The Dictionary of Tango

7 Basic Moves There are seven basic moves to Argentine Tango from which the dance is derived. Note the word there,… 8 Count Basic Every dance has a 'Basic', this is Argentine Tango's "Basic" Step. It consists of 8 steps that match… 8 Types of Ochos There are 8 Types of Ochos in Argentine Tango. 1.) Milonguero (Or "Lazy") Ochos. 2.) Linear Ochos. 3.)… 8 Types of Turns There are 8 Types of Turns in Argentine Tango. 1.) The Walking Turn. 2.) The Media Luna 3.)…

Abrazo This word when translated from Spanish to English means 'Embrace'. And as far as the Argentine is concerned,… Active Follower Typically when people hear this phrase, they immediately jump to the conclusion that the Follower is taking control… Adornment Typically a Follower activity, but a Lead can do them as well, is a series of movements (too… Age For women, Age does matter. Sadly. The fact is that the younger and prettier you are, the more… Alternates What are Alternates ? Alternates are the 6th Way of Walking which is a Tango Topics ONLY construct.… Alternation Alternation is a Tango Topics teaching, musical, and vocabulary construct. Meaning that we teach it to show how… Americana The Americana. Sometimes this is referred to as a 'Sweetheart' Embrace. The reason is that you look like… Ángel D'Agostino Ángel D'Agostino (1900 to 1991) was a pianist and orchestra leader, best known for his recordings with the… Aníbal Troilo Aníbal Troilo (1914 to 1975), called 'Pichuco', was a bandoneonist, composer and orchestra leader. Early Troilo is very… Anti-Molinete This is one of the 8 possible turns in Argentine Tango. The Anti-Molinete is an inverse Molinete form.… Anti-Ochos Anti Ochos. This particular type of Ocho is an Ocho that seemingly is a toy, when in fact… Apilado Apilado (pron: Ahh-Pee-Lah-Do), sometimes you will see this word spelled as ‘Apillado‘ and pronounced as Ahhh-Pee-Sha-Do. They mean… Applied Disassociation (pron: app-lie-d dis-uh-a-sow-she-shun) According to Tango Topics 🙂 the phrase is a derivation from the word ‘disassociation’ which… Argentine Cross The 'goto' move in most beginners, and later on a ubiquitous figure and staple of the dance. This… Argentine Rock Step The Argentine Rock Step is a very venerable piece of tango vocabulary. It's used quite often as a… Argentine Volcada There are many different variations of a Volcada. The word itself comes from the root Spanish word 'Volcar'… Argentine Wrap The Argentine Wrap is a limited subset of the Enganche idea: the free leg wraps around the partner's… Armpit The Armpit Dancer, so named because the dancers are literally and factually in each other's armpits, and spend… Armpit Dancer The Arm Pit Dancer is where a Lead places the Follower in their right armpit in order to… Ass-Out Follower There are several reasons why the 'Ass' Out Follower occurs: 1.) This is taught as a 'technique'. 2.)… Astor Piazzolla Astor Piazzolla (1921 to 1992) was a bandoneonist and composer who created 'Nuevo Tango', a style of music… Axis https://youtu.be/rYk_BifclLY The Axis Lie with Miles Tangos The word itself, from a Tango perspective, typically has come to…

Back Cross A Back Cross is a cross with the free foot behind the weighted one. Ideally we want this… Baggage Baldosa Box The Baldosa Box is a term that is used, usually, to describe a very specific pattern of steps… Baldosa Box Variation The Baldosa Box Variation is this: Lead Follow ❶ Back with the Right ① Forward with the Left… Ballet Rise A very specific tango exercise that helps or assists with your posture and your stability. Click here to… Bandoneón The bandoneón is the button accordion at the heart of the tango orchestra. Listen for it in nearly… Barrida The Barrida is, in common vernacular, a 'drag' of the foot, and either role can initiate it. The… Beat Methodology This is a reference that everything you do (Lead or Follow) is done, or executed on the Beat.… Berlin [glossary_exclude]Berlin.[/glossary_exclude] City of amazing wonders. Including, Tango. You'd think that Berlin is not a hotbed of Tango. And… Berlin Embrace This is a Tango Topics construct, and an observation, of what sometimes (operative word in the sentence) has… Body-on-Body Body-on-Body contact is when the dancers' bodies are in contact in the embrace. Close Embrace can be anything… Boleo The word 'Boleo' is pronounced 'Boh-Lay-Oh', with the emphasis on the second syllable. It comes from the verb… Buenos Aires Birthplace of Argentine Tango. However, you should really check out the related links for Salon Canning, La Viruta,… Bumper Car Tango A Bumper Car is an amusement park ride where the cars are coated in rubber to prevent an…

