What we covered in lesson 1:
Tango is a partner dance that uses a 'chest lead' rather than hands / arms pushing and pulling to set your partner in motion or in change their direction.
Before you start moving take time to 'ground' yourself and establish a connection with your partner. To do this you push the weight down through your chosen foot and don't move the other foot until you feel that your partner has responded by grounding her weight through the corresponding 'mirror' foot. Taking an inhalation before initiating movement also helps your partner anticipate the change from a static position. When you dance tango you can use either foot so starting in an easy-to-follow way is always appreciated by partners.
When you walk try to brush your feet / ankles together as they pass as this will improve your posture and prepare you for fancy stuff that requires pivoting and balance.
At present just use directions going directly forward or back or to either side. If you're moving forward let it be really forward rather than at a strange angle between a forward and a side aperture as that's easier to read and follow. Once you have used one foot and committed your weight to it use the other foot - left, right, left, right, rather than using the same foot to step twice. It might be tempting to step to the side and gather, swap weight and take off again on the same foot but probably a little hard to read for your followers just at the moment.
Try to maintain an equality of strength in your 'embrace' or 'hold'. This just means that neither one of you should be light as air or like shifting a piano. We'll work on this over the coming weeks but it's worth mentioning now and if you have a partner to try your strength on then remember the palm-to-palm game with leaning in and pulling way as it works wonders.
When you walk the leaders will most often be moving forward (in an anti clockwise / counter clockwise direction) whilst the follower is moving backwards. As the followers have shorter legs taking a normal stride rather than giant steps is more comfortable and makes life easier all round.
The Basic 8 - Leaders Footwork:
place your weight down through your left foot, keep your shoulders relaxed and if you can think of anything else while you're thinking about your feet try to be aware of your chest.
1. right foot - step back
2. left foot - step to the side and slightly outside of your partners body frame
3. right foot - moves forward slightly to the right of the follower, keep your chest facing forward to send your partner directly back or you'll stray into the snake pit
4. left foot - forward... (not too far or you'll block your partner from performing miracles on step 5)
5. pivot your left shoulder slightly back to lead your partner to the cross THEN right foot - joins left foot in a 'resolution'
6. left foot - forward
7. right foot - side step
8. left foot - side step to join the right foot in a 'resolution'
The Basic 8 - Followers Footwork:
relax and allow your partners weight alignment guide your own.
1. left foot - forward
2. right foot - side aperture. If all goes well your partner will be outside of your direct frame BUT will still have a connection with the 'chest lead' that will guide your next steps
3. left foot - back
4. right foot - back
5. this is the 'hair tearing part' left foot - cross in front of the right. This will happen automatically when led in the future but for now it takes patience.
6. right foot -back
7. left foot - side aperture
8. right foot - side aperture to rest alongside the left in a 'resolution'
I'll be working away at the subtleties of the leading and following of the basic 8 over the coming weeks as it is a good way to assimilate concepts such as keeping within a musical phrase, moving outside of the dance frame and coming back into it again effortlessly and a whole host of other goodies.