Omar Vega with Luciana Valle, Intermediate and Advanced Tango, 1998

https://trennerstangoarchive.com/programs/omar-vega-luciana-valle-intermediate-advanced-tango-class-btttv-buenos-aires-1998

Demos

Basic technique

7:11: Embrace

Each couple will have their own embrace. The hand positions, angle, and distance between the partners may all vary.

8:30: The feet

Feet together, next to each other, showing no turnout. Being directly in front of the woman is not natural: the natural position has the man’s right foot between the womans feet, slightly offset, and slightly leaning forward.

Salidas

10:20: Omar’s basic salida

After a side step, giro to the left, and walk to cross with some minor leader adornos.

He demonstrates the normal and cross-system basic steps, where he crosses behind without changing feet at the cross.

Leader side L: follow side R
Leader front R outside, leaving L behind: follow back L, side R starting giro
Leader pivot on R, step back L, leaving R in front: follow front L, pivot
Leader pivot on L and shift back to R: follow side R in between leaders feet, pivot, L crosses in back. Leader is now facing down line of dance with weight in back on R.
Leader shift forward to L: follow back L
Leader front R outside, bringing L crossed in back: follow back R, cross L in front, change feet
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, close and change feet: follow side L, close and change feet.

16:41: Another salida suitable for slow and dramatic music

This has two slight bridges, wiggling the woman.

Leader side L and pivot, leading the follow to step R in between leaders feet, and hook behind
Leader back R (with the pivot) and down, bridge, and wiggle follow
Leader front L, follow back L
Leader front R outside, bringing feet together and changing to L, follow back R and cross.
Leader slightly back R, hop onto L and back and down R, bridge, and wiggle follow on L
Leader front L, follow back R
Leader side R, together, follow side L together.

19:06: A third salida useful for any music, slow or fast

This has a giro to the L

Leader side L: follow side R
Leader front R outside with energy and twisting L behind: follow back L, side R starting giro
Leader side R next to follow’s back R: follow front L, pivot
Leader L is next to follows L, so step onto L to sacada : follow side R, pivot
Leader front R outside starting walk to cross : follow back L
Leader front L, together: follow back R, cross
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, together, follow side L together.

21:08: A fourth salida, the same as the third but in the other direction

Walk to cross, unwind and giro to R with two near-sacadas and a parada: walk to cross. The leader’s two near-sacadas form a double axis turn.

Leader side L: follow side R
Leader front R outside: follow back L
Leader front L, cross behind: follow back R, cross in front
Leader front L next to follows L, follow unwind and front R next to leader’s R and pivot
Leader shift back to R forming a near-sacada and pivot with follow: follow side L and pivot
Leader side l parada inside follow’s L: follow back R The leaders feet are a quite small distance apart.
Leader front R outside, follow back L
Leader front L, together: follow back R and cross
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, together: follow side L, together

23:23: Demo to Di Sarli

24:36: Rhythm steps

This will cover various ways of using contratiempo, 1-2-3

25:42: Simple example, 1-3-1-2-3

Leader side L 1
Leader front R inside 3
Leader front L 1, front R 2
Leader front L 3
Leader front R 1 etc

26:10: Same rhythm but more interesting steps

Leader side L 1
Leader front R outside 3
Leader front L 1, front R 2
Leader front L outside 3
Leader pivot, side R 1
Leader close 3

26:25: Another example

Leader side L 3
Leader front R outside 1, sacada follows R
Leader back L 2: follow more or less cross R in front
Leader back R 3: follow front L across leader
Leader pauses: follow front ocho, front R back across leader, front pivot, front L
walk out

27:10: Another example with a walking turn

Leader side L 1
Leader front R 3
Leader front L 1, pivot, side R 2, pivot: follow back R diagonal, cross in front L
Leader side L 3 and pivot to line of dance, keeping weight on both feet: follow side R
Leader shift to L, leading follow to a small back L
Leader front R, fake behind L: follow back R, cross
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, together: follow side L, together.

27:40: Demo of rhythmic steps to Di Sarli

29:20 Traspies

29:50: Walking with cross-behind traspies

Leader side L 1: follow side R
Leader front R 3, cross behind L 4: follow back L 3
Leader front R 1, front L 2 and cross behind 3: follow back R 1 and cross 3
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, together: follow side L, together.

30:55: Another traspie element

Leader side L 1: follow side R
Leader front R 1 together L 2 back R 3: follow back L 1 rebote to front R 3
Leader front L 1: follow back L 1
Leader front R 3, fake behind: follow back R 3, cross
Leader front L 1: follow back R
Leader side R, together: follow side L, together.

31:18: Another traspie with triple steps and a follower circulo to the left

Leader side L: follow side R
(starting 5 step circulo) Leader front R, cross back and shift L, front R (triple step R): follow back L
Leader triple step L: follow back R
Leader triple step R: follow back L
Leader triple step L: follow back R
Leader front R: follow back L
Leader front L, change feet: follow back R and cross
Leader front L: follow back R
Leader side R, together: follow side L, together

31:45: Detail of 30:55: Another traspie element

32:22: Another traspie, with sacada, that can repeat

Leader side L: follow side R
Leader front R, cross behind L: follow back L
Leader front R, linear sacada follow back R
Leader front L inside follow R (to leaders R of) and pivot: follow back L
Leader side R: follow back R
Leader pivot and cross behind L: follow pivot on R This can repeat from second step