Cabeceo The preferred way to ask a Follower to dance a Tanda with the Lead that has asked. The… Calesita Probably the easiest way to describe this is to call it nothing more than a forward (or backwards)… Carlos Di Sarli Carlos Di Sarli (1903 to 1960) was an Argentine pianist and orchestra leader, known as 'El Señor del… Carlos Gardel Carlos Gardel (around 1890 to 1935) was the most famous tango singer of all time, the voice that… Castellano (Pron: Cas-tah-jzha-no. emphasis on the j sound, as in the word 'edge') A pseudo dialect of Spanish, as… Chacarera Argentine Chacarera is one of several folk dances that Tango is a part of. Sometimes you'll see this… Check Step A Check Step is a bit of a misnomer: it's a step that is started and then stopped,… Chicho Frumboli Mariano 'Chicho' Frumboli is an Argentine dancer and teacher known for his creative, playful style which grew out… Circular Boleos A Circular Boleo is a type of Boleo where the Follower's Leg (and sometimes a self Led Lead's… Circular Ocho Circular Ochos are an Ocho construct that is used from a stationary position (for the the Lead). It's… Circular Ocho Cortado Circular Patter This is a variation on Linear Patter. Meaning ? That instead of little tiny steps executing in along… Close Embrace This is an iconic look of Tango that has many variations and is usually the common visual of… Close Embrace Molinete  Close Embrace Molinete. This is a Molinete done in 'Close Embrace' format. There are a few differences… Codigos (pron: coh-de-gohs) According to Webster’s Spanish Dictionary it is a masculine noun which when translated to its English… Colgada A Colgada, from the root Spanish word, "Colgar" which means, when translated to English, "To Hang". The 'ada'… Colgada Turn A Colgada Turn is a type of turn whereby the lead will invoke a Colgada, or a shared… Collection “Collection”, this is an odd word in the Tango world. It has come to mean that we, as… Compression This term refers to physiological pressure from the dancer's arms, around their partner's bodies, as a way to… Connection https://youtu.be/fHmqv93CZyY Connection. [See 'The Connection Fallacy']. (pron: con-ek-shun) According to Webster’s Dictionary it is an English word which… Constriction Either partner can use/employ Constriction with their arms (often with the forearms), either intentionally or unintentionally, as a… Contact  Contact. As in physiological Contact, the Tango Topics opinion on this is 'feather lite', tactile, contact with… Contortion This usually describes a state whereby both parties of the couple physiologically twist their bodies to meet their… Cortado 'Cortado' means 'cut'. On its own it usually refers to the Ocho Cortado, the 'cut' Ocho. The Linear… Cortina The Spanish word 'Cortina' when translated to English means "Curtain". When the word is used in relation to… Cross Put simply this is the only piece of social dancing vocabulary where the Follower is being led to… Crossed System This is a way of describing a specific category of walks within Argentine Tango that can lead to… Cross Walking System Cross System (or Cross Walking System). This is 2nd most common way to describe one of the 6…

