Welcome to Couples Latin Dance
Tango and Bolero for Beginners and Beyond

Class Dates

Full Term
  • From Monday 4 February to 8 April 2019 (10 classes)
Half Term
  • From Monday 4 February to 4 March 2019 (5 classes)

Dance Styles

Tango
​We are learning American Tango. Check out my Tango webpage for more video demonstrations/lessons and music lists.
Bolero
We are learning Brazilian Bolero. Take a look at my Bolero webpage for videos and song lists.

Lesson 1 - Monday 4 February 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Tango Basic
  • Promenade (Turning Left) 
  • Tango Basic
  • Flare Promenade
VIDEO: 1. Tango Basic
VIDEO: 2. Promenade (Turning Left)
VIDEO: 3. Flare Promenade

Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Basic Step
  • Lateral Step (transitioning to/from)
VIDEO & INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Basic Step
Refer to the video from 0:31 for the Basic Step (referred to as "Frente e Traz" - ie forward and back step). 
​
2. Lateral
Refer to the video from 1:01 - a move called "Saida en entrada" (ie out and in) - which shows how the leader goes from Basic Step to Lateral position. The video shows a DIFFERENT way of getting back in front of the follower: where the leader steps in front of follower with his left leg going forward. In class, the leader steps in front of the follower with his right leg after stepping backward.

Lesson 2 - Monday 11 February 2019

American Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence
  • Revised Week 1 Moves:
    • Tango Basic
    • Promenade
    • Flare Promenade
  • No new moves
  • Sequence:
    • Tango Basic
    • Tango Basic to Promenade Position (PP)
    • Promenade
    • Tango Basic
    • Tango Basic to Promenade Position (PP)
    • Flare Promenade

Brazilian Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence
  • Revised Week 1 Moves:
    • Basic Step
    • Lateral Step
  • ​New Move:
    • Cutting Move
  • Sequence:
    • Basic Step
    • Lateral Step
    • Basic Step
    • Cutting Move

VIDEO & INSTRUCTIONS: Cutting Move
  • ​Refer to Move 1 in the video called "Caminhada de 6 tempos cruzada". Note that in the video, the leader goes back in front of the follower forward on his left. In class, we did half a lateral step then went back in front of the follower back on the leader's right.
  • Break Down of Leader's Footwork (as per class):
    • Half Basic Transitioning to Lateral Position 1-and-2 (instead of stepping forward in front of Follower on his right foot on "2" like he would in Basic Step, the Leader steps out to the side "lateral position" on his right on "2")
    • Cut Across: Leader takes 3 steps across front of Follower 1-2-3 (left-right-left)
    • Cut Back: Leader takes 3 steps across front of Follower 1-2-3 (right-left-right)
    • Half Basic in Lateral Position 1-and-2
    • Half Basic Transitioning from Lateral to Front Position
    •  Half Basic in Front Position 1-and-2
  • Follower's Footwork:
    • Full Basic (Leader moves from in front of you to the side)
    • 3 Steps Backward in a STRAIGHT line 1-2-3
    • Another 3 Steps Backward 1-2-3
    • Full Basic (Leader moves from side to in front of you)

Lesson 3 - Monday 18 February 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision:
    • Tango Basic
    • Promenade
    • Flare Promenade
  • New Move:
    • Promenade to Corte
  • Sequence:
    • Tango Basic to PP (Promenade Position)
    • Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Flare Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade to Corte
    • PS You are welcome to throw in full Tango Basics in between the moves.

VIDEO: Promenade to Corte

Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision:
    • Bolero Basic
    • Cutting Move
  • New Move
    • Left Turn of Follower from Lateral
  • Sequence:
    • Basic
    • Cutting Move
    • Basic
    • Outside Turn of Follower from Lateral

VIDEO: Outside Turn of Follower from Lateral
  • This move is called "Chapeu da Dama" in the video and the move starts at 3:07.

