Alternation is a Tango Topics teaching, musical, and vocabulary construct. Meaning that we teach it to show how we can structure our dance musically while employing vocabulary to express our dance musically. Alternation, in its simplest form, is starts out with 1 idea, and then alternates to another idea and then later on alternates back to the first idea. Like for instance starting out with a Parallel System walk on 2 tracks, and then at the Musical Pause changing to Milonguero Ochos, and then at the next Musical Pause, alternating back to Parallel System Walking. Alternation is expressed in sections 3 and 4 of the Musical Interpretation series.
Alternation as a concept and practice should not be confused with another Tango Topics term called “Alternates“, which is the 6th way of Walking of which there are 6 different types.