Tango

Style: International (English) Style

Category: Modern/Standard Ballroom

Rhythm: 4/4 time (Beats of Equal Intensity) (Rarely, 2/4 Time)

Tempo: 33 Bars per minute (Competition)

28-34 Bars per minute (Social)

“Although many different interpretations have appeared, at no time have these deviated from the theme of a partnership in which the man is dominant.”

–Peggy Spencer, MBE Fellow and examiner or the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance.

The tango is a departure from the other standard dances. The tango exhibits no Rise & Fall, so characteristic of the other standard dances. The tango exhibits no Sway or Lilt. What then does the Tango have?

Contra-body Staccato movement, and lots of it!

The American Tango is characterized by the use of drum rhythm, and legato movement, with a wide variety of character and emotion. Very different from its American counterpart, the International Tango is best described as Fierce in character, and an intensely powerful dance.

While American Tango is the dance of ‘Yes!’, ‘No’, and ‘Maybe.’, the International tango is the dance of ‘Now!’ and ‘Immediately.’

The International Tango is a dance with frequent sharp snaps and twists, where it may appear that the woman is nearly about to be broken in two by the powerful man. But in fact this is the ