Site and page organization. The site is organized in 3 main pages. Each page lists, as main purpose, a series of sequences from Basic (Beginners) to Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate. The criteria to assign a specific sequence to one page or the other is purely subjective and relates to my personal difficulties encountered during the learning. By clicking on one of the items listed, a new screen with the visualization of the selected sequence will appear in form of a series of multiple sketches with comments describing the dancers movements. On each of the 3 main pages there are others fields, the same for all the three pages, in support of the understanding of the sequences. Those are the Canonic Elements, the Basic Technique , the Adornos and the Musicality fields described in some details here below. Finally the last two fields, "Bla ,Bla, Bla..." and this "Getting started", contain several types of textual information useful to navigate between steps and positions described in the main fields. Some definitions here listed may not encounter everybody's approval but these are the ones used in this site and can always be changed according to better suggestions.
Canonic Elements. At left there is an important field called "Canonic Elements". As the name indicates, it's a list of simple, straight (no embellishments) sequences involving the most common way to execute a specific figure. This is the only field where the list is in growing (and logic) order of difficulty. So this is the field where a a beginner is encouraged to start. From this field, that is repeated in each of the three pages, the next step is to look at variations in the main field at the center of each main page. If you want to go deeper in some specific dancer position you may want to look at the Basic Technique field (see later). To get out from this field and go back to where you came from, use the browser back arrow feature.Using the Home button it will bring you to the first page (Basic).
Main fields of sequences. On the center of each main page there is the main field: Basic Sequences in the home page or Intermediate Sequences in the second page or Advanced Intermediate Sequences in the third page. The sequences in each page are listed in alphabetic order for an easy pick up. Because each sequence of relative positions uses multiple steps having their own specific names, one of them, considered the one better characterizing the sequence, has been chosen to name the sequence itself. It's a subjective choice. If you are a beginner and want to follow instead a gradual increase of difficulty please refer to the field "Canonic Sequences" that has been built with that order in mind.
Basic Technique. On the left, closer to the center, there is the field called "Basic Technique". It gives more details of the feet position for a specific step, details that cannot be specified so clearly in the sequence field for space reasons. The format is a "flash" on a specific feet and/or body position. The beginner should not start from here: these are flashes complementing other material and should be used getting in and out from the sequence selected. To get out from this field and go back to where you came from, use the browser back arrow feature.Using the Home button it will bring you to the first page (Basic).
Adornos. Below , in the right lower field, there is a field called "Adornos " (Embellishments) that has been kept separated by the others for his content not really tied to a specific sequence but instead to specific dancer's positions. It can be used to enrich the appealing of the movements during a sequence. This is mainly the follower's world but the leader too can add decorations to the couple steps. To get out from this field and go back to where you came from, use the browser back arrow feature.Using the Home button it will bring you to the first page (Basic).
Musicality. In the bottom left there is a small field called "Musicality". It's an embryonic trial to give an idea of rhythms and movements in the tango cosmos. Not so many teachers are dealing with musicality, despite their claims, because beginners are more interested in steps and will be bored by insisting on these details. But this practice leads to the formation of robots on a dance floor. Musicality is so important that on a dance floor steps are meaningless without it. Musicality relates not only on dancing on beat but also the way a dancer moves on the floor, the way he (she) alternates fast and slow times, the expression of the body from head to feet and mainly the selection of the movements in relationship to the particular moment of the music played. As related to the couple feeling at each moment, it comes from inside and cannot be described in graphics nor in words. So the available material is minimal, incomplete and related to what is possible to be described in some way. To get out from this field and go back to where you came from, use the browser back arrow feature.Using the Home button it will bring you to the first page (Basic).
Last Addictions. Last field in bottom right is the "Last Addictions" . As the title says, it is intended to be used to update on last notes not yet covered by the previous documentation.
A lot of sequences can be used also in close embrace situations : they are identified with a red bold character at the beginning of their definition.
The logic progression for a beginner should be (my recommendation):
1-Start with "Canonic Elements" and use the "Basic Technique" in and out to improve style on specific position or movements.
2-Next go to "Basic Sequences". Use "Adornos" to eventually enrich your steps
3-Next go to "Intermediate Sequences". Use "Adornos" to eventually enrich your steps
4-Next go to "Advanced Intermediate Sequences". Use "Adornos" to eventually enrich your steps
Have fun!