Modern Tango World N° 10 (Athens, Greece) | Page 32

On the other hand, as the follower, once i am secured
in my axis and the third axis, I can assuming the center
of the dance. i am secure in the present and not antici-
pating the next move. i am ready to walk into the space
created for me. I am confident enough to embellish my
walk., and I can feed energy into the third axis when it is
my turn to walk.
The media vuelta reveals the beauty of the curves of
the dance. It is indeed far more interesting to improvise
in the continuous curved mode than in the flat boring
straight line. By doing this, more pleasant surprises can be
created, enriching the dance. The media vuelta reduces
many possible steps into three fundamental positions —:
forward, side, and back. That’s all!
Adding the tweak of the curve of rotation, instantly in-
troduces the possibilitymof creating a variety of figures.
Three body positions of the partners help determine
what steps are to be taken. The three body positions are:

• facing squarely each other

• offset, walking outside of each other

• offset, on the other side of the body
The skillful switching of weight, creating cross-walking or
parallel walking adds to the tools available for the impro-
visations.
In a nutshell, the most important thing for the leader is
to always know where the follower’s weight is; That is the
leader must know which leg is free and can walk.
I know where she is. I know which leg is free.
From her perspective, where can my following-
partner go with ease?
There will always be at least two options. But, an expe-
rienced dancer will see three options — forward, side
and back. To improvise is to pick one of these options
and make sure it is easily executable, with no bumping
into other dancers or any other unpleasant experience
for the follower.
An important tool for the partners is the concept of
media vuelta. This actually sets them free from memoriz-
ing a bunch of steps. Understanding this concept allows
the dancer to create patterns and figures at will!
To improvise is to offer a possibility to the follower, mak-
ing it as surprising and enjoyable, as possible. One step at
a time that can be easily executed. There are no useless
steps in improvisation. As the follower walks and looks el-
egant, so do both partners. This is one of the most beau-
tiful and inspiring experiences for the couple. There are
infinite possibilities in the combinations of the three posi-
tions — forward, side, and back. As the leader injects the
curves, the experience gets more and more adventurous,
and therefore, more sweet and pleasant!
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