Vals Vocabulary - In Honor of Tete
Tete is definitely one of our favorite waltz dancers. When you watch him, his waltz has a glorious sense of ebb and flow. I'm told that he was quite the character and that he held his right arm in an unusual position, up and towards the neck. When he dances, he exudes joy.
Here is the full video with Tete dancing this step: Tete's Waltz
- Artist Name:
- Mandragora Tango
- Song Title:
- Gota De Lluvia
- Album Title:
- Live 2007
- Artist Website:
- http://www.mandragoratango.com
From website: Mandrágora Tango is a tango band headed by bandoneonist Bob Barnes and guitarist Scott Mateo Davies, 2 Minneapolis-based musicians who are wildly passionate about tango. We have been playing tango for dancing and listening since 2001 and we are still going strong. We've played in over 40 cities all over the United States.
- 00:05
- So, this step is in honor of Tete, who's this really big guy, with lots of character, who has one of my favorite valses.
- 00:11
- He has a beautiful vals.
- 00:13
- And, when you watch him, you really get the sense of ebb, and flow, and release.
- 00:18
- And ownership.
- 00:19
- Yes. And lots of character, as well.
- 00:44
- D: And, so...
N: I really like that step.
D: Yeah. - 00:48
- Exaggerating slightly:
- 00:52
- Let's say, we start side, reach, reach, go... it'll then cross behind.
- 01:02
- So, with my... After I reach, the left foot will go behind, slight turn... 45 degree turn... 45 degree turn.
- 01:10
- So, 90 degree turn total.
- 01:12
- And, at the same time I'm cutting behind, I also having the follower cut behind,
- 01:16
- And I'm doing that by softly opening her back.
- 01:18
- So that, for the ladies, they reach, and here, I open the body softly, so she cuts behind,
- 01:28
- Lift up, so there's a subtle lean... and then, pivot, and go out.
- 01:33
- So, one part more time, the followers part, we have: side, reach, cut lean... out.
- 01:45
- So, you've got: side, reach, we both cut, I lift up, soft lean... and then, out.
- 01:52
- To a cross, usually, I think.
- 01:54
- Another angle:
- 02:02
- So, there's this sense, really, of the weight, going back and forth.
- 02:06
- And that mirrors the flow of the dance.
