Video Program: Intermediate Tango

The Tango is dramatic and interesting to dance, and to watch. The International style Tango focuses on “legato”movement highlighted with sharp accents. This program picks up where our Beginner program ends.

This is a comprehensive course. Though presented in video form, it’s the same program we teach in our four-week Intermediate Tango group class series. Totaling about two hours in length, this thorough course is broken down into 13 individual pieces that cover the same groups listed in our downloadable choreography guide.

Unlike some of our programs, we structured this one into a routine while maintaining the idea of groupings of figures. If you follow the groups in the order we present them, you’ll be able to dance around the entire four walls of the typical dance floor.

You’ll learn Bronze, Silver and even some Gold figures, and you’ll learn how to put the different figures together to create interesting choreography for your dancing. Each group includes one new figure that we show you in considerable detail so that you understand the principles you’ll need to know to look great on the dance floor and to lead or follow the figure effectively.

Note: We tried some new technology with this program, with mixed results. While the camera did follow us from side to side, allowing us to be closer to the camera, it did occasionally fail to follow the moving body, and had an unfortunate tilting orientation. We also encountered some places where the video went completely sideways, forcing us to cut out entire sequences of instruction. We’ll re-film some sequences soon and replace them to fill in those gaps.

This video program is available to all Delta Dance members.

Curriculum

This course totals about two hours in length, but is divided into 13 different choreography groups to make it easy for you to learn the figures in a proven step-by-step process.

Group 1: Intro, Walks, Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn (length 21:33)
In this initial section we cover some technical details, as well as going over the distinctive qualities of Tango Walks. We conclude with the Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn.

Group 2: Progressive Link and Closed Promenade (length 10:48)
One of the most common step combinations in Tango, the Link and Closed Promenade look great when danced with proper technique.

Group 3: Open Reverse Turn (length 11:35)
In this figure, the couple changes from moving in one direction to moving in the other direction, with the lady stepping outside the man’s feet on step 3.

Group 4: Outside Swivel (length 8:20)
A fun figure that highlights the lady’s swivel actions. There are three different variations of the Outside Swivel. In this course we cover version 1, which is the easiest of the three.

Group 5: Natural Twist Turn (length 7:11)
This is a fun way to turn the corner, as the lady steps around the man. It ends in a link to PP.

Group 6: Back Corte (length 5:10)
A dramatic figure when danced well, with the lady extending her head for beautiful shaping as she follows the man.

Group 7: Contra Check, Challenge Line, Right Foot Lunge (length 15:02)
The Contra Check is perhaps the most iconic line figure in Tango. We combine it with a Challenge Line and Right Foot Lunge for a really fun and dramatic combination that isn’t too hard to do.

Group 8: Natural Promenade Turn (length 4:51)
This figure begins much like the Natural Twist Turn, but the lady does not move around the man. There are different ending options. For this routine, we use a Rock Turn finish as it is easy and a great way to turn the corner.

Group 9: Fallaway Reverse & Slip Pivot (length 9:23)
Possibly the most challenging figure in Tango, this is a Gold level figure. We include it here because there’s no time like now to begin to understand it and work towards being able to dance it.

Group 10: The Chase (length 3:50)
Another Gold figure, the Chase is challenging to lead well. Unfortunately, technical issues caused this filming to be cut short. We are planning to refilm this sequence with more detail in the future. There are different endings available for this figure. For this routine, we end with a Chasse.

Group 11: Oversway (length 7:07)
A fun and dramatic figure, the Oversway can be applied to all dances. While it does typically begin with a Promenade Position prior to the actual drop into the Oversway itself, we have chosen to keep the couple in closed position to make it easier for social dancing.

Group 12: Five Step (length 4:57)
While the Five Step is a Gold figure, in its basic form it is not an especially difficult figure to learn. There are different amounts of turn available. For some of those variations, difficulty goes up considerably. For this routine we use the simplest version, where the couple goes into the corner and links to face out of it, making it pretty easy to dance the figure.

Group 13: Four Step (length 4:15)
After some additional walks and closing action, we move into the final corner with a Four Step. This is a Silver figure very similar to the Five Step with the exception that the lead turns the lady to Promenade Position in between steps 3 and 4. For this reason, some consider this figure more challenging than the Five Step. We end with a Closed Promenade that takes us right to the beginning position of the routine.