Lesson 4 - Monday 26 February 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revised week 3:
    • Tango Basic
    • Promenade
    • Flare Promenade
    • Promenade to Corte
  • New Move:
    • Left Turns
  • Sequence:
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Flare Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade to Corte
    • Tango Basic
    • Left Turns

Left Turns

Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revised Week 3:
    • Forward & Back Basic
    • Cutting Move
    • Outside Turn of Follower from Lateral
  • New Move:
    • Outside Turn of Leader from Lateral
  • Sequence/Combo of Moves:
    • Forward & Back Basic
    • Cutting Move
      • 1/2 Basic
      • Out to the side
      • Cut Across
      • Cut Back
    • Go straight into.... Leader's Outside Turn from Lateral
      • Leader's forward left, replace right and open left to face the side; then step in a line on your right, pivot and forward right staying in Lateral position
    • 1/2 Lateral
    • Follower's Outside Turn from Lateral
      • Follower's forward left, replace right and open left to face the side; then step in a line on your right, pivot and forward right staying in Lateral position. 
    • Leader's back in front of Follower

Outside Turn of Leader from Lateral
  • This move is called "Chapeu do cavalheiro" and starts at 3:51 in the video.

Lesson 5 - Monday 4 March 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision
    • Tango Basic
    • Promenade
    • Flare Promenade
    • Promenade & Corte
    • Left Turns
  • New Move:
    • Rotating Cortes
  • Sequence:
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Flare Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade to Corte
    • Tango Basic
    • Left Turns x 2 sets
    • Tango Basic
    • Rotating Cortes

Rotating Cortes
  • I've included two videos for your reference. The first video calls the move Medis Corto and in the second video, this move is called Tango Rock and Corte. 

Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision
    • Bolero Basic
    • Cutting Move > Leader's Outside Turn from Lateral > 1/2 Lateral > Follower's Outside Turn from Lateral > Leader's Back in Front
  • New Move:
    • Leque "Sweep"
  • Sequence:
    • Bolero Basic
    • Cutting Move > Leader's Outside Turn from Lateral > 1/2 Lateral > Follower's Outside Turn from Lateral > Leader's Back in Front
    • Bolero Basic
    • Leque / Sweep

Leque "Sweep"
  • ​Pronounced leckie
  • Refer to the first step in the video below

Lesson 6 - Monday 11 March 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision
    • Promenade
    • Flare Promenade
    • Promenade & Corte
    • Left Turns
    • Rotating Cortes
  • New Move:
    • Reverse Turn (In Line Closed)
  • Sequence:
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Flare Promenade
    • Tango Basic to PP
    • Promenade to Corte
    • Tango Basic
    • Left Turns x 2 sets
    • Tango Basic
    • Rotating Cortes
    • Tango Basic
    • Reverse Turn

Reverse Turn (In Line Closed)
  • Refer to the video from 2:42

Bolero

Lesson Plan & Sequence:
  • Revision
    • Leque "Sweep"
    • Cutting Move > Leader's Outside Turn from Lateral > 1/2 Lateral > Follower's Outside Turn from Lateral > Leader's Back in Front
  • No new moves today!
  • Sequence:
    • Cutting Move > Leader's Outside Turn from Lateral > 1/2 Lateral > Follower's Outside Turn from Lateral > Leader's Back in Front
    • Leque / Sweep

Lesson 7 - Monday 18 March 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised last week, except we skipped the Reverse Turn in favour of the new move
  • Added new move: Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan

Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan
  • Open reverse turn refers to the reverse turn going into lateral position on each Quick-Quick-Slow (QQS) instead of going back in front of your partner (like we would be doing in the Closed In Line Reverse Turn). Doing the open reverse turn seemed to be more natural of most people as this is similar to Bolero lateral position.
  • Gancho refers to the lady's foot flick.
  • Fan refers to the pivots that the lady does before the NGO.
  • Leader's Breakdown
    (S = Slow, Q = Quick, ACW = anticlockwise):
    • Forward Left - S
    • Forward Right - S
    • Forward Left, Quarter Turn Right (ACW), Back Left into Lateral position - QQS
    • Back Right, Quarter Turn Left (ACW), Forward Right into Lateral position - QQS
    • Transfer weight into Left foot - S
    • Bring Right foot together with Left - S
    • NGO - QQS
  • Follower's Breakdown:
    • Back Right - S
    • Back Left - S
    • Back Right, Quarter Turn Side Left, Forward Right QQS
    • Forward Left, Quarter Turn Side Right, Back Left with Gancho (foot flick) - QQS
    • Right Pivot "Fan" - S
    • Left Pivot "Fan" - S
    • NGO - QQS
Tango Sequence:
  • Basic to PP
  • Promenade
  • Basic to PP
  • Flare Promenade
  • Basic to PP
  • Promenade to Corte
  • Basic
  • Left Turns x 2
  • Basic
  • Rotating Cortes
  • Basic
  • Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan

