Dance Tango

Tango

The music has 4 beats to the bar and about 30 bars per minute. Half a bar is one slow (S) or two quicks (QQ). Step groups or figures are not always a whole number of bars long - making it impractical to count actual beats. It is possible to work in half bars (counting 1, 2 for each half) but easier to use slows and quicks.

The couple should remain in close hold throughout. However, the offset to the right side of partner is more noticeable than in other ballroom dances. Steps may be inline, in promenade position or outside partner (usually to the right).

In general slow forwards steps are on the heel first. Backwards steps are on the toe first. Walks tend to curve to the left. When stepping back on the right foot, step slightly across the body and tuck the toe in because of the partner offset and curving motion. Although the walking motions are smooth, the turns to promenade and back tend to be abrupt (transmitted from the feet up to a flick of the head).

Walks and Promenade Walks

Walks are slow steps forwards or backwards - named by what the man is doing of course. Promenade Walks are forwards for both man and lady. Steps backwards in Promenade Position are called Fallaway Promenade.

	Walks (FP, CH)		Back Walks (FP, CH)
Beat	S	S	S	S
Man	LF	RF	LB	RB
Lady	RB	LB	RF	LF

	Prom. Walks (PP, CH)		Fallaway (PP, CH)
Beat	S	S	S	S
Man	LdF	RxF	LxB	RdB
Lady	RdF	LxF	RxB	LdB

Links to and from Promenade

	Progressive Link (FP-PP, CH)
Beat	Q	Q
Man	LF	RdB
Lady	RB+1	LSB+1

	Four Step (FP-ORP-PP, CH)
Beat	Q	Q	Q	Q
Man	LF	RSB-1	LB	RC
Lady	RB	LSF-1	RF	LC+2

	Promenade Link (PP-FP, CH)
Beat	S	Q	Q
Man	LdF	RxF	LC+1 br
Lady	RdF	LxF	RC-1 br

	Closed Promenade (PP-FP, CH)
Beat	S	Q	Q	S
Man	LdF	RxF	LdF	RC
Lady	RdF	LxF	RFSB-2	LC

	Open Promenade (PP-ORP, CH)
Beat	S	Q	Q	S
Man	LdF	RxF	LdF	RxF
Lady	RdF	LxF	RFSB-2	LxB

Rock Turn and Back Corté

The Rock Turn is a turn to the right while rocking from one foot to the other. It is completed with a simple back-side-close turn to the left. The last 4 steps are the Back Corté. As with Foxtrot there may be some disagreement as to where figures begin and end. To begin the Rock Turn on the left foot, simply add a forwards walk.

	Walk (FP, CH)	... Rock Turn ... (FP, CH)				Back Corté (FP, CH)
Beat	S	S	Q	Q	S	Q	Q	S
Man	LF	RF	LSB+1	RF+1	LB	RB-1	LS-1	RC
Lady	RB	LB	RSF+1	LB+1	RF	LF-1	RS-1	LC

Natural Turns

The Natural Promenade Turn is the archetypical tango (pivot) turn. It can be used to turn a corner. The rhythm may be all slows (ignoring the brush). The last forwards step and brush may become the first step of the Rock Turn instead.

	Natural Promenade Turn (PP-FP-PP, CH)
Beat	S	Q	Q	S	and
Man	LdF	RFX+1	LFSB+3	RSF+2	LC br
Lady	RdF	LXF+1	RFX+1	LSB+2	RC+2 br

	Natural Twist Turn (PP-FP-ORP-PP, CH)
Beat	S	Q	Q	S	Q	Q
Man	LdF	RxF	LFS+2	RkB+1	untwist on L heel and R toe
Lady	RdF	LxF	RFX+1	LXF+1	RFX+2	LC+4

Reverse Turns

	Closed Reverse Turns (FP, CH)
Beat	Q	Q	S	Q	Q	S
Man	LFX-1	RFSB-2	LkF	RBX-1	LBSF-2	RC
Lady	RBX-1	LBSF-2	RC	LFX-1	RFSB-2	LC

	Open Reverse Turns (FP-ORP-FP-ORP, CH)
Beat	Q	Q	S	Q	Q	S
Man	LFX-1	RFSB-2	LB	RBX-1	LBSF-2	RF
Lady	RBX-1	LBSF-2	RF	LFX-1	RFSB-2	LB

Outside Swivel

The man steps backwards, leading the lady outside him on his right and into a swivel. The man's lock brush is optional. The figure is usually preceded by an Open Promenade and followed by a Promenade Link. It can also start with the man facing LOD and turn slightly left to end facing diag. to centre.

	Outside Swivel (ORP-PP, CH)		Prom. Link (PP-FP, CH)
Beat	S	and	Q	Q
Man	LB	RkF br	RxF	LC br
Lady	RF	LC+2 br	LxF	RC-2 br

Brush Tap

This follows a Promenade Link and can be used to trip up another couple trying to pass ;-)

	Brush Tap (FP, CH)
Beat	Q	Q	and	S
Man	LF	RS-1	LC br	LS pt
Lady	RB	LS-1	RC br	RS pt