Tango

Tango is all about drama and passion. It’s romantic, like the Rumba, but it’s less about sensual pleasures and more about love as a passionate obsession.

It’s a sexy, dangerous dance, with very little daylight between dance partners, and advanced steps require that your feet, knees and thighs be thrust confidently between those of your partner.

The steps are smooth and dramatic, and the upper body must remain as still as possible for the “stalking” feel of the dance to have its full effect.

The basic step is slow-slow, quick-side-close (T, A, N-G-O), with dancers typically moving at a diagonal to the dance floor.

Because the dance floor is finite, partners will need to turn. A corte, or cut, helps them do that, dramatically halting the forward movement, reversing it, and allowing for a dramatic promenade turn toward open floor space.

While not for the faint of heart, Tango is one of the most dramatic and beautiful dances, when it’s done right. And as they say, it takes two to do it. All this can make it seem intimidating, or beyond the average student’s reach.

But beginning students will be relieved to know there’s plenty of solo practice opportunities, and wide-frame partner practice, before they’ll be expected to move on to the most dangerous legwork and moves.

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