Dancer Head Tilt Dancer Head Tilt is when a dancer tilts their head, most commonly toward their partner, usually because they're… Dancing In A Small Space Dancing In A Small Space is the hallmark and the epitome of Social Tango. It is also a… Dancing The Pauses What on earth does 'Dancing The Pauses' mean ? It means that instead of dancing to the phrases,… Daniel Trenner Daniel Trenner is an American tango teacher and one of the pioneers who brought Argentine tango to North… Dark Side Salida Death Drop The Death Drop Dip is where the Follower is led almost to the ground with their back, one… Default Typically this refers to what a Dancer will go back to what they know, or is familiar with,… Delicious Follower The Delicious Follower is a type of Follower is light years beyond a Passive Follower, in the way… DIASS DIASS is short for "Dancing in a Small Space". This is a series of vocabulary choices that allow… Dirty Cross A Dirty Cross is where when either an Argentine Cross or Back Cross occurs there's distance or daylight… Disassociation (pron: dis-uh-a-sow-she-shun) According to Webster’s Dictionary the word is a verb (and noun) and a distant derivation of… Displacement Displacements are a family of tango vocabulary where whoever initiates it takes the place of their partner. There… Dynamic Ochos This is a Tango Topics construct. It is the only Ocho of the bunch of 8 that is…

El Golpe El Golpe ('the hit') is the strange note in the Habanera Rhythm of milonga: a strong '1' beat,… Embellishment Typically this is a series of movements with the Feet, that is ascribed to a Follower, but a… Embrace The Embrace is what identifies Argentine Tango as Tango, while most social dances have a version of an… Encuentro A Tango Encuentro is a series of Milongas with breaks in between each of them over the course… Enganche Enrosque The Enrosque, from the Spanish for 'screw', is where the Lead crosses one foot behind the other, cleanly,… Entrada The Entrada is the entrance: onto the floor, into the Line of Dance, and into the dance itself.… Entrega The word “Entregarse” in Spanish, especially its street usage, has no actual translation to English. The word typically… Execution The usage of this word refers to how someone performs a piece of tango vocabulary or a movement.… Exercise Explosion Phase This is the 1st of 3 phases and the beginning part of the step for Lead or Follow.… Extensions Extensions, sometimes referred to as 'projections', are what your legs do as they reach either Forward, Side or…

Fabián Salas Fabián Salas is an Argentine dancer and teacher who, together with Gustavo Naveira, canonized the multiple methods of… Facility Feather Feather lite contact. This refers to the level of touch with each and every partner as we engage… Feedback Feedback should be self explanitory. However the question that most have is how to give and receive feedback.… Five Social Figures There are Five 'Social' Figures that we use all the time when dancing Argentine Tango. The reason they're… FloorcraftTopic Tango Floorcraft refers to a whole cadre of practices, relationships, and awarenesses that we have to be fully… Follower Bashing Put simply, this is where a Lead blames the Follower for missing something musically, or kinesthetically, or not… Follower Forward Steps For a Follower, this type of walking step only happens 4 times in the dance. In Forward Ochos… Follower's Molinete The Follower's Molinete is considered to be the common turn of Argentine Tango. This is the turn that… Follower Technique This is quite possibly the single most important thing that a Follower can do for themselves, to study… Force Typically this refers to physiological strength specifically with the arms to push and pull someone to do something,… Forward Intention Forward Intention has been defined by inference only, and demonstrated visually on this site in 3 different places:… Foundation While Argentine Tango has it's '8 Count Basic', and is considered by many to be a 'basic' of… Francisco Canaro Francisco Canaro (1888 to 1964) was one of the most prolific orchestra leaders of the Golden Age, recording… Fred Torture This is a Tango Topics construct. It is a Follower's Molinete exercise on steroids. The exercise itself is… Free Leg The Free Leg is the unweighted leg, the one not holding you up. It's the leg that extends,…

Ganchito A Ganchito is an itty-bitty Gancho, a quick little hook. With some orchestras, like De Caro, Tanturi or… Gancho A 'hooking' of the leg by either the Lead or the Follower to their partner when invoked to… Giro First a little Spanish lesson: 'Giro' is the first person singular of the verb 'girar', and means 'I… Golden Age This is a reference to a particular time period in Tango music, usually from about 1928 to about… Golden Nugget The Golden Nugget. Refers to a foundational piece of Tango vocabulary that you will see no where else,… Golden Nugget Extensions This vocabulary is based on the Golden Nugget of Tango. It is a double-entendre. 1.) It means playing… Gooey Gancho The Gooey Gancho, also called the floating Gancho, is a variation of one of the four common Ganchos.… Grapevine Turn A 'Grape Vine' Turn is another name for the Follower's Molinete. Every dance has a version of this… Gustavo Naveira Gustavo Naveira is an Argentine dancer and teacher who, with Fabián Salas, is considered to be one of…

