The 5 Social Figures of Tango
There are Five Social FIgures of Argentine Tango > Walking, Ochos, Turns, Crosses, and Cortados. This site has all of them and more, over 800 videos and articles (not including all the other stuff) on Tango Topics to watch and learn from. It’s not just the videos, but the articles that contain the most of what you need to know to elevate your dance. We’re not trying to sell you videos here, but instead to inform and engage you to educate yourself wherever possible.
Five Social Figures
What are the Five Social Figures ? In its really basic form, it’s the 5 things that we do all night long with every dance partner. 1.) Walking. 2.) Ochos. 3.) Turns. 4.) Crosses. & 5.) The Cortados.
The Milonguero Turn
In it’s simplest form, the Milonguero Turn is one of the easiest of turns to accomplish with regards to Argentine Tango. It allows of the couple to stay with each other, and allows for an easeful experience vs. the Follower’s Molinete that is the default turn today which is a load of work for the Follower to accomplish!
Milonguero Turn ‘Trick’.
What is the Milonguero Turn Trick ? First and foremost, the Trick itself isn’t a ‘trick’, it’s more of a reliance on Follower Default behaviors. Secondly, the ‘Trick’ only solves the first major hurdle of the Turn itself – The Follower’s Back Cross.
Eight Types of Turns
These are the eight, yes – EIGHT, types of Turns that are used in Argentine Tango. So what are those turns ? Read on to find out….
Eight Types of Ochos
What is an Ocho ? The Ocho is where the dancer (lead or follower) steps into Social Collection with their feet, and then assuming one of the 3 techniques above is used to generate bodily rotation that seemingly starts at the feet, and goes all the way up the body. Seemingly. 😉
Argentine Cross
What is The Argentine Cross ? In it’s simplest form, the ‘Cross’, as it is known, is a distinct and unique piece of Tango vocabulary that doesn’t exist in any other social dance in this form. While there are ‘crosses‘ in other social dances, there isn’t another cross like this anywhere else. What makes it unqiue ? For one, in this version of the cross, the Follower is a willing participant,
The Linear Ocho Cortado
What is a ‘Linear Ocho Cortado‘ ? The are multiple versions or ideas of the Cortado. However, this particular piece of vocabulary is also what we consider to be one of the Seven Foundational Moves of Tango that every dancer must learn in order to be a socially competent dancer. Note that we said, not ‘Lead‘, not ‘Follower’, but ‘Dancer’.
Circular Ocho Cortado
What is a ‘Circular’ Ocho Cortado ? Put simply it is leading the Follower to a Forward Ocho. However this is a very specific kind of Ocho that we only use for teaching purposes. In this particular case, that teaching Ocho is what’s sometimes called (and this site referred to as such) a ‘Linear Forward Ocho’. They’re called that because these ochos don’t go anywhere at all, and in fact they’re done directly in front of the Lead on a line. Hence the ‘Linear’ part of it’s name. 😉 The Lead invites the Follower to a Linear Forward Ocho across their body (to the open or closed side of the embrace, usually the closed side), and …
Walking Systems
What are Walking Systems ? These are 18 different ways that we can walk in Argentine Tango. Not the how-we-walk, or the mechanics of how we walk but the multiple methods to the ways in which we might want to walk. The ideas comprise a composite or overall vantage point that no matter what situation one is in, there is a walking solution for that situation.