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Giro
The giro is the
manoeuvre (!) in which the follower,
always facing the leader with her upper
body, is led to step around her leader -
progressively taking backward, open/side,
and forward steps before pivotting 180
into another open/side step and pivotting
180 and repeating the backward, open/side
and forward steps and so on.
The sequence of
steps can include any number of the
individual elements and can begin and end
on any step although there are favoured
entry and exit points and variations on
the timing of the steps.
Classically, the
backward, open, and forward steps are
completed in the same time as the pivot,
open, pivot part; a four-step 360 box
around the leader.
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| If executed well,
with the leader rotating steadily to face
his follower and maintaining his central
axis and the follower taking uniform
length steps, keeping her pivots separate
from her steps, thinking of release,
transfer and collect phases of each step,
and staying close to the leader, there is
enormous potential for the leg play-
barridas, boleos, ganchos and sacadas -
that is the essence of Tango! Mingo Pugliese is the
maestro in using Petroleo's 8-step giro
as a basis for intermediate level
learning.
Rodolfo Aguerrodi includes
detailed giro tuition in his
comprehensive multi-level tango courses.
Richard Manuel often
uses the giro as the basis for dramatic
effects.
Jenny Frances
& Ricardo Oria are one
of the most innovative tango teaching
couples, often includng the giro as the
basis for lots of salon fun.
Tango's
roots may extend back into the very late
19th century but this key move was not
invented until the 1940s when Petroleo
and his group in the Nelson Club
revolutionised the steps and approach to
give us most of contemporary Argentine
Tango.
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