Online Courses

Mastering Giros with Sacadas, Embellishments & more with Veronica Toumanova, Silvia Bivolaru and Winston Veerender.

Note: The workshops are now available online for you on demand. Please look for the email with instructions on how to access the videos after you have signed up. The email will include instructions for how to get one-on-one feedback from the teachers too.

Giros are probably the most complex and versatile figures of Argentine tango. They come in different styles and flavors, use different dynamics and can be danced both in open and close embrace. We can talk about “salon” giros and “milonguero” giros, as well as giros in tango, vals and milonga. When you watch people in a milonga, you will probably notice that nowadays social tango is even more about turning than it is about walking.

In this course we will work on “salon” giros for tango rythm, using half-open or closed embrace. Giros are difficult technically and in terms of musicality, requiring a firm mastery from both leaders and followers who very much depend on each other for a smooth turn, as even the slightest mistake affects the whole couple. We will look into the giro step structure (the so-called “giro code”), its rythmic structure, entry and exit points as well as how to maintain the flow. Giros are very much about geometry and changing your orientation in space, which makes them truly challenging.

We will also work on sacadas (leaders and followers) and dedicate some time to the typical “salon” embellishments (enrosques for the leaders and paradas for the followers). At the end of this course you will have a rich understanding of the giro as one of the major elements of Argentine Tango.

Important Notes:

• You will get a copy of the presentation to keep for yourself and also a full recording of the workshops.
• If you are booking for the workshop internationally from outside the UK, please choose credit/debit card as the option rather than bank transfer. If you face any issues, please send an email to tango.amistoso@gmail.com.

Workshop 1: Giro Technique and fundamental musicality

In this module we will discuss the basic structure of the giro “code” and practice it using some proven classic giro exercises for tango salon. We will also look at the rythmic structure of the giro: the “slow” regular rythm, the contratiempos and the double tiempo.”.

Cost: £15 (or £45 for the whole course)

Workshop 2: Giros with Sacadas

In this module we will improve the sacada technique, both for entering into the partner’s step (leader and follower) as well as receiving sacadas into your steps and the leg movement it creates. We will get an overview of all the possible sacadas and practice them using front, side and back steps.

Cost: £15 (or £45 for the whole course)

Workshop 3: Giros with Enrosques & Embellishments

In this module we will work on the leader’s enrosques (back and front) while leading the follower around in a giro. For the followers, we will practice embellishments during the giro and especially as the giro is coming to a stop (parada and quebradas), to create a nice polished end..

Cost: £15 (or £45 for the whole course)

Workshop 4: Giro Sequences with entries & exits

In this module we will use a structured approach to analyse and recreate different ways of starting and stopping giros. We have two directions (to the closed and open side of embrace), two legs for each partner and three possible steps (front, side, back), all of which combined gives us a whole array of giro variations. We will also learn a quick method of how to analyse, memorise and reproduce a giro figure from a performance video..

Cost: £15 (or £45 for the whole course)