Bolero

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised Leque
  • Revised Combination - Cutting Move, Leader's and Follower's Left Turns from Lateral 
  • Added new move: Lady Turn from Open Out

Lady Turn From Open Out
  • Half Basic "1-and-2"
  • Open Out and Start Turn "3-and-4"
    • Leader: Open Out on Right (Clockwise Quarter Turn), Replace Left and Cross Behind Right
    • Follower: Open Out on Left, Pivot/Replace on Right, Clockwise Half Turn on Left (to face same direction as leader)
  • Face Each Other "5"
    • Leader: Side Step Left
    • Follower: Another Half Turn Clockwise on Right
  • Inside Legs Forward "6"
    • Leader: Quarter Turn Forward Right (capture follower and a pivot her to face original direction you were facing)
    • Follower: Quarter Turn Forward Left
  • Pivot Follower into Lateral "7-and-8"
    • Leader: Half Lateral (lead follower to do a pivot step)
    • Follower: Forward Right, Pivot (anti-clockwise) and Forward Right (into Lateral Position
  • Leader Back in Front "9-and-10"
    • Leader: Half Back Basic R-L-R from side to front position
    • Follower: Half Basic
Bolero Sequence:
  • Basic
  • Combination:
    • Cutting Move
    • Leader's Left Turn from Lateral
    • Follower's Left Turn from Lateral
    • Leader Back in Front
  • Basic
  • Leque "Sweep"
  • Basic
  • Lady Turn from Open Out

Lesson 8 - Monday 25 March 2019

Tango

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan
  • Revised Closed Reverse Turn In Line
  • Revised Rotating Cortes
  • Practised the full sequence
  • No new moves

Sequence:
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Promenade
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Flare Promenade
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Promenade to Corte
  • Tango Basic
  • Left Turns x 2
  • Tango Basic
  • Rotating Cortes
  • Tango Basic
  • Closed Reverse Turn In Line
  • Tango Basic
  • Open Reverse Turn, Gancho and Fan

Bolero

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised Lady Turn from Open Out Step
  • Revised Leque (Sweep)
  • Revised combination - Cutting Move, Left Turn of Leader and Left Turn of Follower
  • Practised the full sequence

Sequence:
  • Cutting Move, Left/Outside Turn of Leader and Left/Outside Turn of Follower
  • Leque (Sweep)
  • Lady Turn from Open Out Step

Lesson 9 - Monday 1 April 2019

  • Nobody rocked up to class so Olga danced around to some Bolero tracks for a bit!

Lesson 10 - Monday 8 April 2019 ** Last Lesson **

Tango

Lesson Plan:
  • Revision, revision, revision!

Final Sequence:
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Promenade
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Flare Promenade
  • Tango Basic to PP
  • Promenade to Corte
  • Tango Basic
  • Left Turns x 2
  • Tango Basic
  • Rotating Cortes
  • Tango Basic
  • Closed Inline Reverse Turn
  • Tango Basic
  • Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan

Steps We Learned This Term:
  1. Tango Basic
  2. Promenade
  3. Flare Promenade
  4. Promenade to Corte
  5. Left Turns
  6. Rotating Cortes
  7. Closed Inline Reverse Turn
  8. Open Reverse Turn, Gancho & Fan

Bolero

Lesson Plan:
  • Revision, revision, revision!

Final Sequence:
  • Basic
  • Cutting Move - Left Turn of Leader - Left Turn of Follower (combination)
  • Basic
  • Leque (Sweep)
  • Basic
  • Lady Turn from Open Out

Steps We Learned This Term:
  1. Basic
  2. Cutting Move
  3. Left Turn of Leader
  4. Left Turn of Follower
  5. Leque (Sweep)
  6. Lady Turn from Open Out