Habanera Rhythm The Habanera Rhythm is a unique musical structure that occurs in one very particular type of Tango Music:… Hanging Most often 'hanging' refers to what a Follower will do with their arms, placing them around their Follower… Haptics This term is a recent addition. It refers to the 5 levels of tactile pressures that are used… Head Tilt This is a Tango Topics described error that happens for both roles. For the Lead it's a tilting… Heel Work Heel work, or 'Shoe work' for the Lead, is the later stage of footwork training where we work… Horacio Godoy Horacio Godoy is an Argentine dancer, teacher and DJ known for his play with the music. He regularly…

I Move Me Means that YOU, as the Follower, are responsible for taking the initiative to ensure that your technique is… I Move Me – Tango Topics "Followers, you want to make the Lead/er move you. Back in the Golden Age of Tango, the Lead/ers… Incremental Step An Incremental Step is a small added step that lets you vary any of the Five Social Figures.… Instability Usually a partner can become unwieldy in how they place their foot on the floor, thereby generating this… Intensive Study This is an Intensive Tango Study program that seeks to teach you the foundations of the dance all… Intention The process, or action of how to communicate with your partner. Usually this is a small and very… Intention Based Dancing Intention Based Dancing is a reference to the idea that 'less-is-more' type of dancing. There is no physical…

Juan D'Arienzo Juan D'Arienzo (1900 to 1976) was known as 'El Rey del Compás', the king of the beat. His… Julio De Caro Julio De Caro (1899 to 1980) was a violinist and orchestra leader of the 1920s who changed how…

Kickstand The kickstand is a natural safety mechanism the Follower can invoke in a Volcada (or Colgada), if they're… Kinesthetic Kinesthetics is learning through feel: something that must be felt and then replicated over time with someone who…

La Cumparsita 'La Cumparsita', or as it is translated into English, 'The Little Carnival', is the most famous tango ever… La Marca More than likely you have not heard this phrase, and if you have, you’ve come to understand the… Lane of Dance Besides the Line of Dance, we also have the Lane of Dance: the lane you're in as you… La Pista La Pista is the dance floor. Every aspect of the dance happens around it: el cabeceo, la entrada… Lápiz A Lápiz ('pencil') is a leg extension, pointing the foot and toe, drawn in a circular fashion in… La Variación La Variación is the part of a song (tango, milonga, or vals), usually near the end, where the… La Viruta 'THE' Late night milonga in Buenos Aires that usually goes until 5 am on most days. Most days… Lazy Man's Turn The Lazy Man's Turn. When a Lead doesn't actually lead the Follower's Molinete but instead infers the Follower's… Lazy Ocho The Lazy Ocho, or Milonguero Ocho, is called that because the Follower's hips do NOT rotate, there is… Lead (upper case) This refers to the person who is initiating the action of leading. lead. (lower case) This… Lead Cabeceo You’re more than likely familiar with the idea of Cabeceo. You've heard the word and sort of understand… Leader The word 'Leader' in Argentine Tango is used to describe the action, activity, AND the person that initiates.… Lead Forward Steps The Lead has very few steps that they can really show off in, this is the primary step… Leading The word 'Leading' in Argentine Tango, from a Tango Topics perspective, refers to the activity of person that… Lead Mindset Lead Mindset is a way of thinking that pertains solely to the Lead of the dance. Lead Mindset… Lead's Giro The Lead's Giro. "Giro" (Pron: Heer-Oh, not jy-roh, or guy-roh) comes from the root Spanish -ar verb, "Girar",… Leadsplaining This the act of 'Mansplaining', only from the perspective of a Tango Lead. Usually this is done in… Lead Technique Just as in the case of the Follower, the Lead must study their 3 foundational steps: Forward, Side,… Lethargy Lethargy is moving too slow for the intended lead’s request (‘lead’ is the action, and not the person).… Licking the Floor Licking the Floor is an action that happens as the Follower starts their extension. They want to keep… Linear Boleos A Linear Boleo is a type of Boleo where the Follower's Leg (and sometimes a self Led Lead's… Linear Ocho Cortado Linear Ochos This type of Ocho serves two purposes. One, we use it as a teaching tool for both Lead… Linear Patter Social Patter. 'Patter' comes from the colloquial term, 'Pitter-Patter' which means, according to Webster's dictionary: "a sound as… Line of Dance The Line of Dance (LOD) refers to the direction of the flow of dancing couples as they progress… Llead L/lead. This term is slight misrepresentation so it requires a little explanation. A Lead refers to the 'person'… Lunfardo (via Wikipedia) Lunfardo (from the Italian lumbardo or inhabitant of Lombardy in the local dialect) is a dialect…

Marcato Rhythm The Marcato Rhythm is the standard bearer of Tango Music. It is the primary rhythm of the music.… Media Luna Meridian Refers to the natural body meridian that all human beings have. Sometimes referred to as a 'gig' line.… Metatarsals The metatarsals are the long bones of the foot just behind the toes. These bones typically take the… Miguel Caló Miguel Caló (1907 to 1972) was a bandoneonist and orchestra leader whose 1940s orchestra was known as 'La… Milonga The word itself has 3 possible definitions as it relates to Argentine Tango:1.) A Musical Style or Genre… Milonga Criolla Milonga Criolla is an earlier form of Milonga, not the Milonga Porteña that we know today. Francisco Canaro's… Milonga Lisa MIlonga Lisa is two ideas in one. First and foremost it refers to style of Milonga (the dance,… Milonga Ochos Milonga Ochos are just what they sound like, Ochos that happen in Milonga. 'Sounds like' and 'are', are… Milonga Traspie Milonga Traspie is a 'recent' addition to Milonga. Traspie refers to STYLE of Milonga dancing where the foot… Milonguero A 'Milonguero' was someone raised in the milongas, who picked up discarded tickets to get in, watched how… Milonguero Ocho Milonguero Ochos. These types of Ochos are sometimes referred to as "Lazy" Ochos because the dancer is either… Milonguero Style Milonguero Style is the close, minimal style of dancing that emulates a Walk. What characterizes this 'style' of… Milonguero Turn In it’s simplest form, the Milonguero Turn is one of the easiest of turns to accomplish with regards… Mirada The Spanish word "Mirada" comes from the root Spanish verb, "Mirar", which when translated into English means "Look".… Mirror Cross The Mirror Cross is a variation on the Argentine Cross: A mirror image of the normal Argentine Cross… Modern Tango Modern Tango is a construct that up until just a few decades ago didn't exist. For instance one… Molinete The Molinete. The word "Molinete" comes from the root Spanish word "Molino" which loosely translates to English as… Mordida (pron: mor-dee-dah) According to Webster’s Spanish Dictionary it is a masculine noun which when translated to English means… Mouth Leading This term refers to a L/lead will verbally tell their Follower how to execute a specific piece of… Musicality This is a misnomer in Tango Topics vocabulary. You will almost never hear or see it used here… Musical Paragraph A Musical Paragraph is a musical structure that is much like a written paragraph. Within that paragraph you… Musical Pause A Musical Pause is a moment where the music stops or breathes. It is canonized by 5 common… Musical Time Musical time is tempo or speed at which a piece of music is played. This is represented by…

Neurology of Leading This is a 5 part series on what happens to the lead's mind as they begin the process… Noise This is a reference to unintended kinesthetic motion that we all generate. Bodily, skeletal, nervous system, etc. There… No-No Tango No-No. These are things that no matter how much training you've had you're going to continue to… No-no Volcada This refers to an error in leading the Volcada that is either forced, pushed, pulled (more likely), and… Nuevo "Nuevo" (Pron: "New – ay – vo") as is called has 3 different meanings in relation to tango.…

