To conclude my little survey of short tango sequences published in 1914 by Albert W. Newman of Philadelphia, here are the final two: "Walking" and the Fan Tango. The quotes around "Walking" are Newman's. Previous posts in this series covered the Minuet Tango and the "Argentine" and Tango Two-Step.
Neither "Walking" nor the Fan Tango follow the pattern of the earlier sequences, though "Walking" has similar elements in a different order, including cross steps and a rocking turn. Fan Tango is a short, eight-measure sequence, with a faster, two-measure rocking turn. As with the previous three sequences, these two may be strung together with each other or with some combination of the earlier sequences to make a longer dance.
"Walking" begins with the dancers in closed position, gentleman facing line of dance and moving forward while the lady backs up. When unspecified, steps below are for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite except on the scissors sequence, when she mirrors the gentleman's feet.
"Walking" (16 measures/32 counts)
1-4 Four walking steps along line of dance, gentleman forward/lady backward; gent starts left foot and lady right
5-8 Four walking steps against line of dance, gentleman backward/lady forward; gent starts left foot and lady right
9&10 Two-step to the left (step-close-step, left-right-left)
11 Step diagonally back with right foot, dipping slightly (lady steps diagonally forward on her left, lunging slightly)
12 Rise and point right foot to side
13-16 Repeat all of the above starting on the opposite foot
1-8 Single-scissors sequence, partners facing and lady mirroring the gentleman's steps (both cross in front)
1 Cross left over right
2 Point right foot to side
3 Cross right over left
4 Point left foot to side
5-8 Repeat all of this
9-16 Slow spin turn clockwise as in the Minuet Tango; partners face each other throughout
The Fan Tango starts with both dancers in a normal ballroom hold, both turned outward slightly to fae line of dance. The gentleman's steps are given below; the lady dances opposite.
Fan Tango (8 measures/16 counts)
1 Step forward left
2 Step forward right
3 Step forward left and dip slightly, swaying forward
4 Sway back onto right, keeping knees bent
5-8 Repeat all of the above
1 Point left foot forward
2 Point left foot out to the side (pictured at left)
3 Point left foot back, crossing it behind right and dipping briefly
4 Point left out to the side
(Turn to face partner)
5-8 Faster spin turn clockwise as in the Minuet Tango; partners face each other throughout; each weight change should turn the dancers aggressively, approaching a full turn in four counts
Performance Note
I prefer the fan motion to be a slow sweep around (and back) of the foot, using the counts as guidance, rather than tapping each position like a disco line dance. The toe should not leave the floor. Newman suggests that when done by the two partners side by side, this is like the opening and closing of a fan.
Thank you for these posts. It's fascinating to compare and contrast them with the one roughly contemporary cartoon I've seen (which I'll link on my name), as well as with argentine tango as it's danced now. I've been reading the descriptions and trying to work out what they are as tango steps. A lot of them seem pretty reasonable and easy to do given the way he says the partners should not dance "too close together", but as you say in the first post of the series, the overall result seems very distinct. The whole thing reminds me a little bit of tango as it was often discussed by jivers and cerocers between five and ten years ago, ending up with a quite different dance.
Posted by: MsH | September 14, 2015 at 04:56 PM