One of the most danced figures in argentine tango for the lady is the front ocho, a small figure consisting of two basic technics:
According to the direction, we differentiate in front ocho or back ocho , (ocho adelante ocho atras), also known as front and back crosses.
The front ocho. ( front cross )
In this article I explore about the ocho adelante regarding the technical and musical process.
First I explain the complex technic by cutting down the movement in 4 parts;
the preparation (a) the slide, project and transfer (b) the push, point and stretch (c) and the final relax and pivot (d) .
Finally I will show different applications to the music, the cross in 1,2 and 4 beats.
Technical perspectives of the front cross.
Preparation (a)
Her weight is on one leg with the free leg between her and the leader. She presents her streched free leg in front of her standing leg.
Slide and project to transfer (b )
She further extends her free leg for sliding then she transfers her weight foreward with a push from her standing leg.
Depending on the size of the front ocho, a small one, or a huge dynamic one , or even something in bewtween, she will just relax her knee or bend her standing leg a little in order to create a much bigger step. More about this technique here.
Push,point and stretch (c)
Once she has arrived with all her weight on the new standing leg, she points her toes of your departing leg and press them into the floor . This enables the leg to reach a full stretch.
Relax and pivot (d)
Then she will relax the free leg to collect to zero and finishes with a pivot. The energy she receives from relaxing the free leg together with the twist in her spine she will transform into the pivot.
To be repeated (a) for an other front ocho.
Shall the leader want to stop the series of ochos he will lead you a small pivot just to come back to the frontal zero position.
During the process her upper body stays connected with the leader. (While practicing on the barre she is facing the mirror all the time, while her hands holding on the barre ) The hips are activ and facing the direction of the movement. The torso isolates in the waist line. This action needs lots of preparation. It is beneficial to do latin dance or bellydance, or diciplines like Yoga and Pilates to work on flexibility in the spine.
Application to the music.
The front ocho can be danced in different rhythms. Usually she will need 2 beats to complete the movement. Step in the strong beat and pivot in the low beat.
Depending on how the dancers will interprete the music, they may use 1 beat ( different technique applies) or the movement will be stretched to a whole bar ( 4 beats). When the ocho is danced over a full bar , the lady will step in the 1. beat and then devide the rest of the movement to her own interpretation (embellishments) until she will finish with the pivot in 4. For these slow ochos over one bar you might want to perform to slow melodical music with deep steps.
Exceptions :
For ochos in 1 beat you will stay in zero position and combine weight changing with small pivots. Same technic can be used for mini ochos in double time.
Common mistakes:
- Pivoting with two feet or changing weight during the pivot.
- Finish the pivot, think of always of turn a little bit more than needed to be sure you have space for your free foot to pass through. Make sure that you are not stumbling over your toe.
- bending both knees together during the movement.
Check out my article about the back ocho.
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