Salon Style Close Embrace - In Honor Of Gerardo Portalea
When we first watched Gerardo Portalea, we were struck by the beauty in the simplicity. When you watch it, you think, "oh, he's doing interesting things the whole time and it's so together and textured and there's a certain profoundness to the dance." And it's only afterwards, that you realize that there wasn't anything that "fancy". Watching this clip, let's re-remind ourselves that the dance is about the texture and the movement and the music, about the center and the connectedness of the body, and the connection between the partners of mind and body.
Here is the video with Gerardo Portalea: Gerardo Portalea
- Artist Name:
- Alex Krebs
- Song Title:
- El Viejo Amor (Old School)
- Album Title:
- New York Tango Jam Session
- Artist Website:
- http://www.tangoberretin.com/
From website: (Alex Krebs) Has been studying the bandoneon since May 2001, directed the tango band "Conjunto Berretin." (with 2 CD's recorded) from 2003-2008, and currently is arranging/directing a tango sextet and arranging/directing an Orquesta Tipica for the Portland Tango Festivals in Feb. and Oct.
- 00:04
- So, I think Gerardo Portalea was this giant of a tango dancer,
- 00:10
- Way back when... And he has a beautiful, elegant style which I think is very inspiring. And he's so together with his partner.
- 00:18
- And so we have a clip. You can link...follow the link, watch on youtube. But this step is in his honor.
- 00:24
- He's really wonderful.
- 00:47
- Or again. New angle.
- 00:51
- Scoot over, a little bit.
- 01:09
- So, I'll break down the two parts.
- 01:12
- It starts with a... For the leader, you step side.
- 01:16
- And it's going to be this tiny little thing that I'm going to call a back ocho, but it's so small.
- 01:22
- And she's going to go a tiny bit away from you. So, when she goes a tiny bit away, you have to shift forward.
- 01:26
- You'll see I go from the heel to ball of my foot.
- 01:30
- And I'm here. And then, I shift. She has that back ocho. I pivot her. Full pivot.
- 01:36
- And we come back to face. Small step.
- 01:39
- Show that a bit slower.
- 01:43
- Side. I pivot. And then I'll shift as she shifts.
- 01:48
- Pivot around for the other part of the back ocho. Pivot again, third time.
- 01:54
- And now I'm going to go out. Out, left foot basic. I've already taken that forward step. We go one step, she crosses, we finish.
- 02:02
- Now, after that ending, which is akin to left foot basic, from here,
- 02:06
- One step, she crosses, we finish. I'm going to go...
- 02:10
- It's almost like a sigh back. I go, "Ah. Bang, bang. Underneath."
- 02:20
- One more time, whole thing. New angle.
- 02:24
- For the leaders, you've got side step. Pivot her, shift. Rotate.
- 02:30
- The other part of the back ocho. Rotate. I'm going to turn it a lot.
- 02:35
- One step. There's her cross.
- 02:39
- Go through. Hover back. Dig under.
- 02:43
- For the followers,
- 02:47
- Your first step. He's going to pivot you, but it's really up,
- 02:52
- For the leaders, when you lead this, pull up and keep her close.
- 02:55
- And so, it goes just there around. Then, full pivot in the hips.
- 02:59
- And again, like the first one, goes out to the cross, then you sigh back.
- 03:06
- Then there's going to be, and I'm going to turn this, there's going to be these forward sighs after that cross.
- 03:12
- And then, it'll dig underneath.
- 03:14
- D: One more time.
N: Two.
D: OK.