Ocho Cortado The word "Cortado" translates from Spanish to English as "cutted", which makes no sense. An Ocho or 8… Ochos The word "Ocho" in Spanish, when translated to it's English cognate, is the number '8'. The idea, practice,… Ocho Transition An Ocho Transition is how you move from one kind of Ocho into another kind of vocabulary, for… Open Embrace Sometimes you'll see this embrace format from beginner dancers or dancers that have been trained with other embrace… Open Side Every embrace has an Open Side and a Closed Side. Typically in Tango it refers to the Lead's… Opposite Feet Walking Opposite Feet Walking is another descriptive name for Parallel Walking System. When the Lead steps forward with their… Opposition (pron: aw-poh-zishun) According to Webster’s Dictionary Opposition is a noun and was first used in the early 14th… Osvaldo Fresedo Osvaldo Fresedo (1897 to 1984) was a bandoneonist and orchestra leader known for an elegant, refined and lyrical… Osvaldo Pugliese Osvaldo Pugliese (1905 to 1995) was an Argentine pianist and orchestra leader whose music is dramatic, heavy and… Over-Rotated Ochos This version of the Ocho is quite possibly the most strenuous of the 8 Ocho types. For good… Over-Rotations These are a class of movements that go beyond the typical 90 or 180 degree rotation, but actually…

Paddling Paddling the Follower is when a Lead uses their right hand and forearm like 'direct' the Follower motions.… Parada Parallel Walking System Parallel System (or Parallel Walking System). This term refers to the most common form of 'walking' in Argentine… Pasada A Pasada is a sweep or a drag, a way to step over or move a partner's foot.… Passion A fallacy that most people have about Argentine Tango as a whole. They see an intimate embrace and… Passive Follower The Passive Follower is not what you think they are. This is a misnomer in terms. In short,… Pedro Laurenz Pedro Laurenz (1902 to 1972) was a bandoneonist and orchestra leader. His 'No Me Extraña' is one of… Perihelion Phase This is the 2nd of 3 phases in the step. It is the mid-part of the step for… Pie Wedge The 'Pie' Wedge is what happens when people start tango. You are told to 'collect' your feet. This… Pigeon-Toed 'Pigeon toed' is the feeling of Pronation, the toes turning in. That pigeon toed feeling, or sensation, is… Pitter-Patter Pitter-Patter, or Patter, is a quick series of small steps used to emphasize the Síncopa happening in the… Pivot (pron: piv-uh-t) According to Webster’s Dictionary the word ‘Pivot’ is an noun (and a verb) that means “the… Planeo A Planeo is a gliding, pivoting embellishment where the free leg trails or drags while the dancer turns,… Planking 'Planking' refers to your bodily posture being piled up, making your body into a plank, as if it… Porteño 'Porteño' (or 'Porteña') means someone that has gone native to Buenos Aires. However this also refers to a… Practica The Tango Practica. The word 'Practica' comes from the Spanish and when translated to English, means 'Practice'. In… Practical Tango Advice Presence This is a Tango Topics construct. It refers to the first part of any step in the Foundation… Presentation Tango Pressure Typically this refers to physiological compression against the dancers back with their partner's forearm (lead) and/or their hand… Pretty Knees When one knee is slightly bent and turned inwards towards the other knee, the opposite hip is raised.… Private Party This is a weird event type. It's not an Encuentro, a Marathon, a Milonga, a Festival or Festivalito… Pronate/Supinate Pronate – Supinate. (pron: proh-nayt)-(pron: sue-pi-nayt)According to Webster’s Dictionary the word ‘Pronate’ is an verb that means “to… Proprioception See Link -> https://tangotopics.com/dictionary/definition-proprioception/ Pseudo Close Embrace This refers a false form of Close Embrace that is really an error in posture and tango presence.… Pulling It is generally used to either move someone, or to initiate a movement such as the erroneous 'pivot'.… Pushing It is generally used to either move someone, or initiate, or to receive a movement, such as the…

