The Canasta Tango is a Preliminary pattern dance or level 1 and has preset steps, rhythm, tempo, and hold for partnering. It requires more types of steps then the Dutch Waltz. There are steps that I already described Forward Stroking, Forward Progressive and Forward Swing Rolls as in the waltz, a Forward Chasse blended with a progressive and the Forward Slide Chasse that I described already. And it asks, but it is optional, for a Forward Cross Stroke.
Here is a link to the form judges use at tests, it shows the diagram of the dance and the skills they are looking for: http://usfsa.org/content/canasta-tango.pdf and more explanation is in the
"Rule Book". You see in the drawing that the Canasta Tango has 14 steps. This dance covers less surface than the Dutch Waltz, but still starts in one corner and finishing on
the diagonally opposite corner just the corners are more inside the surface. The count is 12,34 where each is one beat. The hold is reversed killian, I explained the killian in the Dutch Waltz post.
Here is the dance done and explained by national competitors ice dancers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKwr7qtmWg&t=91s
Starting point: is on the red cross on my drawing
Intro steps: 4 Forward Strokes: left, right, left, right.
The pattern dance: Again, I will explain this in lobes grouping the steps in the judges drawing, as I was grouping them in my mind to remember them.
1.2.3.4 LFO-RFI (2 step progressive)-LFO-RFI (2 step chasse) (each 1 beat, 4 beats total) going imediately into
5. Left Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot
6.7. RFO-LFI (Slide chasse) (2 beats each, total 4 beats) that finishes at the half line of the rink
8. Right Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot
Here is the dance done and explained by national competitors ice dancers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKwr7qtmWg&t=91s
Starting point: is on the red cross on my drawing
Intro steps: 4 Forward Strokes: left, right, left, right.
The pattern dance: Again, I will explain this in lobes grouping the steps in the judges drawing, as I was grouping them in my mind to remember them.
1.2.3.4 LFO-RFI (2 step progressive)-LFO-RFI (2 step chasse) (each 1 beat, 4 beats total) going imediately into
5. Left Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot
6.7. RFO-LFI (Slide chasse) (2 beats each, total 4 beats) that finishes at the half line of the rink
8. Right Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot
9.10. LFO-RFI (Slide chasse) (2 beats each, total 4 beats)
11.12.13. Left Forward Progressive, change lobe into
14. Right Forward Swing Roll with optional cross stroke (opt-XS). I had troubles with this step. I was aware that I had to do "something" to change the lobes direction but I didn't do it properly. So when going solo I heard a lot to start with the left hand forward ( and finish with the right hand forward). It seamed counter intuitive for me :( The other problem I had was that I wasn't completely transferring my weight to the left hip so I was kind of starting on on inside edge witch is very hard to make it an outside edge once started inside. The last think is that this is not a step but a stroke, so you have to actually put some power into it. The Cross Strokes are part of the Juvenile MITF test, so it's not a beginner skill... I remember I fell few times on this step... Skating with my coach as a partner helped a lot as he was guiding me and positioning me. But I have to say, a year and a half later, meaning yesterday, I did this dance and this step without flinching... So there is proof that in time, every skating skills is gonna improve!
On the judges form it shows that they look for: Accuracy, Placement, Skating Skills, Style, Unison (if partnered). In my understanding it means that you have to know the steps, and where they go on the pattern, have some edges, some extension and posture, and some unison. The judges also look for timing (so the tango rhythm) and the character of the dance (for tango that is aggressive, sharp movement).
And here is my Canasta Tango test after learning from a friend for few months, taking a 2 months, once a week 35 min long ice dance group class and just 3 lessons with my dance coach.
This dance pattern is not so straight forward as the Dutch Waltz. The Dutch Waltz lobes were alternation on the sides of an imaginary long axis and short axis and they were quite equal in counts.When I've first learnt the Canasta Tango from a friend, we were doing the steps straight so we were zigzagging... instead of doing curves. I had targets on ice, like the red dots, and the center of the rink where to start some steps. When I started working with the dance coach he explained the pattern and the circles formed by the lobes, but I was already registered to test so he didn't insist on it. Plus, at the Preliminary level it's not expected to master or even understand, maybe. But I think this is a good moment to became aware of reading the pattern dance from an image in the rule book or online. Also it is an opportunity to understand that while you are on the same circle you lean towards the inside of that circle, even if there seams to be few lobes there, you don't change the upper body, you don't check... you check before changing the direction and going on a new circle... So on Canasta Tango the first 2 lobes I described are on one circle, the next 2 on another circle, the next 2 on another circle and the last step on another circle.
11.12.13. Left Forward Progressive, change lobe into
14. Right Forward Swing Roll with optional cross stroke (opt-XS). I had troubles with this step. I was aware that I had to do "something" to change the lobes direction but I didn't do it properly. So when going solo I heard a lot to start with the left hand forward ( and finish with the right hand forward). It seamed counter intuitive for me :( The other problem I had was that I wasn't completely transferring my weight to the left hip so I was kind of starting on on inside edge witch is very hard to make it an outside edge once started inside. The last think is that this is not a step but a stroke, so you have to actually put some power into it. The Cross Strokes are part of the Juvenile MITF test, so it's not a beginner skill... I remember I fell few times on this step... Skating with my coach as a partner helped a lot as he was guiding me and positioning me. But I have to say, a year and a half later, meaning yesterday, I did this dance and this step without flinching... So there is proof that in time, every skating skills is gonna improve!
On the judges form it shows that they look for: Accuracy, Placement, Skating Skills, Style, Unison (if partnered). In my understanding it means that you have to know the steps, and where they go on the pattern, have some edges, some extension and posture, and some unison. The judges also look for timing (so the tango rhythm) and the character of the dance (for tango that is aggressive, sharp movement).
And here is my Canasta Tango test after learning from a friend for few months, taking a 2 months, once a week 35 min long ice dance group class and just 3 lessons with my dance coach.
This dance pattern is not so straight forward as the Dutch Waltz. The Dutch Waltz lobes were alternation on the sides of an imaginary long axis and short axis and they were quite equal in counts.When I've first learnt the Canasta Tango from a friend, we were doing the steps straight so we were zigzagging... instead of doing curves. I had targets on ice, like the red dots, and the center of the rink where to start some steps. When I started working with the dance coach he explained the pattern and the circles formed by the lobes, but I was already registered to test so he didn't insist on it. Plus, at the Preliminary level it's not expected to master or even understand, maybe. But I think this is a good moment to became aware of reading the pattern dance from an image in the rule book or online. Also it is an opportunity to understand that while you are on the same circle you lean towards the inside of that circle, even if there seams to be few lobes there, you don't change the upper body, you don't check... you check before changing the direction and going on a new circle... So on Canasta Tango the first 2 lobes I described are on one circle, the next 2 on another circle, the next 2 on another circle and the last step on another circle.
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