As a milonguera, I experience a common problem in some of my dance partners. I often realise a lack of cleanliness and accuracy in the weight transfer. One of the basic tools you have learned in your tango class is the weight change, el cambio de peso in zero position. This critical point has underestimated importance in tango.
The ” cambio de peso ” has multiple tasks to solve, while its technical implementation shall be clear and clean. A topic often failed to see or ignored. This very basic element in tango makes a big different about your dance. Clean feet positioning makes the difference in your dance, for a leader as well for a follower.
Multiple tasks of the weight change
we can define several tasks that have importance in tango:
- A tool to determine the axis of the follower
- Function as a filler for pauses
- To slow down the dance
- A tool to interprete the music
1. A tool to determine the axis of the follower
Straight from the beginning, but also during the dance, the leader has to sense and determine the axis of the follower. In his intention, for example to change rhythm and follow on with the walk, or to start some figure, he needs to know where the followers axis is. If necessary he has to change the weight according to his next intention, while the follower never change her weight on her own.
Followers embellishments which include individual weight change (advanced level), I am excluding here from my considerations.
2. Function as a filler for pauses
After a musical phrase, the music demands a pause. The leader can as well choose to pause the walk or a movement on his own musical interpretation. These pauses can be filled with a decorative pose or like mostly in social tango, with weight transfers.
3. The ” cambio de peso ” as a tool to slow down the dance
Sometimes dancers get drawn by the rhythm of the music and do not know how to avoid to speed up further. By using weight changes you take out the monotony of continuing walking in dominant rhythm.
4. A tool to interprete the music
As a beginner you are not able to control the music neither do complicated figures. First target for a beginner will be to control the music with simple walking. Weight changes applied with different timings are not that difficult to handle and should be first aim for any beginner to come further than regular beat walking.
Try out different rhythms just by stepping in place ( weight changing ) you will be surprised how many options you have.
The correct technical details of the weight change
- heels of your feet are joined together in zero position
- 3 different positions in the weight change
- Your navel moves parallel to the ground while weight changing.
1. Heels of your feet are joined together in zero position
Zero position is the position when you are at your base, or your center. Both heels touch each other, while your big toes keep a little distance from eachother. When walking, you will always pass this center without hesitation, your feet will follow a line and pass exactly the zero point. Practice a lot to go “through your center”, that it becomes a habit by muscle memory.
2. 3 different positions of the ” cambio de peso “
- Center: When you are in the center, your weight is distributed equally on each leg in zero position. Keep your legs straight with soft knees. (up)
- Left or right : when weight is on one side, keep that hip, which is over the free leg, relaxed. Feel heaviness in the free leg and flex the knee of the free leg. The standing leg keeps straight. (grounded)
3. Your navel of your body moves parallel to the ground while weight changing.
When you change weight from one leg to the other, think of your navel moves on a virtual line parallel to the floor. Totally relax the knee and hip of your free leg. Feel heaviness over the free leg, this anchors you to the ground, gives you traction and stability. Feel a very little up and dowm movement, like a soft curve happening in your body, while changing from one side via the center to the other side. Keep your shoulder on a parallel line to the floor as well.
General mistakes
- Open feet during the weight change.
- Pendulum movements create inbalance
- bouncing movement of the arms and shoulders
1.Open feet during the weight change.
When the feet are not placed accurately in the center, the quality of the dance and of course the connection in the couple will suffer. This is a mistake seen in many dancers.
If the leader opens his feet when he comes to a closing , it is difficult for the follower to apply proper walking in line. The couple will disconnect or shaking as a result.
If the follower is not clean in her zero position it may happen that the leader will touch her toe when start walking.
2. Pendulum movements create inbalance
People love to walk with open legs or close the dance with open legs because it gives them more stability. The problem for this instability is the wrong movement they apply.
During the ” cambio de peso ” they do not relax the free leg. They move the body in a pendulum motion. As a consequence the hip will leave its parallel line to the floor. In consequence the person looses balance. As a remedy to gain balance again, the person opens its legs.
3. Bouncing movement with arms and shoulders
Some people like to lead the weight change with bouncing shoulder and arm movements. This helps to signalise their intention but will not hide their lack in feet positioning. In tango we try to avoid all unecessary upper body movements.
Those little details are often not considered as relevant. Hopefully I could convince you to pay more attention to this on your way to to dance like a pro.
