Tango Steps redefined?

Oleh posted an article on Jan 28th about Brigitta Winkler’s mention of the “real” steps in tango:

She introduced the idea that there are only 3 steps in Tango (and all 3 can be considered basic). These are: open, cross forward, and cross back.

I am a bit surprised. Not because the idea is so simple and so correct. (Although there are even deeper implications to this way of thinking/dancing than can be discussed here). Mostly because I have heard and read about this approach in Mauricio Castro’s Tango Discovery - or better in his book ‘Tango Doscovery - The Matrix’ who basically published a book talking about nothing else than all possible combinations of these three basic steps (+ no step). A combinatorial masterpiece, but not really a practical approach - nothing is taken away from you, it still is up to you to examine and explore the ideas with a partner. Mauricio is also really commercializing this stuff, it sounds just like he has grasped that in addition to being quite analytical he can also benefit from a good marketing backing him. Nevertheless good work.

Just wondering now: where did this all start? Who was the first “Tango scientist”?

5 Responses to “Tango Steps redefined?”


  1. 1 eT

    Not only Brigitta Winkler is advocating this idea but also Chicho.

    I took classes with Chicho in Buenos Aires in March 2004 when he and his partner Eugenia Parilla disected tango into these three basic steps … ‘not more’.

    But well: You know what it means when Chicho leaves you behind with the ‘no more’ or ‘you can do this … NO you can’t!’ - feeling! :-)

    eT
    http://www.eTanguero.net/
    .

  2. 2 dekay

    I suppose either there was no “one” who did the first dissection or that it all came from a certain momentum of the last tango revival that was filled with professional dancers started… anyhow the teaching of these concepts has not been as vivid as it is these days - and there is still way to go.

  3. 3 eT

    I agree with you: as with more or less all in tango …
    … suddenly it was there!

    eT
    http://www.eTanguero.net/
    .

  4. 4 Weiling Xu

    Hello.
    I have a project to introduce the tango so that I want to ask the steps of tango that has basic step,corte step,promanate step,off set step,progressiv step. Can you tell me how to dance those steps?
    Sincerely,
    Weiling

  5. 5 dekay

    Weiling,

    I am not completely certain what you are asking: are you talking about the Argentine Tango or Ballroom Tango? (For an explanation see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango). Do you have any dance experience with tango? In what setting do you need to make your demonstration?

    Dan

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