The Argentine Enganche is actually a misnomer of a word. “Wrap” is the Anglo-American version, whereas the Spanish cognate is actually “Enganche”. The words Themselves are somewhat telling, in either language. How’s that ? In the English version something is going to wrap something. In the Spanish something or someone is going to be Enganche’d. The English version refers to one very specific thing, while the Spanish version is a much broader definition. Much broader. This is one of those pieces of Argentine Tango vocabulary where it rightfully classifies as ‘cool’, seemingly ‘intricate’, and definitely worth doing once or twice as spice or accent but certainly not an entire dance filled with them (ahem, hint, hint, hint). That said, let’s talk about the Argentine Enganche and in specific the Argentine Wrap!
What is an Argentine Enganche (or “Wrap”) ? The Enganche is a family of tango movements, and the Argentine Wrap is a limited subset of the Enganche that we want to explore. An Enganche can be but is not limited to where the dancer’s free leg, can engage their partner’s free leg or the open space between their legs in a myriad of different ways through either a Gancho, a Ganchito, a Rebound, un Libre Pierna (a free leg) Columpio (swing), or a version of a Sacada, and/or a Wrap in the English sense of the word. However the Argentine Wrap is a limited subset o f the Enganche idea. A bit more specific really, where the Lead, or the Follower, mostly the Follower in this instance, can, and will, ‘wrap’ their free leg around their partner’s standing leg usually from a side step. However a Wrap can be achieved from either back or forward steps as well, however it is slightly more challenging to do so.
The Argentine Wrap is 1 of 4 Displacements that happen in Argentine Tango. The first that this site has talked about is the Argentine Sacada. The next is the Argentine Gancho. Next is the Argentine Boleo (Social Boleos, Circular Boleos, Linear Boleos) And the very last is the Argentine Wrap (or Enganche). Displacement ? What’s that ? Meaning that the Free leg will either drift away as a result of an invasion as in the case of an invasive step. By default, if someone steps into you, you’re going to step backward or away from them. There are 3 possible responses to this invasive step. 1.) A displacement. 2.) A Default Resolution. and 3.) A Learned Resolution. The video above unfortunately doesn’t make a distinction between 2 and 3. The one that we’re after is #3. A Default Resolution is one that has been developed by the dancer as their goto behavior. In the video above it’s where the Follower allows their leg to go back but they as a result of the invasion allow it to swing but their default training know that that’s a less than desirable thing so they bring it to closure or collection and allow their body to turn as a result.
The Free Tip. Repeat after me Followers – IN, UP, AROUND, DOWN, BACK. That’s your mantra for an Argentine Wrap! That’s what your free leg is going to do. Now saying it, and then doing it, are two very different things. Hence I’d suggest you actually either subscribe to see what “IN” and “UP” actually means or buy the video. One or the other! Lead’s repeat after me: I WILL NOT SQUEEZE, I WILL NOT SQUEEZE, I WILL NOT SQUEEZE! Then when you’re doing repeating that, write it down, and when you’re done with that, keep repeating it over and over and over again! What does that really mean ? With your right arm, you’re not going to squeeze the living daylights out of your Followers! Please, stop doing this!
About The Video. This video comes in at 31m:49s in length in 18 Sections. Both lead and follower technique is combined and integrated in the video.
Section 1 – Introduction – 00:01:46
Section 2 – 5 Points of Follower Technique – 00:01:50
Section 3 – Beginning Lead Technique – 00:02:18
Section 4 – Lead and Follower Technique Together – 00:01:31
Section 5 – The Closed Inside Wrap – 00:01:29
Section 6 – The Closed Outside Wrap – 00:01:19
Section 7 – 5 The Practice Embrace – 00:01:26
Section 8 – The Open Side Outside Wrap – 00:00:25
Section 9 – Open Side Inside Wrap – 00:00:21
Section 10 – Three Lead Errors Detailed – 00:01:54
Section 11 – The Follower’s Choice – 00:02:36
Section 12 – The Back Sacada Wrap Option – 00:02:03,
Section 13 – Wrap Review – 00:02:35
Section 14 – The Double Wrap – 00:01:39
Section 15 – The Close Embrace Wrap – 00:01:20
Section 16 – The Follower’s Choice – 00:02:36
Section 17 – The Flashy Wrap – 00:03:37
Section 18/End – Closure/Practice – 00:01:41.