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Tag: specialty
Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

Linear Boleos

What is a Linear Boleo ? Firstly there are many varieties of Boleos. Tango Topics is only talking about 3 very common ones: Social, Circular, and today’s topic: The Linear Boleo. To be clear there are low linear, midrange linear, and then there are the high Linear Boleo. So what is it ? This is a lifting of the leg (Lead or Follow, typically though it’s the Follower’s leg) that tends to be sent straight back and up. This is why they’re called "Linear" Boleos because they’re in a LINE with the walking step. In this version of the Linear Boleo, we’re exploring a Mid-Range Linear Boleo or what Tango Topics refers to as a Mid-Height Linear Boleo.

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Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

Four Common Ganchos

Gancho. The word in Spanish translates to the English word, roughly, as ‘Hook’. From an Argentine Tango perspective it has a very specific meaning. You’ve seen these things hundreds of times, and while the vocabulary itself has a connotation as being somewhat ‘cheesy’, and only done by beginner leads who don’t know any better, the reality is a that it is a venerable piece of Tango vocabulary that do have a valid place off the main trunk of the Tango history tree. The story goes that while the Gancho existed long before Norberto “El Pulpo” Esbrez came along, his contribution to its storied history is where creativity meets innovation, specifically with regards to ‘elasticity’ and the Enganche. He is/was credited with pioneering and exploration the ‘invasion’ of the standing leg, the response of the free leg, as well as the space in between the opening of a step, and quite factually (if not literally), the intersection of these ideas.

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Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

The Golden Nugget

The Golden Nugget is a Tango Topics construct, and is quite possibly the one tango pattern that you will ever need to know to dance tango. Put another way it’s a piece of Tango vocabulary (a pattern) that works in all 3 dances, is highly extensible (meaning it can be modified endlessly), extremely adornable (meaning you can adorn it), and is insanely musical!

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Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

Golden Nugget Extensions

What is a Golden Nugget Extension ? The title is a both a double-entendre as well as a deliberate explanation of what it is. First, it’s taking the Golden Nugget and adding an expansion pack to it. Things you probably hadn’t thought of when playing with The Golden Nugget. Secondly, it’s adding extensions to everything, everywhere!

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Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

Ocho Cortado Wrap

What is An Ocho Cortado Wrap ? Put simply it’s a Follower’s leg wrap (an Enganche) mixed with an Ocho Cortado (the ‘Broken’ Ocho). To be fair the Ocho Cortado is not really an Ocho, not by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it a broken one at that. It is more akin to the Follower’s Molinete more than anything else.

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Vocabulary
Miles Tangos

Gooey Ganchos

What is a ‘Gooey’ Gancho ? In specific it means that while this particular variety is usually executed from the Follower’s position, the Lead can and should under certain conditions engage in the same variation but not for the same reasons that the Follower will. So what is it ? In specific it is a slow motion Gancho, and in particular the ‘Launching’ leg of the dancer who is being “Gancho’d”. Everything prior to the Gancho happening is not the ‘Gooey’ part. The ‘Gooey’ part comes when the leg that is being lifted moves to engage the hooking action of the Gancho in a very slow, but very deliberate way. Very slow. 🙂

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