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Check out the Tango Dictionary for words like Axis and Connection.

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  • Age

    For women, Age does matter. Sadly. The fact is that the younger and prettier you are, the more physically attractive you are, the more likely you are to get dances. That’s fact. I mean we’re dealing with ‘men’ here so … well do the math! However just because said younger and prettier girl gets the dance does not necessarily mean that said Follower will keep it. A good number of better leads, will actually over look said younger and prettier girl because they know that said Follower can barely walk, turn, embrace, or for that matter breathe properly. That is, unfortunately, only about 10-20% of the available L/leads in the room. See the Definition on this topic!

  • Dark Side Salida

  • Argentine Cross


    The ‘goto’ move in most beginners, and later on a ubiquitous figure and staple of the dance. This is steps 2 thru 5 of the Basic 8. Which can be done in Open or Close Embrace, at any point of the dance.

  • Exercise

  • Axis

    Plays from YouTube. Pressing play connects you to YouTube. Privacy

    The Axis Lie with Miles Tangos

    The word itself, from a Tango perspective, typically has come to refer to an idea of balance, or sometimes one’s equilibrium. Usually when this word is used it’s used as a way to describe someone’s inability to be stable when walking or in a movement. Sometimes it refers to someone’s body position in relation to their partner. Sometimes, very infrequently, it’s used to communicate that someone is hanging, pulling, pushing, or using their embrace to stabilize themselves against their partner.

    As you can clearly see, there’s a lot of confusion when using this word.

    Tango Topics sees the usage of this word as a wholly inaccurate, imprecise, and a convoluted way of talking about these things.

    Further still when talking about ‘axis’ in relation to the human body, your body has 9 Axes. Which one ? The assumption is the Longitudinal Axis is the one that we’re after. However, that axis changes with a few variables. Most notably which foot you’re standing on, as well as where you are in relationship to your partner. The closer you are to your partner it’s no longer a singular longitudinal axis, but rather a shared longitudinal axis that may be invoked or used, and depending on which foot that you’re on it will change as well. Axis isn’t what you think it is.

    A better, more accurate way of talking about this stuff is to use the three words used above: 1.) Balance, 2.) Equilibrium, and 3.) Position. Like this >

    “When we’re walking together, I am experiencing some balance issues coming from you”.

    Or “When we’re in the line of dance, I have a concern about equilibrium between us…”

    Or “Hmmm, I feel like we’re not in the right position with each other which is co-creating some equilibrium and or balance issues…what do you think ?”.

  • Enganche

  • Disassociation

  • Floorcraft

    Tango Floorcraft refers to a whole cadre of practices, relationships, and awarenesses that we have to be fully cognizant of in order to dance argentine tango as a Lead or as a Follow. Primarily it deals with spacing between the couples and the maintenance of that space at all times. However, that’s a very rudimentary descriptive of the practice. Why ? Because Tango Floorcraft also deals with the appropriate use of vocabulary within the space that one has to work with. “Appropriate” being the operative word. And this is where the Floorcraft takes on its truest meaning. Because that vocabulary must fit not only in the space that one has, but also within the time that one has. Time ? In this case ‘time’ refers to musical time, not just the beat of the music, but also the all-important pauses of the music which allow us to structure what we’re doing and what the end goal will look like. All of this is done while keeping things interesting for both roles, and at the same time keeping the line of dance flowing forwards, all the while keeping things contained within the space that we have to work in, and not hitting anyone, or anything.

    Put simply, to do this well, even under the best of conditions, is in fact it’s insanely complex, and difficult, and requires lots and lots of practice to do efficiently, cleanly, clearly and exceptionally well. Below we have compiled a series of videos and links to help understand things for both roles.

    A Floorcraft Primer.
    Floorcraft 101, Floorcraft 102, Floorcraft 103, Floorcraft 104, Floorcraft 105, Floorcraft 106
    The Neurology of Leading – Part 1, The Neurology of Leading – Part 2

  • Applied Disassociation

  • Follower Forward Steps

    Follower Forward Steps

    Follower Forward Steps. For a Follower, this type of walking step only happens 4 times in the dance. In Forward Ochos (and it’s variations), the Ocho Cortado (and it’s variations), the Follower’s Molinete (not the Milonguero Turn), all Calesitas and Walking Turns, and lastly Milonga!

    This is an important step for the Follower to learn even though it’s used infrequently, it is quite possibly the most important step because it shows off the skills, and lines of the Follower!

    There’s a whole swath of videos, about 40 of them, on Follower Technique that goes over how to engage the floor, how to use your heel, how to extend your leg forward in certain conditions, etc. That’s what our Follower Technique series of videos is all about.

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