Jenny & Ricardo teach vals

Hints & Myths about Argentine Tango

Cambridge Vals

These notes summarise a second vals workshop taught by Jenny Frances and Ricardo Oria in December 2004.

The lesson worked on the vals rhythm and introduced some moves that work within the suspense and release mood of the vals rhythm.

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Th lesson began with some warming up exercises:

With everyone in a circle; each stands on one foot and rotates the foot from the ankle and then the leg from the hip until relaxed, then works on the other leg.

We then played with backward ochos:

Leader steps wide to his left on his left leg as follower steps naturally to her right onto her right leg;

Leader, in contratime, now closes his right leg against his left, drawing his follower into a backward step onto her left leg;

Leader, in contratime, steps to his left on his left leg pivoting his follower into a back step to his left and onto her right leg.

(We are now in cross system)

... adding a back step to the right ...

Leader pivots his follower and moves his right leg to his right drawing follower into a backward step to his right;

Leader changes weight onto his left foot and moves his right leg forward and to his right deep between his follower's legs so his thigh sacadas his follower's left leg in front of her right leg in a forward boleo or trabada;

Leader now briefly holds this position close against follower (suspense) turning further

Leader completes the move by stepping back strongly on his right leg to draw his slightly resistant follower into a big forward step on his left side and onto her left leg (release)

... and leading her into a giro with a leader's planeo and follower's pasada...

Follower steps onto her right leg to the side and around her leader drawing her leader around with her as he crosses his free left leg in front of his right

Leader moves his left foot forward to begin his planeo as his follower takes her backward step onto her left leg;

Leader sweeps his left foot around in his planeo as his follower completes her side step onto her right leg;

Leader completes his planeo by finding his follower's left foot as she completes her forward step onto her left foot;

Leader pauses pivoting his follower back into the pasada across him and onto her right leg;