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Giro
The giro is the manoeuvre (!) in
which the follower, always facing the leader with her
upper body, is led to step around her leader -
progressively taking backward, open/side, and forward
steps before pivotting 180 into another open/side step
and pivotting 180 and repeating the backward, open/side
and forward steps and so on.
The move can include any number
of the individual elements and can begin and end on any
step although there are favoured entry and exit points
and variations on the timing of the
steps.
Classically, the backward, open,
and forward steps are completed in the same time as the
pivot, open, pivot part; a four-step 360 box around the
leader.
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executed well, with the leader rotating steadily to
face his follower and maintaining his central axis and
the follower taking uniform length steps, keeping her
pivots separate from her steps, thinking of release,
transfer and collect phases of each step, and staying
close to the leader, there is enormous potential for
the leg
play- barridas, boleos, ganchos and
sacadas - that is the essence of Tango!
Mingo Pugliese
is the maestro in using
Petroleo's 8-step giro as a basis for intermediate
level learning.
Rodolfo Aguerrodi
includes detailed giro tuition
in his comprehensive multi-level tango courses.
Richard Manuel
often uses the giro as the basis
for dramatic effects.
Jenny Frances & Ricardo Oria
are one of the most innovative
tango teaching couples, often includng the giro as the
basis for lots of salon fun.
Tango's roots may extend back
into the very late 19th century but this key move was
not invented until the 1940s when Petroleo and his
group in the Nelson Club revolutionised the steps and
approach to give us most of contemporary Argentine
Tango.
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