Intermediate class reviews from Jan 1, 2020

Terminology:
LOD - Line of Dance
CS - Cross System
PS - Parallel System
PIP - Pivot in Place i.e. leader pivots the follower, usually to face the leader.
Walk to Cross - Lead follower to crusada.  Usually PS but sometimes CS (cross system).

8 count basic - e.g. 6,7, 8 because so many patterns use step 6, 7, 8 as a resolution to a pattern it's easier to just say step 6,7,8.  That works for other parts of the 8 count basic as well, for example you might say step 1,2,3  to indicate the leader takes one step back, one step to the side, then one step outside partner which is the first three steps of the 8 count basic.  That opening happens a lot in patterns as well.

The goal here is a highly experienced leader could print out the sequence steps and do the pattern at a practica with no access to the video.  So all sequence descriptions will be from the leader perspective unless specified otherwise.


Class review from 2/10/2020

Sweet turns (my name for these) in cross and parallel system with the leader walking forward.  They can also be done with the leader walking backwards and follower walking forward.  All sweet turns are two steps no matter which direction: one step will be a short, straight step forward or backward and the next step will be the big pivot step for the follower.




Class review from 2/25/2020


Begin 90 degrees to LOD

1) Side step entry to gentle abanicos (hand fans), exit to Americana.
2) Use Americana momentum to enter counter clockwise molinete, leader does lapiz embellishment and stops molinete with parada/pasada combination.

3) Reverse the pattern into a clockwise molinete with leader doing another lapiz and stopping with parada/pasada combination.
4) Resolution - forward ocho pivot back to line of dance.





Class review from 2/18/2020


Sequence 1

1) Side step then leader does a "hand fan" (abanico) of the follower's free leg. The leader is deliberately fanning the follower's free leg the way a woman would fan her face with an open fan.
2) 2 step linear grapevine (side, back) ending with the leader steping around the follower with a side step while suspending the follower so the follower stays on one foot.
3) Use the momentum from step 2 to enter a media luna. Stop the media luna with a sacada to a parada/pasada combination.
4) Resolution - Follower does one forward ocho to return to LOD and walks out.
Sequence 2
1) Side step to back boleo then into americana.
2) From Americana leader begins a molinete. Leader does a lapiz embellishment before stopping the molinete with a parada/pasada combination.
3) Resolution - follower does two forward ochos to return to LOD.





Class review from 2/11/2020


Sequence 1
CS media Vuelta with sacadas, media lunas and parada/pasadas
1)     Leader does back, side and syncopates to CS.
2)     Leader takes one CS step then leads CS media Vuelta
3)     After follower’s final forward step from media Vuelta leader leads side step and sacadas follower with right leg (Adrian gets fancy and enrosques his right leg before the sacada).
4)     Leader uses sacada momentum to lead a fancy back ocho to a parada (stop).  Adrian shows off by placing his left foot behind the followers trailing heel.
5)     Resolution – forward ocho to pasada then two forward ochos to return follower to LOD.

Sequence 2
Begin at 90 degrees to LOD
1)     Side step entry to mirrored linear open grapevine down LOD.
2)     End grapevine with back ocho, leader takes one side step leading follower in calisita then takes a forward step as entry to a media luna.
3)     Leader sacadas follower with left leg on her forward step that ends the media luna.
4)     Resolution – parada/pasada combination over leaders right foot, forward ochos to return follower to LOD.








Class review from 2/4/2020


First sequence:

Begin at 90 degrees to LOD (Line Of Dance).
From the leader perspective:

1) back, side, syncopate to CS (Cross System)
2) One CS step entry to CS (Cross System) media vuelta
3) Exit media vuelta with one step back entry into ocho cortado.
4) Two PS (parallel system) rebounds, first rebound with leader left, next with leader right.
5) PIP to face LOD.
6) Resolution - Step inside in PS, then step 3, 6, 7, 8 of 8 count basic.

Second sequence:
Begin at 90 degrees to LOD.

1) back, side, syncopate to CS.
2) two back ocho entry to a soft (social) back boleo.
3) Forward step out of boleo then pivot follower to face leader.
4) One rebound in PS (parallel system) as entry into a PS media vuelta.
5) Pivot in place to face leader.
6) Side step, pivot in place to face LOD.
7) Resolution - cross system walk to cross then step 6,7, 8 from 8 count basic.




Vals class in 2020.

Class 7 review

The first pattern is a review from two weeks ago. It was a student request. That pattern is a side step then a back ocho entry into a media luna. The media luna is continued into another media luna but Adrian does a leader embellishment of a back cross then sacada. The real review starts at :47 seconds. The pattern is a side step entry into a follower half turn i.e. the follower does back/side/forward. Note how the leader lets the follower take the first back step alone so he can store up the tension in his body. Then the leader joins the follower in stepping at the same time but the delay in that first step is important. The leader stops the follower after her forward step which is the end of the back/side/forward half turn. The leader does this by stepping close to the follower’s trailing foot with his left foot and then leading a big pivot so her forward step turns into a big forward ocho which helps to drain the follower’s momentum. The resolution is a forward to back alteration. Note that Adrian does not use the word “alteration” he calls it “absorbing” the follower’s energy but the commonly used name for that resolution is a forward to back “alteration”. They also did another review dance to a fast vals to demonstrate the timing.


