Simple side step single axis turn
2) Front Ochos – Changes of direction from the front ocho
3) Parada/Pasada – With Single Axis turns
4) Sandwichito – from any angle with added single axis turns
5) Variations- Combinations and Review
Subsequent 5-week series will be on these subjects:
Each 6:30-7:45 class is open to on-going beginners and experienced dancers as assistants to the beginners; Each 7:45-9 class is open to all Experienced dancers to dance with partners at their own level
II Salon Tango Sequencing TURNS (Tools for jiros to enosques to sacadas)
III. Salon Tango BOLEOS to lead and follow (Tools for free leg movement)
IV. Salon Tango GANCHOS to lead and follow (wraps and hooks)
V. VOLCADAS (inward off-axis movement)
VI. COLGADAS (outward off-axis movement)
VI. ENGANCHES (walk through ganchos)
VII. SOLTADAS (breaking and spinning out of the embrace)
VIII. SHADOW Tango (back to front embrace)
Other Series will be
X. MILONGA
Y. VALS
Z. CHOREOGRAPHY
