Stefani Kang Tango

Tango for Body and Soul

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How to dance like a pro – 10 powerful hints for leaders

You are watching your favorite tango master performing and asking yourself, oh gosh, I wish I could dance like him. Due to the fact that you are already in your forties maybe fifties,  with a full-time job to concentrate on, this wish might be an  impossible dream to become true. With just 10 powerful hints for leaders, you will know how to dance like a pro.

His dance qualities convinced you to adore him, but his invisible attributes, are those who make him a real master.

Dance like a pro.

1. Invite with style and etiquette.

Always invite the lady with a cabeceo. This gives her the chance to reject, if she is not ready to dance jet, or she feels not confident to dance with you for whatever reason. A leader, has to respect possible rejections. To be the active part, does not give the man the right to take every woman he wants. There are etiquettes to follow in respect of the woman. Furthermore the cabeceo gives the leader  the necessary protection not to embarrass himself.

2. Impress on first sight.

Clean and elegant appearance with a well fragrant aftershave will not only make you attractive as a dancer. Furthermore, it declares your respect for your partner.
Only when dancers are very, very good, women would look over hygiene aspects. Real pros always dress and smell well.
Something to copy, indeed!

3. Convince with your embrace.

Many men have just one kind of embrace and they use this for any women. Sometimes it works, often not. Simply because different women demand different embraces.
Ask your teacher for advice, which options to chose for a much shorter, much taller partner, a beginner, or advanced dancer, some one who only knows open embrace others prefer the close embrace.
It is advisable to make a little research about this topic. Dance with some follower friends and ask them how they feel. The embrace is a very personal matter and there are no fixed techniques.
You will have to find out what is best for you in relation to different women.
Find detailed information in my article about the secrets of the embrace.
Once you are able to maintain a nice connection in the embrace of any woman, you will have that special edge.

4. Keep it simple.

Have you seen professional dancers dancing on the social floor and  improvise?
  • They keep everything quite simple. They start very basic, very calm. Building up connection first, connection with the partner and the music. They walk and walk,  indulging themselves and their partner with serenity.
  • Step by step they build up excitement with little turns, alternating rhythms, and pauses. No big figures. They continue with a milonguero turn and some simple combination, most ladies are able to follow. This is the time to find out how the partner is able to respond.
  • They wait for the music to build up towards the end. Then they surprise the partner with one delightful variation and a beautiful but simple ending. They create “the wow” effect.
Practice to dance in this way, with the time you can choose other endings and little more variations, beware of overdoing it. Remember that we are not on stage in social dancing.

5. Work out spine dissociation.

Do some homework to improve your body.

Practice every morning and every evening under the shower, stand with your back to the wall, turn upper body 10 x left and right touch the wall with both hands while your hips keep facing to the front. The warm water supports muscle relaxation.
Make use of counter body movement in your leading intentions. Active torso commitment.

6. Focus on a clean walk.

More important than any figure or dramatic pose is a clean walk.

It is the most important part during the dance.

Go through your center and push into each step, put importance in a proper weight change.

If you want to dance like a pro it is advisable to bring your walk to perfection. A perfect walk on the beat and in different rhythms is the best to convince any lady.

7. Conversation on the dance floor?

In tango, we do not talk during the dance. We need all our senses to listen to the music and to feel the movements of our partner.

In the beginning or during 2 themes there is time enough to chat. Even you do not start exactly on the music, that is fine, take your time and finish the sentence in a relaxed way. Once you have started with the dance all talking should have finished though.

8. Listen to Tango music.

Dance only to music you know very well. Instead of dancing every tanda it is fortunate to dance only to music you know very well.
To become more familiar with tango music make a little research about at least 3-4 main orchestras. Canaro,  D’Arienzo, Di Sarli, Troilo, Pugliese.
Find 4 music pieces which you like of each orchestra and put them together in a playlist, sorted according to the orchestra.
Listen to this playlist at home or in the car to get familiar with the different characteristics of each orchestra. If you like, even learn to know the titles and the name of the singer.
 
Once you are familiar with these orchestras and themes, keep on going with more playlists with other orchestras.
In the Milonga, wait for the right music to drive you. Stay behind not stepping every single note you listen to.
Take your time and use pauses when the music demands.
Feel serenity and transfer confidence and relaxation to your partner and last but not least, enjoy.

9. Stay 3 seconds longer

when the music finishes, hold the embrace for 3 seconds longer and softly release the embrace. Thank your lady for the dance.
If the tanda is over escort her to her seat or at least outside the dance floor. Sometimes it is not possible to go the whole way to her seat, in that case, it is polite enough to accompany her some meters to her direction.

10. Flirting on the dance floor

It is part of the whole idea of tango that dancers flirt with each other in a polite an sophisticated way, shall they want to. In western countries, it is sometimes seen that couples are kissing and exposing themselves to the public in a very intimate way.
This is not an elegant behavior in public. Pros would never do so.
Further men shall never take advantage of the closeness to the lady in the embrace, even the man has the impression she would like so.
Everything more than sympathy and flirting does not belong on the dance floor.

In conclusion to say, follow this 10 rules consequently and soon the Ladies will realise the change. You will  soon receiving compliments and with time you will really know how to dance like a pro.

dance like a pro