Three good moves

[bastet]

I was at a milonga this weekend and was talking to someone who went to BsAs earlier this year.

They must have gone as part of a tango tour, because lessons were included in their trip.

One thing this person remarked on was how different the dancing was from here to there, and that when they went down there, they had lessons on how to dance appropraitely down there. They said in their first lesson, that the teacher showed them 3 moves that they needed to know, to get along in the milongas of BsAs.

Although I asked, this person didn't tell me what the 3 things were that they were taught, but I can make some guesses based on what ISN'T danced hardly at all in my area.

My guess would be a simple rocking turn to the right, some variation of a rocking turn to the left and probably ocho cortado...as all of these movements stay pretty much in place and so would be useful in very crowded situations.

Anyone else have any thoughts or ideas on this? Or other movements that might fit the bill?

(Since this person didn't do any of the three I thought of with me, I could be wrong, but perhap next time I see them, I'll ask if they are still using those moves they learned for dancing in BsAs in their dancing here.)

[Ampster]

If I have minimal moving space, I find three things indispensable, done in combinations depending on the music:

Sychopated caminada
back/front ocho
ocho cortada

[TangoDiary]

I think the 3 important moves are:

1. walk
2. ocho
3. molinette

[Angel HI]

Surprising as it is, the newbie got it right. The three moves (95% of the time) are: 1- walk, 2- ocho cortado, 3- giro (milonguero style to the left; of course, this will encompass the molinete).

TangoDiary, welcome to the DF.

[Joe]

Left, right, forward (back for the ladies ;) ).

[TangoDiary]

Ops, I almost forgot it's called giro for milonguero Tks! I'm really happy to hear you say so welcome to our Tango community.

[bastet]

Well - the reason I ditch the walk aspect is that in some milongas, you might end up only "walking" a few paces during an entire dance...so it has to be filled with something besides a "walk". I've certainly been to milongas here in the states that fit that bill, and if the milongas there are worse...

So if you ask me the most fundamental aspects of tango a person should know, of course walk would be my first mention..a GOOD walk...

But I was making an adjustment to trying to figure out what this person meant by 3 things they needed for dancing specifically in BsAs milongas, rather than tango in general and so the 3 things I mentioned are 3 movements that stay in place but that you can vary enough in terms of timing and rhythm to have a decent dance with.

Also I was extrapolating based on the fact that the 3 things were apparantly something this person didn't know already...and since I've known them some time...several years...and know that they already knew walking, ochos and at least knew what molinetes are... by deduction, I could rule most of those out and concentrate on things that I thought they didn't know.

[Heather2007]

For the Leader:

1. At the start of the song - wait and rock.
2. In the middle of the song - walk with style
3. At the end of the song - walk her back to the seat

[bastet]

For the Leader:

1. At the start of the song - wait and rock.
2. In the middle of the song - walk with style
3. At the end of the song - walk her back to the seat

walking's fine...if you have room to....

[Heather2007]

walking's fine...if you have room to....

Then take her right hand to your heart and rock with style:together:

[bordertangoman]

move to the bar......
or keep a good novel in your left hand jacket pocket.

ocho cortado; reverse cross
rocking step turn

[bastet]

move to the bar......
or keep a good novel in your left hand jacket pocket.

ocho cortado; reverse cross
rocking step turn

Thanks BTM - reverse cross? - can you elaborate a little? It's probably one of those cases where we've got differnt names for something.

[Steve Pastor]

"One thing this person remarked on was how different the dancing was from here to there, and that when they went down there, they had lessons on how to dance appropraitely down there. They said in their first lesson, that the teacher showed them 3 moves that they needed to know, to get along in the milongas of BsAs.

Although I asked, this person didn't tell me what the 3 things were "

Sounds like a perpetuation of the Buenos Aries mystic.
You know, like when someone asks you if you've been, with the unstated premise that if you haven't you couldn't possibly know Argentine Tango.

