Sandwich – Calesita con Cruzada
This pattern requires you begin to use apile (apile means pile or stack) to create a lean between you and your partner. Apile is a challenging technique that will teach both lead and follow to trust and learn to lean slightly on each other. This will require some practice – in other words do this a few hundred times! Once you master the technique of an established lean and a calesita (carousel) you can get into a calesita with or with out a lean and your can turn most any step into a calesita on a moments notice.
Followers need to be sure that they continue to face the leader as they cross their feet in the rear – don’t let your pelvis get too cross ways with the leader or you will begin to slide away instead of leaning.
Leaders need to be sure they notice there is a change of weight to the left foot as soon as they cross their feet. Doing a rear cruzada like this will require repetition so your muscle memory acquires a feel for how to go into a balanced lean with each of you on one foot.
Leaders get more comfortable doing ochos with your followers by practicing doing ochos together as well as having the follow do ochos alone.
Followers and Leaders: Make some time to practice alone. You must be on your own balance confidently and gracefully in order to share balance with each other. Know your body and know your balance points.
Be kind and gentle to your follower and be kind and gentle to your leader – never force your follow and never refuse your lead. Leaders must follow what they lead and followers must in turn follow what they follow. Dancing tango is about accompanying one another – you must accompany your partner, you cannot tango alone – as the old adage goes: It takes two to tango! But sometimes you must learn your steps tango alone in order to know your own body well enough to better accompany your partner.
Love & Light,
Rusty & Jo
