8-step Basic

8-step Basic

Knowing the foot position number could be helpful.  The following is just one way of counting steps. Some starts first step with Lady R leg to side and ends with Lady's RF fwd.

Lady

1. Lady LF fwd, heel lead or flat foot. This step should feel very light and small, not a heavy fwd step. 

   • L leg feels like stepping cross, don't step this too much to left, step closer to Man, thighs tighter together. "metronome" from "top" higher position, small/short/light step, like stepping on crystal floor.

   • Don't go "under" Man, not a ballroom lower and driving step. Do not have hip go forward more than upper body which makes body appear to be back weighted diagonally. Lady should not swoop her hip under the Man. 

2. Lady's RF to side.

   • After transfer onto LF in previous step, RF goes to "T" position first and then wait, when feeling the lead, extend R leg out to side.

   • Lady feels the intention (the stretch and guide to R) and moves/points her leg to right, do not move her weight yet, wait, do not return or move body weight to her RF yet, till feeling Man's intention with his embrace or torso.

   • Man leads with frame/embrace, not moving his weight just yet (doesn't even show from outside)

     • Man's lead, without torso, will only be for Lady to move her leg, but not her weight. 

     • Body feels like still slightly leaning fwd. Hip has gap with Man, do not stick hip fwd to Man.

     • Leave the L hip to left side, do not lead/move weight using R hip to R.

     • Keep hip tucked in, do not stick hip/tummy forward (if anything, think about hip more back). Pay attention to keep R hip slightly open, do not arch back, keep slightly pitched fwd pose, do not connect at hip.

   • Be aware of angle of the step, keep parallel to Man. Think about step toward the hand which should be in middle of the two bodies.

   • Wait till Man moves his torso/weight to side, that's when Lady moves her weight. 

     • When Man leads with torso, Lady moves weight onto RF, then collect LF (crosses behind RF, T position, wait and listen for lead) This is "collection point", no rush. 

   • This step is typically a short, small (then metronome action) step. It could be large if Man leads it, in which case, Lady will bend/lower into her left knee to extend her R leg even more.

   • Man can change between Parallel (normal) or Cross System here, but Lady does not change her footwork, don't change weight in place.

   • Next could be 8-step Basic, or the start of Back Ochos. 

3. Lady LF back (roughly inline with RF, feels like crossing line) Man steps OP.

   • At this point, Man can resume normal walking. Or Man can continue with Cruzada next. Lady listen to lead.

   • Do not lower into knee to extend R leg back. Extend R leg, wait for lead, till end, lower a little bit, but not exaggerated. 

   • Embellishment: RF can embellish to left of her L leg and then reach back to go to next step. 

   • All the steps earlier, up till here, Lady's upper body is pretty parallel with Man.

   • Typically small step.

4. Lady RF back, CMBP,  Hip rotate to R a bit, RF turned out, R leg straight line.

   • Typically a larger step. Think about R leg crossing L leg.

   • Do not swing R hip out, do not raise R hip. Just pull in R leg directly down traveling direction, thighs together tight,  R leg brush L leg/L thigh first before, R knee flexed, pass L knee/leg. two kneed together, and then extending R leg back, straight leg. No gap between thighs. 

   • Don't go diagonal, don't go to Man's track, do not step RF to R side.  This is not a straight back step. 

   • Open up R hip. Lady's body is also turned to R. Use CBMP,  RF crosses track, with R big toe is inline with L heel. upper thighs together, makes it easier to get to cross for next step.

     • RF position is almost 90 degrees to original traveling direction line. 

5. Cruzada

   • Lady will feel a lift which indicates to cross her LF next. After feeling lift, Lady goes on ball of RF, swivel RF inward a bit to allow LF to draw back to cross.

   • Don't drag LF on the floor, it's soft sliding on the floor (not pressing down to floor hard, sometimes, can lift slightly and place down), LF crosses in front of RF.

   • L knee bent, wrapped around straight R leg.  (Lady goes to Man's track.) RF on ball of foot. R leg is straight.

   • Lady's LF (the crossing foot): pull L toes in a lot past R ball of foot, R toes are more forward to Man than L toes) 2 feet are not really parallel.

   • This is a "collection point": Lady's weight is really on LF, LF crosses in front of RF and wait. 

   • Really show back leg line preparing for next step, extend R leg straight back, after receiving lead, lower, then transfer weight onto RF. Do not fall into next step.

   • To finish the 8-step basic, next 3 steps are often called "resolution" 

   • Step 4, 5: can do S S, can also syncopated QQ.

6. Lady RF back, "collection point". Salida Closing

   • Before going into resolution, lower into L knee first. then R leg reaches behind, crossing line. 

   • Keep R hip open to R and don't close up to Man on this step.  Man will feel too close, cramped. 

   • Do not lift up R hip like in Samba. Keep R hip flat horizontal, but just open, rotated to R.

7. Lady LF goes through the the motion of L knee closes to R knee first, then LF collects behind RF, thighs together (no gap between thighs) before extending L leg straight to side.

   • Then Man uses torso to lead Lady to diagonally go upward and move her weight onto LF, L straight leg.  

8. Lady RF collects next to LF. Man can change weight or he can choose to not change weight.

Note:

• Lady even when walking back, it feels like body is slightly leaning forward, avoid falling back into the step look.

• Lady does not "help" Man, feeling like Man pushing Lady to move. Lady delay. Man place Lady's weight onto her foot. There is a feeling of a small circle, gently transferring weight. "circular motion":

  • When Lady is going back, she's going upward, circular up and forward, before coming down to go back.

• Very often, Man skips Position 1, first step as it goes back for him, against LOD. So he often starts with weight on his RF, Lady's LF and in this case,

  • Both Man and Lady can do foot circles: Lady's  RF can start going forward in between Man's legs, and then do little clockwise circles till he's ready to move.

• After Position 5, lower into LF first, then various finishes:

  • Resolution, or

  • Use rock step, and then repeat with side step, or doing Cortada

  • Swivel on LF into Forward Ochos with Lady's RF.

• "Salida" (e.g "Exit") Tango close - like a "period" of a sentence to end a figure and get ready to start a new figure.

Man

• Position 1: RF small step back. Tango is a traveling dance, you don't want to back into another couple. Also called salida atras,

• Position 2: LF side. Also called salida costada or apertura. Together, these two steps constitute the salida.

• Position 3: RF forward, CBMP, outside partner on her right side. 

• Position 4: LF forward

• Position 5: RF feet together,  squaring up the upper body, this will lead lady to cross LF in front of RF

• Position 6: Next 3 steps are the resolution, or resolucion. LF forward, in line, in CBMP

• Position 7: RF side

• Position 8: LF feet together