Tango

The Tango is one of the most beautiful of all the dances. It is characterized by earthy and dramatic movements.

History:

The Tango began in the West Indies and found its way to Argentina where it was stylized by the Gauchos. It became the rage in 1921 after the silent screen star Rudolph Valentino brought this romantic dance to millions in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". More recently, it has been danced in movies such as True Lies and Scent of a Woman. Today, the Tango is considered the "dancer's dance" and becomes a favorite of all who learn it.

Music:

Tango music is usually written in 2/4 or 4/4 timing. The first teaching rhythm in tango is slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.

Characteristics:

The hold in Tango is more compact than in other moving dances. The walk in Tango differs from walks in other dances in that it is a staccato action obtained by delaying the follow through of the free leg and foot.

Teaching Elements:

Tango Basics--Work on level progression
Dance Positions--Closed position for better lead and follow
Amalgamations--Link patterns easily for smooth transitions
Control--Learn to control momentum
Variety (Interrelation)--Build vocabulary of patterns for style, movement & adaptation
Footwork--Develop foot coordination. Flares and Fans are exercises of balance in rotation
Compare/Contrast--Fox Trot, Argentine Tango, International Tango

Tango songs and artists include:

Hernando's Hideaway - from "The Pajama Game"
Whatever Lola Wants - from "Damn Yankees"
La Cumparsita - Julio Iglesias
Por Una Cabeza - from "Scent of a Woman"

Additional Dance Pages

[List of Dances] [Bolero] [Cha Cha] [Fox Trot] [Hustle] [Jitterbug] [Mambo] [Merengue] [Rumba] [Salsa] [Samba] [Swing] [Tango] [Viennese Waltz] [Waltz] [West Coast Swing] [Home]