May 11
30
Melina Sedo and Detlef Engel
PDF Detlef and Melina have now been dancing, teaching and performing together for many many years! This is a great thing! There is therefore very consistent teaching within the European and American (Canada is in America, not the USA though) communities from this couple amongst others.
Enjoy their dancing, their communication to the music and then, maybe read the observations below. If you have not subscribed via RSS, with either email or a reader, you might want to start. These are just some of the amazing performers and teachers we have covered so far.
From the outset, look at the elegance of Detlef with the shape of his frame. The way and position that he holds his lead (or open/free) arm and where he positions his body (or closed) arm. Then, all the way throughout, this is maintained. Immediately, this shows me that he has practiced, trained and worked towards elegance just with his frame.
At 0:16, you see Melina start to go into a back cross – why? What you don’t see is what she feels. The ‘mark’, or the lead. Detlef has ever so slightly started pulling his right shoulder back and then transitioning onto his right leg is what leads the actual change of axis. Subtle, beautiful – we should all be so subtle, but clear… 
Always, watching this couple, they take their time. They feel the music, the embrace, they live in the moment and savour each second of the orchestra playing. Very very precise stepping which is easily denoted by the cross system step from Detlef at 0:23. Leading a 2 for 1 for Melina and decorating with a lapiz, allows Detlef to walk off with Melina in parallel system. Just a gorgeous beginning.
Look at the time taken, the precision with the cross at 0:31 – too often I see this step, simple as it ‘appears’, maligned when socially danced, people stamping all over it! Not allowing it to be shown for the beautiful and yet complex step that it is! Rushing to the next movement. I have a challenge for you all – lead at least one cross during your next social dance, and really lead and feel it! Make it shine so that your follower goes, “ahhhhh!” Then, you have lead a cross like this! That includes unwinding her so that her feet are side by side, but not changing weight! Yes, Detlef lead this.
In the next part, where Detlef and Melina are ‘walking’ with elegance, connection and with beautiful extensions, watch where Detlef goes from front (0:40), to left side (0:41), to front (0:43), to right side (0:45) of Melina, staying there a few more steps. Again, simple, elegant, but not easy to do – I challenge you all to do this too
From 0:54, watch how Detlef creates a bit more space with his forward cross step (right leg) in parallel by stepping slightly further away. This creates the opportunity to give Melina a slightly longer back open step (0:54 too), and a sexy, elegant, controlled cross (0:56)! Now, instead of ‘unwinding’ Melina, Detlef lowers his centre (0:57) and this ensures that he can easily lead Melina onto the rear leg (0:58), still in back cross. Very very cool! This sets up the left side media giro walking out in cross system to another clean cross!! Gorgeous!
Their first change of rhythm with the music is here – 1:05 and also the first closing of the phrase at 1:10.
You may or may not have read a previous post (insert link to that one here) where I wrote about the singer. Again, we see that they take their time when the singer comes in. In many of older dancers, they consider this to be quite a poignant moment to respect the singer, the newest instrument, so they pause, or dance very slowly at this point. Within the first 4 counts of eight, they only move a few steps.
Taking their time to appreciate everything, you also need to see Detlef’s elegant firulete at 1:21. Then, giving his partner the limelight, Detlef takes a series of side open steps, whilst allowing time for Melina to decorate with simple tucks on each step. The last one at 1:40 is a transfer of weight by Melina to which Detlef then reverses and used the back cross (1:42) from this position – very sexy move!
Using cross system again, Detlef leads a change of direction at 1:50 and again reverses this using the same principle as before, with Melinas’ leg already in back cross.
One of the parts I really love is after this. 1:53, a series of small weight changes staying in the back/forward cross position. This is successfully done by not changing your chest or frame position and moving away from your partner! Nicely done guys!
Ah, Snake Walks. Called so due to the look of the leader snaking his forward leg inside the open or central position of the follower (continuous cross system inside your partners footwork). Watch 2:04 to 2:05. A short run… But recommenced at 2:07 to 2:11. (Tip for leaders – to make this work, your leading needs to be pointed to the centre of your follower, this sets up your hips in the correct position when you transfer so you don’t have to fight to cross the line of your follower, even better if it points to the far shoulder.)
At 2:19, there is a very small media giro – the back side forward from the follower showing this. Instead of Detlef stepping on the far side of the foot at 2:21, he steps close, keeping the turning of this giro tighter and leading Melina’s forward cross with his back open keeps the turn going with the line of dance as they always show line of dance in their performances. Being a performance, the don’t have to, but they use it mostly.
Not sure where they learnt the small tight back steps, but they are so cute! 2:29 to 2:40. Listening to the music, you see that they are too! Stepping matching the music superbly!
At the next cross, watch how Detlef leads the forward cross for Melina. Pulling his left side back opens the forward cross option and Melina takes it, Detlef then stepping with her (2:47). Something unusual for them, they finish with a volcada (2:53). But for me, if you look into the history of tango, the apilado position is dancing in volcada, the calesita, is a volcada, so, the volcada, to me is old school tango.
I hope you enjoyed this magnificent performance from Detlef and Melina!
Oh, you really should read Melina’s blog here
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