Argentine Tango Technique
Posture
Keep spine straight from base of spine to tip of head, shift weight slightly forward to have weight on ball of foot and form a slight pyramid with Man, but not leaning too much forward either.
Feel pressure in upper body, take energy from Man and wait for signal (and not step on your own).
Taking hold: Man's RF is in between Lady's feet.
Head
Look straight forward in open embrace, keep spine long and straight. Do not bend neck to look down. Eyes could be looking downward, but without bending neck and head down.
Closed embrace, head can look forward over Man's shoulder, or slightly to right to middle of Man's chest, or toward Lady's RH. Keep spine long, don't break at neck or dig into Man's face.
During ochos, head does move a little naturally, but do try to keep head stable, toward Man, do not turn head left and right.
Relaxed head. Not stiff.
Movement
Always collect, wait for lead, lower, reach leg first and then move weight. Get leg there first before getting body there.
Body more forward, not backward, keep forward pitch, especially for ochos, molinette back steps.
Leave arm to Man, reduce tension in arm and hands. Pay attention in ochos, rondes, movement is in hips, less tension in upper body, don't use Man. Arm will contract and expand with the goal to not disturb Man's arm/frame. Focus on the connection point.
During hooks etc. no shaping left or right or back, keep upper body pretty straight up and down, like sitting.
Ronde: start rotating hips first, when hips rotates to max, then leg start ronde circle, then hip can rotate a little extra. Do not push Man using hands.
Changing weight in place: rainbow feeling, but not rise, and not going under. often used to at starting of dance, or to find beat
Lead
Primary points of connection are right side of rib cage, right forearm on lady's back. Secondary is left hand.
To stop follower from moving, give slight lift in rib cage and right arm. If there is good connection, to follower it will feel as if she is lifted up on her toes. The follower's free foot will remain free, until the leader leads the next movement.
A small turn in frame, which should come primarily from pulling shoulder blades back, translates to large turn in follower's hips.
When leading into cruzada, leader does not turn whole torso right, he pulls back right shoulder blade slightly, to lead follower to turn her hips left to make room for her to step with leader outside left.
To lead a step to side from stop, there is a little windup. For example, to lead step to leader's left, leader will lift up slightly, move weight slightly to right, and then lower and extend left foot to left. This both lets follower know what step is coming, and also makes very clear what foot leader's weight is on.
Leader's movement can be independent of the lead. Leader can move around follower without leading any movement on part of follower, and leader can lead follower to move without making any movement himself.
See Also: Argentine Tango Etiquette