P3 Infinity Ballroom Tango Class

The P3 (Performance, Preparation and Practice)/Infinity Ballroom Tango Class

Buy the text books at usistd.org. They are international style, but essential for informing American style dancers, also. Buy at least one of the Latin books.

  1. The Ballroom Technique (All bronze, silver and gold figures for Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Tango)
  2. Each of the Latin books are sold separately: Rumba, Samba, etc.

 

Principles

  1. A competition can almost be judged before the dancing begins by the dancers’ walk on demonstrations of elements such as body tone, intention, focus and balance. In class the dancers walked onto the floor a dozen times focusing on different elements. Example: Shoulder line is the distance from ears to shoulder width. Maximize it at all times, not just when actually dancing.
  2. Increase your musical imagination for each dance by practicing to a wide variety of types of music for that dance. Prioritize ideal music in your practice to be able to correct for the bad music played occasionally in competitions or socially.
  3. Increase your physical imagination by exaggerating foot, ankle, knee and thigh actions in practice exercises. Today’s exercises:
  4. Walk forward with toe on the floor as long as possible, then flick to the heel at the end of each stride. The toe is on the floor for 85% of a forward walk before the heel touches the floor.
  5. Walk backward starting with the front toe off the floor. Reconnect the toe with the floor as soon as possible to draw the foot under, then behind you. Then, start the next step.
  6. Repeat the walks in each direction with a ridiculous lift of the thigh in front of the body to take each step.
  7. Dance the American Tango Basic outside partner. Normal in line dancing tends to inhibit leg action/expression. Use the exaggerated thigh lift.
  8. Promenade Basic, staying in promenade position: SSQQS, with feet closing on the second Q.

Follow with Fallaway Basic, staying in fallaway position: SSQQS, with feet closing on the second Q.

Alternate these to basics with exaggerated thigh lift.

  1. Promenade Basic with Double Chasse: SSQQQQ. Stay in PP and continue moving forward to repeat this figure many times.
  2. In promenade position the follower is driving the leaders body ahead of her. The leader is “caping” her: He stays ahead of her and uses his spine and frame to draw her in his wake like a matador draws his cape. Practice with chasses down LOD, leader backing DC, follower facing DC.
  3. Most exercises should not be overdone. For example, too many promenade exercises can actually make the all-important promenade position worse if you are just practicing it badly. Exceptions: Two exercises which cannot be overdone are, 1) Body turn without turning the head or feet, and 2) Swivel the feet and head without turning the shoulders
  4. Maintain the compression in the legs at all times. Do not stand up. Stay powerful and efficient.
  5. Creating beauty and developing musicality are often incompatible behaviors. Look in the mirror to develop beauty, but also just dance without visual feedback to develop musicality.
  6. Learn to dance like a director directs a film: Know everything that is going on in the dance. The leader dances differently if he knows her part. The follower should be able to lead the basic step of any dance.

 

 

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