How to Do the Grapevine | Argentine Tango

-
-

Tango Essentials:

Ana: Hi. So, now we're gonna teach you the grapevine or the Giros. So the Giros can be introduced by the leader, any which way. He could take it from any step of the basic, and then we'll do our part. So I'm gonna teach you the Giro for the follower and Diego will come back and tell us different ways to get in an out of it. So since we could take it from any step, we're just gonna get down to business. So a Giro or a grapevine starts with a forward, a side, a back, and it'll repeat itself again, side. And that's a full turn. So it goes forward, side, back, side. And then you can also do it to the other side. So you go side, and it could turn the other way, forward, side, back, side. So let's try it from this angle. So it could start from a forward ocho, forward step, side, back, side. Remember that your partner is at center and you're revolving around him.

Diego: So let's try it from cross position. We're gonna go all the way to the cross position. Difference here is that I'm going to base myself like so. I'm gonna unwind her like a forward ocho, and I'm gonna lead her forward, side, back. When she reaches to the back point, I'm gonna give an ocho lead. Notice that the whole time, I'm in between just swiveling. This is so that you can concentrate on leading your partner and keeping the time. She's reading your time as a leader. Back, and from here, you can close the step. So you go all the way to the cross, and now you're gonna lead a forward step. Leading this is a continuous motion around. So think it like you're hitchhiking around. Right? As you swivel you feet. From here, you're gonna change the direction by leading the back ocho, and you can change it to swivel. You stop the step when she's stepping forward. Change your footwork. And there you have it.

Now, let's try this from a back ocho. It's the same thing, but it's another option that you can do. So, we're gonna go side, you're gonna take a step back, and you're gonna lead a back ocho all around to a front ocho. The lady can play with the foot as Ana did. These are embellishments that we will cover later.

Ana: So I'm gonna make sure that I'm going around my partner. I'm trying to reach to his shoulder where he's leading me. So I'm gonna start to go towards the center of his chest as my guide.

[guitarpracticevideos]

For those who are just starting out, giro and molinete are often confused. The Giro and Molinete are two, completely different things. While "molinete" refers to a "mill", like for grinding corn, it is the part of the mill that turns in the center. In tango, it is the shared axis. The "giro", on the other hand, is the follower's figure. It is the part of the mill that goes around the outside, around the circle. This follower's step is also known as the "grapevine". This video begins with a demonstration of the "giro" or grapevine. Notice how all steps are the same size, particularly the back step. Then, the leader demonstrates the "molinete", pivoting on a shared axis while staying on the balls of his feet. This is beautiful dancing, don't you agree?

[rgsam]

Really nicely presented with clear instructions. Thank you so much!

[lsgmail]

giro is turn;  molinette is grapevine. you can do a linear molinette or a giro molinette!

[samuclem]

Peccato che ogni volta che parte la musica si perde tutto l’audio.

[notehagaselpiola]

me gusta si uso el traductor para leer esto lol 

El tango es un género musical y una danza, característica de la región del Río de la Plata y su zona de influencia, principalmente de las ciudades de Buenos Aires en Argentina y Montevideo en Uruguay. Nacido a fines del siglo XIX de la fusión cultural de las comunidades afro-rioplatenses, con la cultura gauchesca, indígena, hispana, italiana y la enorme diversidad étnica de la gran ola inmigratoria llegada principalmente de Europa y el Oriente medio, se convirtió en un género de naturaleza global a partir de la segunda década del siglo XX. Desde entonces se ha mantenido como uno de los géneros musicales internacionales más potentes del mundo.

El tango revolucionó el baile popular introduciendo una danza sensual con pareja abrazada que propone una profunda relación emocional de cada persona con su propio cuerpo y de los cuerpos de los bailarines entre sí. Refiriéndose a esa relación, Enrique Santos Discépolo, uno de sus máximos poetas, definió al tango como «un pensamiento triste que se baila».2

Musicalmente suele tener forma binaria (tema y estribillo) o ternaria (dos partes a las que se agrega un trío). Su interpretación puede llevarse a cabo mediante una amplia variedad de formaciones instrumentales, con una preponderancia clásica de la orquesta y del sexteto de dos bandoneones, dos violines, piano y contrabajo. Sin ser excluyente, el bandoneón ocupa un lugar central.

Muchas de las letras de sus canciones están escritas en un argot local rioplatense llamado lunfardo y suelen expresar las emociones y tristezas que sienten los hombres y las mujeres de pueblo, especialmente «en las cosas del amor», 3

[charlessmith]

Embellishments are I think "adornos" in this type of tango.

[charlessmith]

I know what that is since I danced this style of tango. It is known as "giro/molinete".