Los Codigos de Tango
Codigos (pron: “Coh”-“Dee”-“Gohs”). This word means, when translated from Spanish to English, ‘The Codes’ or Practices of the dance! What the ‘F’ does that mean ? It means that from the moment you walk into the Milonga you have certain things you have to do in order to be in community with the other dancers in the room. Codigos defines the way in which we interact with other dancers, our partners, and the room in general. It deals with more commonly, how to ask for a dance or to decline a dance without hurting anyone’s feelings; Where to sit; How to dress; How to enter and exit the line AND lane of dance. How to leave the floor or how to enter the floor. There are also a host of arcane ideas that seemingly have no place in today’s world of egalitarian experience. Like for instance, codigos of years gone by said that woman never asked a man to dance but instead made herself available to a Man. Times have changed, but that codigo still exists in Buenos Aires and other Milongas through-out the world. These codigos below are just a few of the more popular ones. More will be added as time goes by. Also there is a dictionary, or glossary of terms on Tango Topics which also defines some of this stuff.
Where To Sit
What To Wear
The Shoes
The Rules!
Follow the Line & Lane of Dance
Floorcraft!
