[Tango-L] Beginners - Intermediate

[Sergio Vandekier]

"Also,  has anyone found a good, reliable way to graduate someone from
the beginning class to intermediate?  I would be curious to know what
seems to have worked for other people out there.
Mary"

As to having students with different levels of knowledge and skills we have 
instructors in the same class that teach the beginners while other 
instructor teaches the more advanced students.

I consider "beginners" those students that dance straight and only know a 
few simple ways to turn.

The beginner has a good frame, good muscle tone in his embrace, knows how to 
lead properly, has good musicality, walks in different ways, navigates the 
floor with dexterity, knows a few figures such as the base (up to the 
cross), front and back ochos. He knows how to stop walking and changing 
direction and how to change the weight of the woman from one foot to the 
other, Figures that utilize a combination of both types of ochos such as "la 
medialuna" (half moon) or "el sanguchito" (the sandwich).
He turns just walking forward or using "gardelitos" (rocking turns), etc.

Many people both in Argentina and abroad dance at this level all their lives 
and have a great time,never needing anything else.

The intermediate student starts to learn how to turn using molinetes.
Right walked turn (with sacadas) first, leading the turn with left and then 
with right foot, then a continuous walked turn (8 count) with sacadas. Then 
Left molinete, etc.

Summary: a beginner dances straight utilizing very simple turns an 
intermediate knows how to turn using molinetes with sacadas.

We then build on this base to continue with the intermediate training.

This is what we do in our group, other instructors may be using different 
parameters.

Best regards, Sergio

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