17 November 2011
Hola Tangueros!
It is already a week that came I back from Reno, where I had the pleasure of working with all of you. I shortly gave you my impressions at the end of the workshop regarding how you are dancing, and how to further improve. Now that I am here, at home, I am thinking of you, reading my notes, and I want to share a few things with you.
My overall impression is that ALL of you have improved a lot and in a very short time. You are now capable to go to any milonga in the US, and to do well, although you may be a little intimidated. Congratulations for that!
However there are many details that must be addressed and corrected. Men, for instance, they still do not walk with enough “suspension”, still do not “finish the step correctly”, and in general the walk is timid and short (…I usually use the word “wimpy”, but I was told not to use it anymore!). The posture of all of you is a lot better, but you need to work with your posture not only on the floor, but in ALL the activities of your daily life. Otherwise you come back to bad habits, which in tango are not very desirable.
Women: I know you are dying to do “big stuff” like you see in presentations of tango performers. I have bad news for you: I will not teach you ANY of those complicated movements, until you walk grounded, you stay ON your longitudinal axis ALONE, without the help of the leader, and you make your three blocks work independently. I suggest you AGAIN, that you practice alone your walk technique, dividing it in three parts: first dropping your hip down while moving your leading leg back, just A LITTLE; second, after you do this, push with your trailing leg your whole body back, while stretching that leg, according the impulsion given to you by your leader. And finally collect, keeping the connection with your leader unchanged. Remember ladies, all of you MUST learn to stretch the muscles in your calves, otherwise you cannot move your leading leg sliding your heel on the floor! Pressure of your leading heel on the floor, is what we call GROUNDED!!
Men and women alike: some of you have shown me a remarkable progress with your “cruces”, but some of you must work a lot more on them. I found very interesting to see some ladies doing fine cruces at the class, and then at the milonga, while doing front or back ochos, forgetting completely what is all about. After walking, this is the MOST important exercise to practice for all of you!!!!
Men and women alike: you all need to work in lateral flexibility, which means to move your upper body, or middle block to either side, while your lower block, or from you hips down to your feet are facing another direction. I know that you kind of do this to the open side, but not all of you can do this to the close side of the embrace. Lack of lateral flexibility has a huge consequence in your dancing, and I emphasize this factor a lot more on men, who are the leaders, than in women. Just like a side note: you will NOT get the lateral flexibility while taking a class, nor you will improve your posture! It is something you must do alone, and all the time!
I am looking forward to see you all again in December. Our big challenge will be MOLINETES. I need you all doing good cruces, so we do not have to waste time correcting something you already know, although it needs a lot of practice at home.
Have very nice holidays, dance as much as you can, and think positive about yourself!
Abrazos y besos a todos
