Milonga Introductory Vocabulary - Linear Steps and Weight Changes

This should be the main component of your milonga.
It's very easy for it to look like you're just shuffling around aimlessly.
Keep in mind that each one of these steps becomes very clearly defined - that your steps don't veer off 5 degrees. When you change weight in place, your feet really are exactly together. And, if they are not, make sure this is on purpose.
One way you can work on this precision on your own is to use a board as a guide wire.
Alternatively, you can have a friend watch. We emphasize getting this feedback, because it's really common for people to think they are doing one thing and actually be doing something subtly different than their intent.

Artist Name:: Electrocutango
Song Title:: Retrolonga
Album Title:: Felino
Artist Website:: http://www.indris.net/electrocutango

(From the website): Sverre Indris Joner, a creative remarkable tanguista, has with Electrocutango obtained a solid, irreproachable and refined version of new tango in this 21st century. This admirable Norwegian pianist, composer, arranger and director demonstrates that the tango still can keep its youthful aesthetic and challenging courage like in the old times.

00:04: So, one of the really cool things about milonga is that you don't have to do a lot.
00:08: I remember when I was first learning salsa, and then later on we were doing bachata.
00:11: I was so relieved, as a beginning leader to do bachata, because you didn't really do anything.
00:15: And that's sort of like this chapter
00:18: Where really, all you need to do milonga is walk forward, back, side, and change weight.
00:23: Actually, that's true of tango too, but...
00:25: Yeah, that's true of tango too, but it's even more true of milonga.
00:27: So, we're going to do a brief demo, and then we'll talk about it.
00:36: And then the music ends. It'll come back.
00:51: And you'll see that what we're doing is we're walking side, and changing.
01:01: Walking forward, and changing, or going back, change, forward, change.
01:05: But they're all sort I'm going to call, "linear steps", right?
01:09: I can go side, or side... or side, or change, or change.
01:14: And, so, you can almost get a six sided die, roll it, and you're going to say, "What direction I'm going to go?"
01:18: Forward, or back, or side, and then, eventually,...
01:21: Or weight change, that doesn't come to six.
01:23: Oh, we count weight change, maybe, more than once.
01:28: I don't know if this analogy is working.
01:30: You get a four sided dice at a gaming store.
01:33: Ha, there we go.
01:34: And, you roll it, and it says, "forward", and so you go forward for awhile, and then you do some changes, and you go side, and maybe change.
01:43: Or, maybe, it says, "back", and change.
01:45: But, as leaders, you don't want to go back too often, because you'll go back against line of dance. So, at most, one step.
01:54: So, if I go back, I would usually always change weight immediately.
02:00: And so, this looks very varied, and the trick, as we do this, is...
02:07: David: How do I say this? If you have to think about it, it's too late. Because the music - bam!, it's fast.
Nancy: Right. It's very fast.
02:12: But, it not only looks varied, it feels fun.
02:15: So, this is really more of a demo than explicit instructions. But I'm going to give you homework.
02:19: And, in your homework, for the leaders, I want you to think about...
02:24: Just one combination: go side-change, side-change, side-change.
02:28: Or, go forward, forward, change, back, change, forward.
02:32: Or whatever, you know, just some steps and then some weight changes.
02:35: And, for the followers... Unfortunately, the followers, you need a partner for this,
02:40: I want your leader just to grab your hand. Here, she's my leader right now.
02:45: And she's going to pull me, and I just sort of push, or take me in any direction.
02:51: Gee, moving David around is fun!
02:56: So, on that note...

Series:: Milonga Introductory Vocabulary
Tags:: Milonga