Milonga Typical Combinations - Va y Ven

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We have a beloved student (hi, Rich), who calls this, "Dave's fave". It is one of Dave's faves. Alternatively, that same student sometimes calls this the plague bacillus (because the shape it makes on the floor is the same as the shape of a plague bacillus under a microscope).

Up to now, most of the steps have either been flowing but simpler or less flowing and more complicated. This one has a fair amount of "stuff" going on but, as you do that stuff, it needs to happen without excess pause and interruption.

It really is a lot about the traveling of the center. Each of the motions of the lead and follow is really about the movement of the center. In other movements, there is also other stuff going on at the same time (such as movement of the upper body). In this combination, there is really only that movement of the center. (Well, the legs always move but not the upper body).

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, this is David's one of the... Is this David's favorite?
00:06
Yeah, I...
00:07
So, this is Dave's fave.
00:22
And so, breaking it down, and I realize that was fast.
00:25
Another way to call Dave's fave is "Va y Ven".
00:28
Yeah, "Va y Ven".
00:29
At the beginning, for the guys, there's a prep, then it's forward...
00:37
You step around her, she steps in place, she comes around you.
00:41
So you can... Accidentally, two forward steps. But you can think of it as: forward, forward, him around her, her around him.
00:48
So, we've got: forward, forward, him around her...
00:53
And notice that, as I go around her, I pivot my chest to my right.
00:57
...And then, her around him. I pivot more to the right. I plant my feet together.
01:01
For the followers,
01:04
You've got: back, back, as he goes around, you plant your feet together, and as he pivots more, you step around him.
01:16
So, we've got: forward, forward; notice they're outside partner,
01:22
I go around her, she changes weight, she goes around me, I change weight.
01:27
So, when I have him go around me, I really step kind of to my in-step, just really-really tight, so he can get around easily.
01:35
Yes, same thing for the leaders.
01:39
There's that in-step for her... For him.
01:45
Now, what's more, as you do this, for the lead, this comes from your back.
01:53
So, as I go forward, forward, right here, the reason she knows to stay in place but change weight,
01:59
If you look at my embrace, right here, as I go around her, there's that up-and-over feeling.
02:07
So, she's right here, I go up and over.
02:11
And then I ask her to go around me. And this comes from my bringing my right instep back behind my left.
02:18
So, after I go around, right here, watch what I do with my foot and my body.
02:21
I move my right foot, and I let that turn my body. And that's what brings her around.
02:28
I don't think that's a really easy lead.
02:30
No, but very cool.
02:32
For the ladies, what I want you to be aware of, is that you really have to listen really attentively for that weight change.
02:40
So, as you're going back, back, right here, when he goes around you, and he wants you to change weight in place...
02:46
That is hard to feel.
02:49
Back, back, right there, in place, and then there's going to be a tiny pivot, and you're going to step around him.
02:59
So, we'll show that. And you have: one, two, he goes around her, she goes around him.
03:07
Let's do a couple in a row.
03:17
And I could just keep going.
03:19
N: Yes, fine.
D: This is why we call it my favorite step.