Rebecca Shulman Rebecca Shulman is an American tango teacher who shot the 'Bridge to the Tango' videos with Daniel Trenner.… Rebote The Spanish word 'Rebote' when translated into English means "Rebound". From a Tango perspective, it simply means that… Rescue Plan The Follower's Rescue Plan is a series of 4 steps that a Follower can use to extricate themselves… Resistance This employs the use of one's arms, and hands to indicate a direction (from a leading perspective) or… Resistance Based Dancing Resistance Based Dancing is the polar opposite of Intention Based Dancing. In the simplest of terms it means… Reverse Embrace This is exactly what it sounds like. – as a Lead and a Follow, we reverse the embrace… Ricardo Tanturi Ricardo Tanturi (1905 to 1973) was a pianist and orchestra leader whose orchestra, 'Los Indios', recorded with the… Rigidity Rigid(ity). A very common state of holding one's hands, arms, torso, and posture to achieve a certain visual… Rock Step Rodolfo Biagi Rodolfo Biagi (1906 to 1969) was a pianist who played with D'Arienzo before starting his own orchestra in… Rodriguez Pop The Rodriguez Pop. This refers to the way that Javier Rodriguez steps forwards when dancing in Close Embrace. Romance Ronda The Ronda is the dance floor as a whole, all the couples moving together around the room in… Row of Women Rushing the Follower Rushing the Follower is leading the next thing before the Follower has finished the last one. Rushing the…

Sacada As far as Argentine Tango is concerned this word means: To displace and then to take the place… Sacada Turn Click Here to see the Crossing Sacada Turn! Salida (pron: sah-lee-dah) According to Webster’s Spanish Dictionary it is a feminine noun which when translated to English means… Salon Canning Salon Style There are two common definitions for this word > 1.) It refers to the common umbrella for ALL… Sending Cue A Sending Cue is an infinitesimally small amount physical contact and motion, that suggests that X or Y… Side Steps A Side Step is not what you think it is. It's a whole thing. It's not just a… Simple Sentences A Simple Sentence is a Tango Sentence of simple vocabulary that encompass the Five Social Figures of Argentine… Síncopa Síncopa, syncopation, is an aspect of the music: a note that lands off the expected beat. There are… Single Axis Single Axis is when the couple shares one axis, turning around a single point rather than each dancer… Single Axis Turn A Single Axis Turn is a version of a Colgada, where both parties share an axial line and… Smaller Follower There is usually a height difference between the partners, and usually, depending on which country you're in that… Snake Walk The Snake Walk, Inside and Outside, is one of the Six Ways of Walking. In this method of… Social Boleos A Social Boleo is a type of Boleo where the Follower's (or Lead's) foot extends outwards beyond the… Social Colgada Social Dancing 'Social Dancing' has two definitions. 1.) It means the action of going out dancing to your milonga for… Social Tango 'Social' Tango. When using the word 'Social', in the phrase 'Social Tango', it's easy to confuse it with… Social Vocabulary This is tango dancing vocabulary (steps, simple patterns) that fits within the line, and the lane of dance,… Social Volcada A Social Volcada is a Volcada that is smaller and fits within the LANE and LINE of dance.… Soltada Spice Spice is vocabulary used as an accent, a way to vary the dance slightly: Patter, Incremental Steps and… Square Embrace Sometimes referred to as being 'Buttons-to-Buttons' with your partner, refers to the partner's torsos facing each other at… Supination Supination is the outward rotation of the foot, with the heel turning inward with heels touching, with there… Sweat Symmetry Symmetry is a Tango Topics definition, and musical construct that uses Alternation as a way to express our…

