Known as the obscene dance, the Tango caused a stir when first introduced, it challenged the conventions of acceptable public behaviour. The Tango originates from Argentinean peasants.
A Group Tango in the 2005 series of Strictly come Dancing is a fine example of how this dance should be done, follow the link to find that Tango video.
The Basic Requirements of the Tango
- The Tango is a very emotional dance and this should be conveyed
- There should be lots of clipped movements in the Tango, it’s not fluid like a waltz
- Sharp head turning and stops
- The man’s left arm is more towards head level. The general hold is far more compact and the couple are much tighter together
- There should be NO rise and fall. This should be a very flat dance. The knees should be slightly bent at all times
The Basic Steps of the Tango
The Tango has several basic setps to master -
- Walks – with the heels leading on the walks
- Links – these are the sharp movements in-between the walks (the head turns from the girl)
- Rock Turns – rock whilst turning
- Promenade position – (is in all ballroom dances) this is when both the dancers walk forwards using identical footwork, side by side, whilst maintaining the hold
Below is a step-by-step guide to doing these basic steps as well as the other components of the Tango. To see how the Tango should be done I would recommend you
watch this video from the master of ballroom dancing Len Goodman, Len has been a judge on both Strictly Come Dancing in the UK and Dancing with the Stars in the US:-
Learn To Tango Video With Len Goodman
A downloadable PDF version of these instructions is available for download – Learn To Tango PDF (192 kb)
Step-By-Step Guide To The Steps Of The Tango
