Are cortes y quebradas dirty secret of Argentine Tango?
Some – say they are dirty and filthy, and they do not belong! Others say cortes y quebradas are cornerstones of Tango, unmistaken signature that one MUST know to truly dance the Tango. One thing is certain – Hernan LOVES cortes and quebradas and that’s how we met. Well – I’m not going to tell you that part…
What are cortes?
Corte translates into ‘cut’. Have you heard of ocho cortado? No? You should have. It derives from the same idea. To cut something means to interrupt the movement – sometimes that interruption results in a sudden stop, sometimes in a sudden change of direction, sometimes – if we interrupt pendular action – in a boleo or a gancho.
The cortes we are analyzing mean a stop-like sensation followed in most cases by a change of direction. Because of the abruptness of the movement, there is usually not enough time to put full weight on your foot, so it looks tiny similar to a traspie. However – is this the time issue or effect issue? The leader can play with weight creating specific effects – straight leg or bend leg, elevation or down sensation, upper body inclination, or swing of the hips. It all depends on the music and thus – normal time, double time or half time – are all possible.
To cut something means to interrupt the movement – sometimes that interruption results in a sudden stop, sometimes in a sudden change of direction, sometimes – if we interrupt pendular action – in a boleo or a gancho.
What are quebradas?
Quebrada transcribes into ‘break’ – imagine breaking the stick by bending it. The break has few aspects. It can refer to a break of a level. Usually, we dance at a specific level pretty steadily. In fact, we are striving to make it look and feel smooth. Quebrada creates a sudden level drop with the warning sign by means of short elevation or suspension - not very visible, though highly perceivable when you actually dancing it. So, we have a falling like sensation and then we are rescued by each other cuddly embrace and amortized by our own bend legs.
Quebradas involve a lot of torsions and thus the break also happens at the waist level – being it sideways or back or forward. The bodies look entwisted and entangled into each other and thus the perceptions of ‘dirt’ and ‘obscenity’.
Close embrace
Right, close embrace constitutes an important part of cortes y quebradas. In fact – they only work in close embrace. So, if you avoid a close embrace like a plaque – forget it. Cortes and quebradas will not be your thing. But – if on the other side – you love close embrace and all the falling into each other and holding each other tight – here you go – cortes and quebradas can easily become your favorite moves.
Because of the nature of the movement, the togetherness implied and reinforced by close embrace cortes and quebradas will fit you with the highest amount of Tango sensation in the shortest amount of time. It truly feels like the couple becomes one union, one being, with Leader navigating the space placing the 4 legs at a specific time and in a specific place. As a follower, your body just floats, as a leader – well – you get a full sensation of ownership of a 4-legged body and responsibility for navigating the couple.
So why would anybody abandon Cortes y Quebradas?
Carlos Octavio Bunge wrote in Nuestra America, 1906: corte' that is ‘con puro corte a la quebrada’ in other words,
>>’bailar con puro corte a la quebrada’ to break, bend your partner backward at her waist, and balancing on top of her, come into full-body contact and move slowly and rhythmically to the music. The contact is so complete and intimate that there was ‘no light’ [no hay luz] between the dancers.’<< The society at large was not ready to tolerate such immoral behavior (the quebrada) and thus it banned it and the step that led to it (the corte). - Carlos Octavio Bunge wrote in Nuestra America, 1906 (Quote from article by Rudy Zelaya ‘Quebrada and Corte in Tango’ )
You probably figured it out if you read thus far why they were banned. Have you seen the Zouk or the Kizomba? Do you remember Lambada when it first came with legs touching the legs and personal space invaded and crossed over many times over? Remember the ‘Dirty dancing’ movie and the difference between the dance lesson and the dance party for the resort visitors, versus the same dance seen in the staff party?
Cortes and Quebradas don’t look anything close to those ‘obscenities’ but feel pretty much the same. In short word, Cortes y Quebradas are not perceived to be very ‘elegant’. That’s why they are mostly removed in tango salon when the more open embrace discourages them.
It is worth mentioning, for your consideration, that the complete abandonment of close embrace influences something else very strongly – the amount of rotation and turn that you are able to achieve as a couple. The closer you are – the more you can turn! That’s why close embrace is truly worth experimenting with!
Cortes and Quebradas don’t look anything close to those ‘obscenities’ but feel pretty much the same. In short word, Cortes y Quebradas are not perceived to be very ‘elegant’. That’s why they are mostly removed in tango salon when the more open embrace discourages them.
As a definition – Cortes y Quebradas are simply chorographical elements or figures of Argentine Tango. They were an integral part of the candombe and got transferred over to the canyengue. And then we became all proper and correct. But wait a second – what about wraps and ganchos – they are actually even more ‘touchy’, what about volcadas with a heavy leaning on partner chest, what about…
Learn how to improvise with Cortes y Quebradas - signature steps of Argentine Tango. Add them to your repertoire and apply immediately through the proposed Short Sequence. REGISTER HERE
Here you can see cortes y quebradas as used in the tango in 1933. Look at Carmencita Calderón and her partner El Cachafaz – she was 28!
Same Carmencita Calderón in 2005 dancing her b-day dance at 100 years birthday dance in La Baldosa in Buenos Aires.
End – very entertaining performance by CACHIVACHE Quinteto with Pablo Inza y Sofia Saborido. Milonga! - with a lot of cortes y quebradas…