"if the milongas there are worse..."
I know you probably meant this in the sense of more crowded, but it gives me a reason to post this link (again) to an essay about dancing in "crowded conditions" in BA (although it could be anywhere, and some teachers include this sort of things in their lessons).
I LIKE it when there are a lot of people on the floor. IF they can handle it. It's very challenging, but rewarding, too.

[bordertangoman]

Thanks BTM - reverse cross? - can you elaborate a little? It's probably one of those cases where we've got differnt names for something.

cross behind; like milonguero style ochos, very little pivot but the ladies foot crosses behind.

[bastet]

cross behind; like milonguero style ochos, very little pivot but the ladies foot crosses behind.


gotcha-that's what I thought.

[bastet]

"One thing this person remarked on was how different the dancing was from here to there, and that when they went down there, they had lessons on how to dance appropraitely down there. They said in their first lesson, that the teacher showed them 3 moves that they needed to know, to get along in the milongas of BsAs.

Although I asked, this person didn't tell me what the 3 things were "

Sounds like a perpetuation of the Buenos Aries mystic.
You know, like when someone asks you if you've been, with the unstated premise that if you haven't you couldn't possibly know Argentine Tango.

"if the milongas there are worse..."
I know you probably meant this in the sense of more crowded, but it gives me a reason to post this link (again) to an essay about dancing in "crowded conditions" in BA (although it could be anywhere, and some teachers include this sort of things in their lessons).
I LIKE it when there are a lot of people on the floor. IF they can handle it. It's very challenging, but rewarding, too.

could be some of that mystique thing...though I can certainly understand a teacher seeing how many people have been taught to dance in my area and going "oy vay..you'll never make it in a crowded dance...here- try this instead"

I didn't see the link for the essay you were talking about....

[Steve Pastor]

Looks like I never pasted it...
http://home.teleport.com/~robhauk/navigation1.html
There.

Oh, and thanks for getting the "mystic" thing right. I was too lazy to look it up!

[Zoopsia59]

Looks like I never pasted it...
http://home.teleport.com/~robhauk/navigation1.html
There.

Oh, and thanks for getting the "mystic" thing right. I was too lazy to look it up!

Wow... fabulous article!

[newbie]

They said in their first lesson, that the teacher showed them 3 moves that they needed to know, to get along in the milongas of BsAs.

Although I asked, this person didn't tell me what the 3 things were that they were taught.


I think it's somewhere inside this site ht tp://www.tangoandchaos.org that I found something similar many years ago, the guy writing that in BsAs he had been taught the ultimate secret of tango, that will dramatically change your dance, but he cannot write it just like this in his site, you have to pm him with a signed certificate by your tango teacher saying that you duly completed two thousand ochos in front of the mirror.

[Russellv]

Hello everyone,

First time on this site and Dance forum. Nice discussion on navigation. I even copied the info. Looking forward to learning and meeting people who AT and the possibility of finding a serious dance partner.

[Angel HI]

Welcome to the DF, Russ.

[bafonso]

cross behind; like milonguero style ochos, very little pivot but the ladies foot crosses behind.

Sounds about right :) If that person went to a good social dancing festival like Denver in the US she would find people don't dance that differently from BsAs in terms of moves... there's also a clear lack of space. You can walk, sure, 1 or 2 steps if you're lucky ;-) it's all about small and beautiful. Great to stimulate the creativity! :)

[bastet]

Sounds about right :) If that person went to a good social dancing festival like Denver in the US she would find people don't dance that differently from BsAs in terms of moves... there's also a clear lack of space. You can walk, sure, 1 or 2 steps if you're lucky ;-) it's all about small and beautiful. Great to stimulate the creativity! :)

Ahh- but I have been to towns here in the US that are considered "close embrace" towns (Like Denver is) and know that the town I come from is not. The dancing here isn't anything like the dancing in, say, Portland.

The person to whom I was referring at the beginning hadn't ever been to any other cites, only the one where they originally learned, and I can certainly see someone from what's considred a close embrace town, or BsAs taking one look at the type of dancing typically done here and saying.."oh dear...that's not going to work well here at all..."