Hi, Jonathan. I really need your help. I am a female in beginning bronze level.I just took a private lesson working on the tango steps. My instructor said he was going to introduce me to a new technique. He called it "collect" your feet and said it made the moves cleaner than stepping out. He showed me the technique on a promenade with a turn (I think). After the 2 promenade steps to the side (R,L) then he said I had to "collect" my R foot to my L foot, instead of taking a forward step with my right, and then complete the Tango close. I am totally confused. I did not learn the step this way. Could you explain this technique to me and what steps it is supposed to be used in? Thanks I appreciate it.

I'm sure Jonathan can give you a great answer to your question, but in the meantime, I can say that "collecting" your feet is a technique that will be used repeatedly in different dances as you progress. It sounds like this is just the first time you've been exposed to it. Most teachers don't introduce it right away, as most students just starting have enough to do to just stand up straight and learn steps!

I'm not sure what step you are describing, but it sounds like it might be Promenade with left swivel, which is part of the beignning bronze syllabus. There's a description of the step on this site under "Learn the Dances" You have to select Tango under "Smooth," then select "Entire Tango syllabus" to find the step. It looks to me like it includes the collection you are describing.

One of our teachers showed us that technique. She said to use it on any slow step forward or backwards, were the moving foot is passsing the foot that the weight is on. Unforetunately she left before our next lesson and we did not get a complete explanation of this technique. So I may be way of base on this.

We use it and is seems to add stacatto action to the Tango.

What I understand, is the moving foot, makes two movements. 1 to get even with the weight bearing foot and 2. to move ahead or back. Weight is only placed on the moving foot after the second movement.

I am interested to see what the experts say. We like this technique, but never see anyone else using it.

I have also seen people stop the moving foot short of the other foot.

In Argentine tango, collecting the feet is absolutely essential between every step, or nearly so.

You are not doing AT, but are doing either Intl or American, but still it has a lot of application as you learn to slink and stalk.

Jerry

Confused Newby. Are you refering to a Brush Tap which is used extensively in the Tango. It is simply bringing your RF to your LF from a Promenade Position which is the Brush Tap, and use the same foot for the next step on a different beats. If I completed a group which would have me stepping off on beats 1 2 instead of 3 4.I might use a Brush Tap to stay in rhythm. To make it easier think of a Drag Hesitation in the Waltz where the same foot is used twice. The principle is the same. Good Luck

Thanks for all your responses. Actually, Ellen, I believe the step my instructor was introducing the Collect on was more like the promenade with the right turn on this site. I have looked at that clip over and over and I just don't see the female doing the same thing he asked me to do, so I am having a hard time visualizing what it should look like as well as feeling what it should feel like. I keep feeling like I'm about to topple over when I do what she asks, but I don't becasue she holds me up. Or maybe, that's what it's supposed to feel like?

Well, falling over is never a good idea! ;) But I don't know whether you feel that way because you actually are falling over or it just feels that way becuase, as a beginner, you are still in the process of finding your center. The problem sounds like something that can only be fixed in person, with an instructor watching what you are doing. Can you have another private lesson to work on it?

Confused Newby. Could it be that on the second to last step of a Closed Promenade That's the RF , He wants you to turn your toe inwards so that when you close there is no further turn on that foot. At one stage both of your toes will be turned in. Not like a Feather Finish in the Foxtrot where your placed RF will continue to turn. Every step has a name. It would help if you made notes and learned the correct names. If you were to file a letter away, in with a heap of others. Wouldn't you give it a file number.Thats what your brain needs. Instead of one of those which comes after that other thing. Good Luck.

Yes, I agree, quickstep. Unfortunately , she's not big on making sure I know names of steps she teaches me. In the step she told me to "collect" I did a promenade R,L. On the 3rd step she said to collect the RF next to the LF(instead of stepping out in front again on the RF as I first learned it). On this 3rd step the man is supposed to cut in front of my direction of travel. Now he is facing me instead of in promenade pos. On step 4, I step side LF, and on step 5 I close RF to LF.

Reads like a Promenade Close in the Paso Doble.