The 5 Pause Types The Five Pause Types refers to FIVE of the THIRTEEN types of auditory markers which occur with great… The Adjustment Phase The Following Mantra For the Follower, there's a Following Mantra as well. This mantra is focussed on the Follower's body, their… The Leading Mantra If you Lead and read this page quite frequently, this post is probably the single most important post… The Lead's Molinete The Long Step From time to time, you'll see the technique of ‘Apilado’ actually put to use. Sometimes we use the… Taller Follower Tanda This is a series of songs, in the same style or genre, by the same orchestra. Sometimes with… Tango Baggage The community you dance in regularly where you see the same people, dance with the same people, once… Tango Exercises Tango Festival A Festival is a series of Tango related events that happen over a 4 to 5 day period… Tango Haptics Touch, the most basic element of Tango, and life, needs a bit of clarity for most of you.… Tango Marathon A Marathon, or Maratón (in Spanish), is a series of day/night Milongas (sometimes with breaks in them for… Tango Police The Tango Police are the people you imagine are judging you with every step, and sometimes every rule… Tango Proprioception Proprioception. (pron: Pro-Prio-Sep-Shun) According to Webster’s Dictionary the word ‘Proprioception’ comes from the latin word ‘proprius’ meaning “one’s… Tango Rigidity Rigidity. (pron: rij-id-it-ee) According to Webster’s Dictionary the word ‘Rigidity’ is an adjective that means to be ‘stiff’… Tango Truisms Tango-Vals Tango-Vals is one of the six major forms of tango music: Tango, Milonga Porteña, Vals, Tango-Milonga, Tango-Vals and… Tension Yup! You probably guessed this one, it's not desirable to do this. Tension is what happens with the… Thud “THUD” is an uncontrolled, unsightly, and ungainly foot placement which results in a heavy step and we generally… Torsion Torsion is the wind-up created in the body by Disassociation and Applied Disassociation. The build-up and release of… Touch Transfer Phase The Transfer Phase. In this phase we do four things in sequence. 1.) We begin a sliding action… Traspié 'Traspié' (pron: 'Tras-PEE-Ay') means a stumble step. It's the basis of Milonga Traspié vocabulary and is used inside… Traveling Ocho Traveling Ochos are a staple of Argentine Tango vocabulary. It is the common variety of Ocho that is… Turns There are 8 types of social turns that Argentine Tango uses on a somewhat Frequent basis. 1.) Walking… Type 1 Turn A Type 1 Turn is one of 8 types of turns, it is the first turn that everyone… Type 1 Walk A Type 1 Walk is a Parallel System Walk that can start on either foot (Left or Right)… Type 2 Turn A Type 2 Turn is one of 8 types of turns, it's the kissin' cousin of the type… Type 2 Walk A Type 2 Walk is where both partners are walking with the same feet. Meaning that if the… Type 3 Turn A Type 3 Turn is one of 8 types of turns, it's the common turn that you're most… Type 3 Walk This is a variation on a theme, but is very much a walking system. This is a 'Lazy'… Type 4 Walk This walk is a bit unusual and tends to go in and out of Cross System. It's referred… Type 5 Walk This is, again, a different type of animal all together. In its simplest form, it is easiest to… Type 6 Walk A Type 6 Walk is a series of ideas called 'Alternates'. This way of walking, again, only changes…

Unstable Unused Mordida

Vals Vals is one of the forms of music you'll hear at a milonga alongside Tango and Milonga. It… Vee Embrace The Vee Embrace. This way of dancing, and embracing ones partner has been around for a long, long… Vocabulary This word refers to codified, identifiable, demonstratable, teachable, and often used Tango steps or patterns. Such as ?… Vocabulary Trap The Vocabulary Trap is part of the Lead Mindset believe that most Leads fall into when they first… Volcar, Colgar, Bolear The Spanish verbs behind three families of vocabulary. 'Volcar' means 'to fall', 'to tip over' or 'to overturn',…

Walking Walk or Walking. There are 6 ways of walking in Argentine Tango. However, most teachers, only talk the… Walking In Opposition Walking In Opposition (WIO) happens 'naturally', we don't think about it at all. WIO is the technical name… Walking Turns Weight Change This is a slight, ever so slight tilt of the body whereby one places one's weight on one… Whic With Boleo A Contra Boleo goes against the Follower's motion. A With Boleo uses their motion instead, to 'throw the… Wrap

Zamba Argentine Zamba is nothing like it's Caribbean namesake that shares it's name. This is an Argentine construct through…