Class 7 review to a fast waltz.




Class 6 review

Class 5 (with Class 4 review)


Andrea and Adrian's vals class 5 review:
Vals class 5 review.
Note the review starts with a review of class 4 patterns which were two:
Media Luna turn and clockwise Molinete with side step entry. (note the slight pause of the leader on the side step entry. Leader side steps just short of follower and leads the molinete but waits a bit to gather momentum from the followers 1,2 synchronization).
So the first demonstration is actually from class 4 that starts with a giant, cross system rock step pivot into the media luna pattern then a back step to a side step entry into the molinete.
Class 5 review starts at 1:21 in video.
Couple starts at 90 degrees to LOD
1) Side step toward LOD, leader changes weight into cross system and takes one CS step then one side step to put follower in sentada position. Note leaders right arm encircling follower and stepping very close to "trap" the follower in the sentada position.
2) Leader firmly leads a quick forward,side 1,2 syncopated step of follower around him while he switches wieght.
3) Resolution - cross system walk to cross.




Class 3  Feb. 10, 2020

1st sequence.

Interrupted walk to crusada with big rebounds and two back ochos done to Vals 1,2,1 syncopation

1)     Leader cross system walk to cross but… leader does a giant rebound at step 4 instead of continuing to crusada.  This is not a normal rebound, this is a giant rebound that is so big the leader doesn’t have time to collect.  He moves his trailing leg out of the way so far the follower takes a big side step and ends up facing 180 degrees from her start position.
2)     Leader does a cross system rebound big enough to take the follower in another 180 degree pivot so she is facing LOD again.  Note: Andrea says the followers leg is ‘trapped’ in this rebound position.  She didn’t use the word “push” (Spanish: empijadita) but that is the position.  The leader’s legs are so close to the follower in this rebound their thighs might actually touch.  I’m tempted to call this rebound an “empijadita” rebound.
3)     Two back ochos.  Note the leader has to make space for the followers legs if he really has done an “empijadita” rebound.
4)     Resolution – cross system walk to cross, 6,7,8

2nd sequence.
Back ocho entry to media luna.

1)     Leader side steps and syncopates into cross system.
2)     Leads back ocho entry into media luna.  Note that: Andrea did not teach it but the leader really needs to make sure his forward step weight change happens just after the follower’s back step.  If he does the follower’s 1,2,1 back-side, forward syncopated turn will happen almost automatically.
3)     Resolution – leader absorbs all the follower’s energy at the end of the media luna and then does a back step and side step in an extremely boring resolution.  But it shows the leader is in complete control of the follower momentum.




Class 2, Jan 13, 2020




Class 1, Jan 6, 2020



Intermediate class reviews from Nov 2018

Class review for Dec 17, 2019



Class review for Dec 3, 2019




Class review for Nov 26, 2019



Class review for Nov 19, 2019




Class review for Nov. 12, 2019





Class review for Nov. 5, 2019






Class review for Oct 29, 2019


Class review for Oct 22, 2019



Class review for Oct 1, 2019



Class review for Sept. 10, 2019



Class review for July 9, 2019



Class review for July 2, 2019




Class review for June 25, 2019



Class review for June 18, 2019



Class Review for June 4, 2019




Class Review for May 21, 2019


Class Review for May 13, 2019


Class Review for April 30, 2019

Class review for Mar 26, 2019



Class review for Mar 19, 2019



Class review for Mar 12, 2019




Class review for Mar 5, 2019




Class review for Feb 26, 2019




Class review for Feb 19, 2019



Pre milonga class review Dec 15, 2018



Class review for Dec 4, 2018


Class review for Nov 20, 2018

 

Class review for Nov 13, 2018



Class review for Nov 6, 2018

Intermediate Class Reviews until Oct. 2018


Class review for Oct 30, 2018



Class review for Oct 23, 2018



Class review for Oct 16, 2018



Class review for Oct 8, 2018


Class review for Oct 2, 2018




Class review for Sept 25, 2018




Class review for Sept 18, 2018




Class review for June 27, 2018



Class review June 3, 2018 at the Starlite Ballroom


Class review May 22, 2018



Class review May 15, 2018



Class review May 8, 2018



Class review May 1, 2018



Class review April 24, 2018


Class review March 6, 2018



Class review Feb. 13, 2018


Class review Feb. 6, 2018 (Thanks Miki san!)



Class review Nov. 28, 2017

 


Class review Nov. 22, 2017



Class review Oct. 3, 2017


Class review Sept. 26, 2017



Back from Buenos Aires!
Class review September 19, 2017



Class review July 5, 2017

 


Class review May 26, 2017

 

Class review May 17, 2017

 


Class review April 27, 2017

 

Class review April 5, 2017

 



Class review March 29, 2017

 


Class review for March 15, 2017
Adrian's back!!!

 


Class review for Feb. 22, 2017

 
 with music





Pre-milonga class for Feb 17, 2017

 



Review dance for Feb 15, 2017

 

Review dance for Dec 7, 2016

 

Review dance for Nov 30, 2016

 

Review dance for Nov 23, 2016:






Additional review dance for Nov. 23rd:





















 














Adrian is back from Europe!