Tango

Tango is a Ballroom Dance that branched away from its original Argentine roots by allowing European, American, Hollywood, and competitive influences into the style and execution of the dance.

Tango is earthy and dramatic. Although walking movements dominate, Tango walks, having a “stalking” or “sneaking” character are unlike the walks of other Ballroom dances. Movements are sometimes slow and slithery, and sometimes sharp, and stacatto, such as a quick foot flick or a sharp head snap to promenade position. Tango has the same counter-clockwise flow of movement around the dance floor but with a lesser sense of urgency than the smoother and more continuous Ballroom dances.

Tango uses a modified dance hold, more compact than the normal closed position Ballroom hold. The man and lady stand slightly farther offset, causing the man’s right arm to be positioned farther around the lady’s back so that the fingers of his right hand lay across her spine. Instead of placing her left arm on top of his, she will hook her forearm underneath his elbow and upper arm. Her wrist will be positioned directly underneath his arm (possibly, but not necessarily in contact) with her palm facing inward, her fingers just reaching his torso. The lady’s right hand and man’s left hand are joined in an upper-hand clasp at approximately the lady’s eye level. The man’s left and lady’s right elbows may be held slightly higher than normal, with a more acute angle at the elbow.