Sacadas

2 minutes read

A man and a woman dancing argentinian tango on gray studio background

The sacada is one of the most popular figure in tango (and is also quite unique to tango). It’s part of the group of moves characteristic to tango involving foot and leg play. The name derives from the verb ‘sacar’, which means ‘to take out,or to take away’. The reason for the name Sacada is that optically it looks as if the leg of one partner is pushing a leg of the other partner away from its place. However this is not the case, as the initiator’s leg moves weightlessly into place. In fact, many times the feet of the leader and follower do not even touch each other during the Sacada. In short, one partner initiates the movement of the other’s leg out of it’s original position, to create space for their foot. Some tango teachers say call this a simple displacement, as the leader replaces the space occupied by the follower’s foot with his foot as if he has just “chased” away the foot of the follower.

There are many kinds of Sacada. They all involve one partner (usually the leader) displacing the partner’s leg by either touching it or appearing to touch it.

Contact (either apparent or real contact) by the partner initiating the Sacada is either low (ankle) or high (thigh). There may be no actual contact but only the appearance of contact as the leader steps into the position the follower’s foot is leaving almost simultaneously. If there is contact, it should either be low (around the ankle or lower calf) or high (on the thigh). Sacadas should never hit the knees.

There are both leader’s and follower’s sacadas depending on who steps into the free space just left by the other partner. In the leader’s sacada, the leader first moves the follower away, then he step into the vacated space. In the follower’s sacada , the leader moves himself away from the spot and then makes the follower step into that place.

How to Sacada

By Hudson Dance Studio Edgewater. Simple sacada in forward ocho, then putting them into a chain of these sacadas, and finally one of the giro plus sacada patterns.

Sacada con Ocho Adelante

By Osvaldo & Mora. Teaches sequence of forward ocho sacadas.

Forward Ochos & Sacadas for Leader and Follower

By Michelle & Joachim. Shows a simple sacada during front ochos. They also show a more advanced chain of leader then follower then leader.

How to Sacada

By Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón. Shows a sequence of three sacadas. The first two are sometimes called easy sacadas because the leg that is being sacadad is already about to move in that direction. The third sacada, high in the thigh area, causes the follower’s leg to do a boleo.

Tango 202: more Sacadas

By Los Angeles Tango Academy.

Tango 301: Sacadas Deconstructed

By Los Angeles Tango Academy. Nice, clear dancing with sacadas at all levels.

Tango interactions » Sacadas I – 08.11.2015

By Tanguito. Starts with the simple front ochos sacadas, but quickly moves to the high inside sacadas done while walking in cross-foot.

How to Lead a Sacada for Followers

By Diego Blanco & Ana Padrón.

Four sided Sacada / Sentada