Tango steps from "Scent of a Woman"
Described by Richard Powers


Some tangos in films are just a series of poses, like the tango in "True Lies."  But Al Pacino's tango in "Scent of a Woman" contains several wonderfully dramatic but leadable social tango figures.

A YouTube video is here

If you want the music for this tango, it's "Por Una Cabeza" by The Tango Project, available on iTunes and Amazon mp3s.


ROCKING CORTE
    From the woman backing, simply stop and rock the man back one step, QQ timing.  Repeat.


POMANDER RUEDA
In Yale (Side) Position, slowly walk forward around each other.  Twist a little to aim your heart to your partner's heart, to see your partner (although Al Pacino didn't, but he couldn't see her anyway).


OCHO (Cruzado, Scissors)
    He crosses R foot over the L, touch L open to the left side.  Then to the other side.  She crosses L first.
Since that foot usually isn't free, take a quick side step on the first foot just before count one of the music.


COUNTER-CROSSING OCHOS
    Both start by crossing the L foot over, going in opposite directions.  He gives the same pre-lead.
To exit, you're already in Side Position during each Ocho, so do a POMANDER RUEDA, just walking slowly around each other in Side Position.  Start on a second crossing, R, in order to circle CW.


HOO-WAH!  release to Swingout Position and return
    He dramatically releases her to Swingout Position, then both return to closed position.  It's simple and dramatic.  Hint: Unlike the way Al Pacino did it, it will be more comfortable for her if he tucks his fingers into Swingout Handhold before sending her out.
The name comes from the phrase that Al Pacino's character utters throught the film.

I suspect the choreographer got that move from Veloz & Yolanda's tango from "Pride of the Yankees"
That's exhibition tango, not social, but some of those is figures are possible, to a smaller degree, in social tango.  If you watch that clip, you'll see that they finish their tango with an ultimate Hoo-Wah.

Joan Sawyer also described a similar step, the "Throw-Away" in 1913.


PROMENADE INSIDE TURN INTO CRADLE POSITION
    He starts to lead the forward held hands INTO the frame during the second step of a Promenade, as his R arm slips down her L arm to open 2-hand hold.  She turns left, CCW, during the 3 and 4th steps.  Finish with a 5th promenade step forward.  Timing is the classic S-S-QQ-S.


CRADLE PROMENADE, changing sides
    First we practiced flipping from one side to the other in Cradle Position.  1) It only works if you're beginning on the same foot.  Of course he will change to her free foot instead of making her foot-fudge.  2) It only works with a particular foot: stepping side L to turn right, and stepping side R to turn left.  Always on the opposite foot.

In Cradle Position with her at his right side, both beginning L foot, do a 5-step run promenade, flipping to the right on the last step, which will be side L.  You need an odd number of steps to flip back, so you begin R, flipping to the left on the last step, side R.

One way of getting into it is to do the Cradle Dip without the dip, making it a 5-step PROMENADE INSIDE TURN INTO CRADLE POSITION.  This combines two functions in one move: getting into Cradle Position and getting her L foot free for the Cradle Promenade.  But he will either take only four steps forward, so his L is also free at the end, or just touch L without weight at the end.

After the Cradle Promenades just unwind, close and re-start.


We practiced a basic Tango Side Dip, then...

PIVOT EXIT FROM SIDE DIP
    He swings her to his right, closing into a tighter pivot hold, as he steps R between her feet.
After two pivot steps you can finish with a normal Tango-Close to his right (her left) side.

Some dancers find the balance trick for that ending, so a Hoo-Wah! release might be safer.





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