Tango is a sensual, dynamic ballroom dance that originated in Argentina. However, the Tango danced in ballrooms in America and other places around the world is an entirely different dance than Argentine Tango! This is because Arthur Murray wanted a dance that was more easily codified and taught in his ballroom dance studios.
American style Tango has may movements that are performed in open position as well as closed position. There are many turns and sharp movements and poses, along with slow, sensual movements to provide contrast. Although some Tango patterns are danced in one spot, most of them travel. Traveling dances like Tango should always be danced in a counter-clockwise direction, also called “line of dance”, to reduce traffic jams.
The count for many of the beginning steps in Tango is slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. A slow count is held for two beats and a quick is one beat. The steps should be staccato, meaning that you strike the floor quickly with your foot, not shuffling or dragging your feet—the only exception is the final slow count of the pattern, where you slowly drag in your free foot. Your knees should remain bent through most of the dance, with some exceptions.
Tango is usually started in closed dance position. Put the lady’s right hand in the man’s left and hold them at about eye level, with the hands held just outside of the bent elbows. Place the man’s right hand under her arm and on the middle of the lady’s lower back. The lady wraps her left elbow around the man’s right elbow, placing her left thumb under the man’s right tricep. The lady should dance slightly to the man’s right, looking over her left wrist. Tango is usually danced in a close hold with body contact from the ribcage to the hips, but beginners can keep space between them until they are more experienced at the dance.
There are many different steps to choose from when dancing Tango, from very simple and easy to very complex and difficult. The more Tango steps you learn, the more you can mix them up to keep your dance interesting. With time and practice, you can learn to make your dancing look as though you have choreographed it to the music by the steps you choose. There are too many to list here, so only the steps for the Tango basic step are listed here.
Comments
SchoolOfLife said
on 1/19/2009 This is truly an excellent, detailed, well written article. Now if I could only get you to come by and give me lessons.... :P Keep up the good work!