Curriculum

TECHNIQUE CLASSES

T1- TECHNIQUE I

(This class is a prerequisite for M201 and higher)

Posture, precision, footwork, and body awareness.

(Prerequisites: None)

T2- TECHNIQUE II

(This class is a prerequisite for S101 and higher)

Strength, balance, and coordination.

(Prerequisites: None)

T3 - TECHNIQUE III

(This class is a prerequisite for N101 and higher)

Intension, expression, fluidity, and focus.

(Prerequisites: None)

WT - WOMEN’S TECHNIQUE

Strengthening & coordinating movement specific to the Women’s Role.

(Prerequisites: None)

MT - MEN’S TECHNIQUE

Strengthening & coordinating movement specific to the Man’s Role.

(Prerequisites: None)

MILONGUERO STYLE

M101- BASIC STEPS

Basic Milonguero steps done exclusively on the body. Involves learning and refining vocabulary from simple back ochos to the ocho cortado.

(Prerequisites: None)

Week 1           walking
Week 2           back ochos
Week 3           rock turn to the left and the embrace
Week 4           rock turn to the right
Week 5           ocho cortado

M102- SIMPLE COMBINATIONS AND TURNS

Intertwining the basic Milonguero steps to create new combinations and more advanced turns.

(Prerequisites: None)

Week 1           review
Week 2           salida cruzada and combining rock turns
Week 3           combining rock turns with ochos and rock turn to the left with the cortado
Week 4           back-side-cross turn to the left
Week 5           medialuna turn to the right

M103- ADVANCED COMBINATIONS AND TURNS

Exciting turns covering the dynamic media luna and the milonguero dip.

(Prerequisites: None)

Week 1          walking on the right in cross-system and back-side-cross to the right
Week 2           rock turn to the left and back-side-cross to the left
Week 3           rock turn to the right and back-side-cross turn to the right and the media luna
Week 4           medialuna and ocho cortado
Week 5           milonguero dip

M201- MILONGA

Finally, the fun, fast, often upbeat ancestor of the Tango is brought to light. Learn what the compadritos

were so excited about more than a century ago.

(Prerequisite: T1)

Week 1          two basic patterns in 4 counts
Week 2           patterns in 5 and 6 counts
Week 3           two patterns in 8 counts
Week 4          two more patterns in 8 counts, with corridas
Week 5           basic traspie

M202- BASIC MUSICALITY

Essential elements of tango music such as the break and the syncopa.

(Prerequisite: T1)

Week 1          breaks
Week 2           pauses
Week 3           syncopas
Week 4          framed double-times
Week 5           walking on the 2 and isolated half-beats

M203- VALS CRUZADA

Exploring different beats in the Tango Waltz as well as extreme single-axis turns.

(Prerequisite: T1)

Week 1           basic timing: dancing on the downbeat, the 1 and the 2, continuous turns
Week 2           phrasing and suspension
Week 3           vals dynamic, leaning back in close-embrace
Week 4           single-axis turns to the left
Week 5           single-axis turns to the right

M301 - THE EMBRACE

Creating a comfortable, consistent embrace to fit any partner.

(Prerequisite: T1)

M302 - ADVANCED MILONGA

Going further with rhythm & tras pie.

(Prerequisites: T1, M201)

SALON STYLE

S101- THE FIVE CLASSIC PATTERNS

The five classic salon patterns that stem from the “salida basica” or the “basic exit.”

(Prerequisites: T1, T2)

Week 1          salida basica
Week 2          el ocho
Week 3          parada
Week 4          back ocho
Week 5          basic turn to the right w/ sacadas

S102- INTEGRATION WITH MILONGUERO STYLE

Transitioning between Salon and Milonguero combinations.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          entrances, exits, walking and resolutions
Week 2          pasadas
Week 3          transitioning between milonguero and salon back ochos plus paradas
Week 4          blending milonguero turns with salon back ochos
Week 5          blending milonguero turns with the basic turn to the right w/ sacadas

S201- GIROS (TURNS)

Classic patterns and variations for the Turn.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          full turn to the right with sacadas
Week 2          turn to the left with barrida
Week 3          the lapis
Week 4          sharing the center of the turn, the full molinete
Week 5          the woman's planeo

S202- SACADAS (ENTRANCES, DISPLACEMENTS)

Learning classic & reliable patterns of sacadas.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          the man's forward and open sacadas
Week 2          the man's back sacada
Week 3          the woman's forward and open sacadas
Week 4          the woman's back sacada
Week 5          the fourth sacada

S203- BOLEOS (VOLEOS, KICKS IN THE AIR)

Learning classic & reliable patterns of boleos.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          back boleos led in opposition to the rotation of the hips
Week 2          front boleos led in opposition to the rotation of the hips
Week 3          back boleos led in the direction of the rotation of the hips
Week 4          front boleos led in the direction of the rotation of the hips
Week 5          useful combinations

S204 - SALON VALS

Polishing your turns & sacadas through the control and grace of tango vals.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101, M203)

S301- GANCHOS (KICKS BETWEEN THE LEGS)

Learning classic & reliable patterns of ganchos.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          ganchos of the open step from the back ocho
Week 2          ganchos of the forward cross from the back ocho
Week 3          ganchos of the forward cross from the open step
Week 4          ganchos of the open step from the open step
Week 5          gancho variations for the man

S302- SALON COMBINATIONS I

Beautiful patterns combining turns, sacadas, boleos & ganchos.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          turns, sacadas (back and/or women's)
Week 2          turns, boleos
Week 3          turns, ganchos
Week 4          sacadas (back and/or women's), boleos
Week 5          sacadas (back and/or women's), gancho

S303- SALON COMBINATIONS II

Beautiful patterns combining turns, sacadas, boleos & ganchos.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101)

Week 1          turns, sacadas (back and/or women's), boleos
Week 2          turns, sacadas (back and/or women's), ganchos
Week 3          turns, boleos, ganchos
Week 4          sacadas, boleos, ganchos
Week 5          turns, sacadas (back and/or women's), boleos, ganchos

S304- ADVANCED MUSICALITY

Dancing to various instrumentation in the classic era of Tango.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, S101, M202)

Week 1          the bass: sound floor vs. heavy rhythm
Week 2          the piano: rhythm, fills, highlights
Week 3          the bandoneon: drags, fills, variacions
Week 4          the violin: ceiling, texture, melody/harmony
Week 5          the singer: delay, sustain, melody lines

TANGO NUEVO

N101- CONNECTION

Refining your ability to move together fluidly.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, T3)

N102 - DYNAMIC

Adding dynamic by learning when and when not to lean forward and back.

(Prerequisites: T1, T2, T3, N101)

N201- CHANGES OF DIRECTION

Blocking and sending the ocho as a modern method of moving around the floor.