Tango: How do you keep the hips from moving?

Twilight_Elena

Twilight_Elena

Well-Known Member
I can't keep my hips from moving when I do ballroom tango. I know I shouldn't do it, but it's hard to restrain them! Any hints? What should I tighten? Should I hold my core more rigid? When I take a step backwards, they just.. turn!

Twilight Elena
 
The hips *do* move in ballroom tango, just not in the same way as in latin. Tango would be a bit more cha-cha like than rumba (arrive already settled idea). The real key though would be learning the tango walking action, which is a function of both where you put your feet and how you move them.
 
I'd probably have to see what you're talking about to really understand the problem you're having, but my first advice would be to focus on keeping your energy and your body forward even as you take your body backwards. You stretch your foot to the back, about one foot length or so, no farther, and then take your whole body backwards as a single unit, pushing with your supporting foot, rather than trying to "reach" or "step" backwards. It's that "reaching" effort that twists your hips to the back.

Another mental image is to think of your hip pulling forwards even as your foot stretches back, so that you feel like your leg is being pulled in two directions at once. Also, keeping your hips open will help.

I'm not sure it this really addresses your question, since I can't see your body moving, so I'm only guessing.

Renee
 
do you really want to _not_ use your hips?
I mean it happens sometimes to me that there is a little hip move when i do swing.. *looking a little embarrased away and do if i just said nothing*
better than those people who have to, and don't get it done. (i think of a very funny lesson ones in salsa, wow these guys had really big problems.. :lol:)
luh
 
I used to have a problem with keeping my hips still when doing Ballroom Tango, too. I have my hips a little more under control now, but they still move a bit. I keep my hips tucked right underneath me so that my spine is straight and I hold my core really tight. Stand next to something like a chair to support yourself, tuck in your hips and practice swinging your legs back and forth without moving your hips (it's similar to ballet exercises b/c in ballet, you don't move your hips when doing tondues, pliés, etc... Taking a ballet technique class helps a lot.) Then hold on to something sturdy and try reaching while keeping your hips still even if it means doing it really slowly to control your body.
 
Twilight_Elena said:
I can't keep my hips from moving when I do ballroom tango. I know I shouldn't do it, but it's hard to restrain them! Any hints? What should I tighten? Should I hold my core more rigid? When I take a step backwards, they just.. turn!

Twilight Elena
Click to expand...
Assuming that you're a lady, this is not your fault but your partner's. If he places his right thigh and hip in the right place - almost inside the lady's crotch - the lady does not have the freedom to move her hips. Furthermore, since tango has a long contact point on the man's left side and lady's right side - from upper thighs to busts - the lady can't move her hips.
 
That's one school of thought, but there are others.

Do you collect with your knees interlaced or essentially outside partner? I've seen both taught, but outside seems to work much better.
 
labelledanseuse said:
Stand next to something like a chair to support yourself, tuck in your hips and practice swinging your legs back and forth without moving your hips
Click to expand...

Actually, you do need to move your hips, because every other step in a basic walk is in a very pronounced CBMP.

The real trick is to turn the hip and move the leg, without letting the shoulders turn, or letting the location of your weight in your standing foot shift.

As man going forward, tuck the right knee behind the left as your prepare to move the left foot forward - turning the hip, but without letting the upper body turn, move or shift it's balance point. As Lady moving backward, tuck the right knee behind the standing left, similarly without disturbing the upper body or weight position. Then move the weight through the standing foot, extend the moving leg slightly further, and shift cleanly to the new foot. The next step follows the direction set up by this one, unwinding the hips, while a new hip action would commence on the CBMP step after that.
 
Yes, when I am led like that (knees intertwined, bodies close and all that) it's much harder to move the hips, so I practically don't move them. However, when I dance with some space between myself and my partner, they turn. It's been getting sort of better with time; I think tango technique groups have been the key. I try to do all those things, and hope it will work.

Twilight Elena

P.s. I don't suppose men have that problem too, do they?
 
I prefer a close hold, but with the kneecaps outside partner - this places the bodies very near each other, but probably without a long vertical line of contact if we want to keep our shoulders unbroken and spines vertically aligned.

In thinking more since last night, the hips need to be free to rotate independently of the upper body. However, they should not tilt much. This is most likely to be a problem in promenade, and the thing to do may be to use a mirror to internalize what it feels like to have the hips level when open to promenade. Another thing that can help is to work on keeping the weight on the inside of the standing foot. And stay "over" the hip without the kind of rumba settling where the pelvis drops and the hip itself pops out to the side.
 
By keeping the hips open, I meant maintaining proper turn out, as in ballet like someone mentioned above. The proper movement for the backstep in tango begins with a movement most similar to an arabesque. You have to keep both hips square and to the front, properly turned out, for it to look nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Dance Ads

Advertise on Dance Forums Reach dancers, teachers, studios, event organizers, and dance-friendly brands. View ad options
Back
Top