Jose Garafalo Classes 2025 March 13 — 16

Tete Rusconi, Pupi Castello, and Omar Vega: vals, tango, and milonga.

These classes aim to show similar or identical figures in different styles, to vals, tango, and milonga.

Tete — Vals (Thursday March 13, 7-9)

Stomach-to-stomach close embrace, with rolling bodies. Typically the leaders weight is on both feet, shifting dynamically.

Salida of the 40s

  • Leader side L along line of dance, trailing R

  • Pivot follow 1/4 turn and shift her to L: this may involve adjusting to R and back to L

  • Leader large and powerful front R, leading follow to cross. To assure a cross, step slightly away from the follows R foot.

  • Walk out.

Giro to left followed by salido of the 40s

  • Leader side L

  • Leader front R: follow back L, side R

  • (not sure) Leader sacada L follows front L, crossing behind and pivoting.

  • (or) Leader cross behind to follows front L, unwinding the enrosque as follow does giro(s)

  • End by accompanying follows side step after front

  • Pivot, placing follow on L

  • Long step to cross

  • walk out

This can have all sorts of accompaniments to the giros, such as step-for-step, lapiz, double time steps, etc.

Turn to right after cross

  • Leader side L

  • Leader front R

  • Leader front L, cross behind: follow crosses

  • Leader side L near follows back foot: follow unwinds and front R, pivot

  • Leader front R sacada: follow side L

  • Leader cross behind and enrosque/spin: follow giro

  • To exit, on follows front R lead ocho and front L, pivot

  • Leader front R, follow back R, cross

  • Walk out

Not an ocho cortado on the right, followed by back ochos on the left

  • Walk forward, ending on leader’s L foot

  • Leader R back pivoting, opening space for follow L front, R front, pivot, hook L

    • Leader shifts back to L on follow front, hook. (There might be another step here, follow front L)

  • Follow unhook and side R and pivot, leader adjusts and shifts to R

  • Follow back L, pivot as leader side L

  • Follow back R, pivot, as leader side R

  • Leader front L, follow back L

  • Leader front R, follow back R, cross

  • walk out.

Pupi Castello — Tango — March 15

Trenner tango archive videos:

Extensive YouTube playlist

First idea is to dynamically expand the embrace without losing the follow.

  • Leader side L in close embrace

  • Leader strong front R, opening embrace: follow back L, diagonal R,

  • Leader catch the L with L, parada: follow front L, pivot

  • Follow step over, front ocho, pivot, walk out

Now do this more in a line:

  • Leader side L in close embrace

  • Leader strong front R, opening embrace: follow back L, back R R,

  • Leader catch the L with L, parada: follow cross L in front

  • Follow step over, front ocho, pivot, walk out

Omar Vega — Milonga — March 15

Milonga traspie came from chamame, a popular dance with a rocking rhythm.

The main idea is to find the rhythm of milonga, pushing on every beat, with a relaxed feel, and moving the center of gravity, and keeping down.

Dance a milonga in half-time to find the beats, side, front, front, side

Now shift to cross system and do simultaneous giros in half time. For a left giro, side L, front R, leader side traspie L to follows side R, and now we are in cross system. To get out, leader traspies some step, probably the side after front.

For a right giro, front R, front L, back R traspie diagonal to follow open L, now front R to follows front R.

Back ochos, in a straight line, with leader double-time (or follow half-time): leader front R, change, side L, change, etc. Or, crossing behind on one or both sides. With these, touch the follow’s L foot inside. For equal timing, leader front R, back L

Front ochos, same timing: leader back L, together, or back L, cross in back.

Berritin beginner class

Walk…​

Traspies (I think)

Walk with almost ocho cortado…​ leader front L rebote, back L, back R rebote, cross R behind "marcato" with energy.

Now turn the cross behind into leader a giro to the left with an enrosque.

Now add lapiz and parada. The lapiz extends with the follows back step.

Advanced couples workshop on high sacadas

See also Jose’s instructional video vol 3.

Walk in close embrace, "rolling bodies", and sacada every step with a gentle high (thighs touching) linear sacada.

Practice going back and forth each partner sacadaing the other.

We can practice this inside, outside, with both legs.

Figure

Get in cross system.

  • Leader R sacada inside follows back R

  • Leader L sacada outside follows back L, causing a cross in front.

  • Follow rebounds onto R: leader stays on L: both pivot R

  • Leader R sacada inside follows side L: both pivot

  • Leader L sacada inside follows side R

  • Leader front R outside follow back L

  • continue walking out.

This figure spirals intensely.

Linear figure

This is just a sample: the idea is to be able to do any inside or outside high linear sacada with either leg on either leg.

This works very well to Fresedo: it does not work well to D’Arienzo or Biagi.

  • Leader side L: follow side R

  • Leader front R, cross behind: follow back L

  • Leader inside sacada R: follow back R

  • Leader front L, cross behind: follow back L

  • Leader inside sacada L: follow back R

  • Leader inside sacada R: follow back L

  • Leader outside sacada L and step together: follow back R and cross.

Crossing behind to change system can happen with the sacada or after the sacada. This can go backwards, with the follower doing the sacadas. These can all turn into ganchos.