This is a recurring topic on the List. If one googles "tango-l back step", one will find many threads on this topic (e.g.http://www.tango-l.com/archives/Tango-L/msg02236.html).
My understanding of the 8-count basic is that it's a school figure that hits the four cardinal points on the compass among other things. Its purpose is to help leaders lead and followers follow steps in those 4 directions. At a milonga under "combat conditions", the leader almost never moves counter to the line of dance and certainly not blindly with a back step. Back steps for the leader in the line of dance are ok if the leader has cleared the space (e.g. during a left turn). But even then it's a risky move since the leader can't see what's behind him as he steps back and the follower may have her eyes closed. So why teach the back step in the first place given that in practice it is seldom used? Some might argue that it's tradition or that for show tango it is used. Also, there are a few patterns where back steps are required. For example, the grapevine of milonga uses back steps albeit with a pair of eyes (leader's of follower's) always looking down the line of dance. Personally I find the back step of the 8-count basic perfectly acceptable since it is easily unlearned. If one thinks about shortening the back step until it degenerates into a simple weight change onto the leader's right foot, the back step magically turns into a normal beginning of a tango sequence. I have never had a partner miss that weight change. Indeed, followers almost seem to expect it. Regarding non-traveling ochos, again these appear to be a school figure for learning ochos (both forward and back) while leaning against a wall. At a milonga, they are seldom used, unless done in corners of the room, because they tend to obstruct the flow. Bob _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list Tango-L@mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l