Milonguero Style Close Embrace - Rhythmic Direction Changes

Leaders:: It's important to change direction early, so that the rocks are gentle things

Followers:: Don't think you have to go immediately. Give yourself some time, so that you're like a rubber band. When you change direction, there is not a snap in your body.

Our hope is that the experience of rocking is a sweet one.

Artist Name:: Q Tango
Song Title:: Cancion Del Olvido
Album Title:: Live Four Q Tango
Artist Website:: http://www.qtango.com

From website: Created in July, 2009 by Erskine Maytorena, a third generation tango musician and opera singer, QTANGO performs authentic Argentine tango arrangements throughout the southwest, with multiple tours including appearances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Tucson, Sedona, Las Vegas, El Paso, Santa Fe and Albuqeurque. Specializing in the traditional tango music of the "Golden Age" of the great Argentine tango orchestras, QTANGO's dynamic and powerful music keeps dancers on the floor and listeners enthralled. Every song is a novella; a story of love, betrayal, desperation and hope. QTANGO's musicians give the audience a unique and intimate experience, an acoustic resonance only an orchestra can provide, a journey into the romance, passion and elegance of tango. Whether touring as a quartet or performing gala events with over 14 musicians, every performance is sophisticated, engaging, nostalgic, and moving.

00:38: So, this combination, actually, I stole from Oscar Casas who there's a bunch of videos on youtube, too.
00:43: And it's really about being very tight.
00:47: So, I want you to think, leaders, followers, both that it's not out here floppy. It's not a big loose walk.
00:53: So, you'll notice that when it starts, we have this weight change. And I'm tight in. Tic, tac, tac.
00:59: A-da, ba, ba. Ba-ba, da, ba-ba ba. If you watch my thighs. I'll do it this way to the camera. They're glued together.
01:08: Pa.
01:11: When I teach... When we teach this in class, David will go teach the men, and he'll say, "Go teach the women, or the followers".
01:17: And the first thing I'll say to them is, "Core up".
01:20: So, you imagine this 8 inch leather belt that people use for lifting weights. And you imagine it right around your core.
01:28: And then you pull really tight. And then you make all the steps very sharp and tight.
01:34: At the beginning, it starts. And I start with two weight changes just to get us more in sync.
01:38: Also to get her more to my right side so she can get through.
01:41: After that, we've got three small steps. One, two, three. I do those with contra to help accent it.
01:48: And then, I take her around me as I take a small step. Change.
01:52: So, there's three steps for the leaders. You've got, one, two, three. Around me, change.
01:59: And that, on that change, it's almost a throw. I say, "Around me. Change".
02:04: N: And the follower's mirroring that. We're going forward instead of backwards.
D: Starting here.
02:11: A tic, toc, tic. Around, change. Check. And step, change, back. And back.
02:18: And I really like the double rock, too.
02:21: So, we've got... After around change, we've got, check and step, change. Check and back.
02:28: For the followers, natural opposite.
02:31: You've just walked forward, forward, forward. Around, change. Check forward. Return. Back, throw change.
02:40: So, you see the way as a follower, also, after this check, forward, it goes, throw, change. Forward and forward.
02:46: Just will you take the steps, and break them down a little more, a little bit slower?
02:51: She says, smaller chunks. Alright. First piece: three steps.
02:59: One, two, three, for the leaders.
03:03: The followers, one, two, three.
03:09: Next chunk: one, two, three, side, change, for the leaders.
03:16: So, if you wanted that chunk, that would be a very good sized chunk to start with. One, two, three, side, change.
03:25: The followers, you've got one, two, three. Step around him, change. Feet very tight together. Look at the feet, so close.
03:35: Now, part two. We have all of these rocks.
03:38: So, for the leaders, after a throw, change, you've got back, and step forward. Change.
03:44: D: One more time. There, you've got, back and forward, change. Back, and back.
N: So, let's just do that.
03:54: So, after that throw, throw, change. We've got, rock, and step, change. Rock, and step.
04:03: D: Let's do that again, slower.
N: Good idea.
D: We've got, throw, change. Rock and step, change. Rock, and step.
04:14: And I'm very snug in my connection in my upper body, so that it's clear the difference between a throw, a rock, and a step.
04:24: So...and I make sure I stop her very early. I say, "Rock", versus, "Step".
04:29: I think that's key in doing the rocks when you're intermingling them with the steps.
04:33: Is, as a leader, when you lead a rock and there's going to be a step, you need to really start her stopping as soon as you start her moving.
04:41: I'm basically saying, "Let's rock. No, I've changed my mind." It's that fast, the change.
04:48: D: "Go, No. Oh, yes. Let's go."
N: And that what's gets it done. Let's do the whole thing.
D: Yes.
04:55: Practice it with us.

Series:: Milonguero Style Close Embrace
Tags:: Vocabulary, Close Embrace