When I attend a practica and find a follower to practice with, I normally ask "What do you want to practice?"  99% of the time she would say "Oh, I doooon't.... know, lets just dance!"  As I attend a practica to practice this is not a very exciting reply. (I only go to practica because, I never comment technical matter at a social dance... that is NO-NO.)  Anyway, one thing which has surprised me quite a bit for the last 12 months or so... is that WHEN a follower actually said what she is wanting to practice, at about 70% of time they told me - she wanted to practice COLGADA or VOLCADA....   ?     It surprised me as these moves are generally in So called Nuevo variety and as in recent years the SALON style has been the most popularly followed style, VOLCADA and COLGADA have pretty much disappeared - that what I thought. 

ANYWAY,
Every time a lady tells me she wants to practice COLGADA and or VOLCADA, I check if they are having problem doing it or otherwise, the majority told me they have learnt it once and can not do well etc.   Hmmm.  I thought and I had to reply that she has to learn well and completely and properly first and I just can not help on these moves at Practica - and of course I am not a teacher.  (If it was something much simpler, I would just share what my teachers taught me but not on Colgada and Volcada because when I learnt them I had to do quite a bit of complicate body technique exercises which are rather tricky.

MY REQUEST...
I know I know...  COLGADA and VOLCADA are not BA favourites any more. But please those who are arranging BA teacher visit this year, persuade the visiting teachers to do some workshops on these subjects.  I have taken these workshops many times in the past and I am not interested in them myself but I am sure these ladies do! 

PS
I do not do much COLGADA / VOLCADA myself during social dance... I would do them only if there is an enough space on the floor...  Also importantly I do not find many moments where they fit well with traditional Tango music...  But ...  - I have found learning and practicing Volcada and Colgada is very helpful to learn how to control my posture/body core... and in my experience, this has had more relevance in close embrace situation than in open embrace... etc etc.

-- 17/02/2014 5:55:14 PM: post edited by isao.

Adding one more topic...
After Volcada/Colgada, the one which most commonly mentioned by followers at practica has been so called 'Front Boleo'. (Some teachers used to call it 'Castigada' but I now think Castigada is more about adornment move?)  Apparently some leaders try to lead front Boleo and some followers A) Not sure if she is led or not B) Just does not happen... etc.  It seems to be a common cause of frustration for followers in Sydney. ? 

All I can comment on this myself at a practice to a follower who tells me she has a problem with it that I try lead it and if it does not work I usually suggest she should ask experienced follower teacher (who can actually do it) to guide her with body technique.  (I also mention various ways I have been taught to lead Boleos as a reference.  All varieties.) May be some organisers may wish to add Front Boleo as one subject for workshop? 

A follower learning how to "do" a front boleo is not necessarily the best solution; learning how to have a "free leg" is a better one, IMO .... this skill applies to so many other moves, including volcada etc. No?

I know many ladies who can do reasonable Boleo (back side) but struggle on front side.
And, Some follower can do reasonable front with my lead and some other follower can not or just do not etc.

Probably it is best for a skilled follower to comment on this?

As a leader who do not can not follow - I 'suspect'  - Having free leg to be 'free' require a technique of its own.
(Technique = how to control one's body.) 

Also - There is a sort of misunderstanding of a sort - (a view from my limited experience but...) - that so-called NUEVO type movement learning means a follower keeps her body free and leader physically manipulate it with actual physical force. But as far as I know - it is not that simple. There may be element of this in Tango but this is more of a brutal low grade end of Tango technique.  Keeping (a part of) body free etc is a highly technical matter...  Also, when a follower dance with much fluidity and ability to free (part of) her body etc...  Minimal force is required from a leader - well that is what I have been taught by many BA teachers.

Many years ago - when I took a Boleo workshop by Cecilia Gnzales, I had a luck of trying it on her once during the practice time... I only had just started leading Boleo and I lead her as I was taught locally - Cecilia abruptly left my embrace and sharply looked at me and said in loud voice "What is this!?" indicating my lead was felt by her 'totally violent'.  'Oh Shit' I thought. Since this experience, I thought I should be able to lead a voleo with minimum physical push/pull whatever that may be...  But I have come to realise - it takes good follower to get this happening.

In term of front Boleo, probably a BA level teacher can go into entire body skill (not just free leg) to help a follower who is struggling. 

Hard fact is that not all of our local teachers know well enough about body anatomy to be able to guide a dancer with body technique. So... I can go back to my main point of this topic that - 'I' would like to see BA level teachers to offer a workshop specifically targetting the subject such as Colgada and Front Voleo and help those ladys who want to do them well. 

(DISCLAIMER - But...  It really does not matter to me if a follower can not do or not interested doing front Boleo or colgada... etc.
Each one of us has something she or he is good at and not good at.
Social dance floor is not an experimentation or practice zone... to me.
It is where I intend to have enjoyable dancing and focusing on weak part of a dancer is not really a good idea...)