TANGO TIPS – 14 September 2025
The following is a copy of the notes provided to participants at a “Tango Tips” musicality interlude at the Toca Tango Practilonga in Auckland.
Today’s tip is about a way to practice dancing to vals music phrases and executing resolution steps to match the resolutions of the music phrases.
The tip draws on a vals workshop by Sebastian Jimenez and Maria Ines Bogado that was similar to the workshop published on YouTube at:
To resolve phrases, we first have to hear and step to
align with the
# the vals compas and
# the vals phrases
For the exercise proposed you should choose one of the many vals recordings that is structured with equal length phrases.
The exercise proposed, assuming a vals with “8 compas beat” phrases, is to step forward on the first six compas beats (i.e. the “one’s” of each set of “1 2 3” beats), then on the final two compas beats of the phrase, take a sidestep together with other possibilties as a resolution of the phrase and as a preparation for the next phrase.
For an “8 compas beat” phrase, step forward only on the first six “ones”
For the final two “ones”, sidestep choosing either:
(1) side close
(2) side tap
(3) other side close
(4) other side tap
For those who can nail the basic four easily and regularly there are many more complex variations to choose from including:
For the final two “ones”, sidestep choosing either:
(5) & (6) side close side [1 – 3, 1] both sides
(7) & (8) side close side [1 2 -, 1] both sides
(9) forward close back close [1 2 3, 1]
Try resolving phrases in at least one vals of DJ-Peter’s vals tanda.
For those who can handle the more complex resolutions:
# dance the whole vals phrase-by-phrase
# dance each section differently
# dance the whole vals smoothly and continuously
Postscript:
Practice this exercise solo first to test yourself
Practice in couples later to test your leading and following
Stu 14 September 2025
