The Dictionary of Tango
Armpit
The Armpit Dancer, so named because the dancers are literally and factually in each other’s armpits, and spend their entire dance in each other’s armpits! They start out in front of each other (sometimes, which is where it is most advantageous for each partner to be) but then for a
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 the same things. The latter is a bastardized – ahem, Argentine version of the word. In short, this word is the past participle of the verb ‘Apilar’ which means ‘to pile up’ or ‘to put in
Axis
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
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.
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
Active Follower
Typically when people hear this phrase, they immediately jump to the conclusion that the Follower is taking control of the dance. This tends to scare the living sh*t out of Leads, and other Followers, who see it as absolutely heresy! While it is true that an Active Follower has this ability to
8 Count Basic
Every dance has a ‘Basic’, this is Argentine Tango’s “Basic” Step. It consists of 8 steps that match a musical 8 count, which is how it got its name – The 8 Count ‘Basic’. The image above is one of two ground reliefs in Buenos Aires. This one was taken
Tension
Tension. Yup! You probably guessed this one, it’s not desirable to do this. Tension is what happens with the dancer’s arms to keep or hold their partner in place. Tension can also be applied with the fingers, neck, shoulders, and torso. However, in this instance, it’s mostly about the arms,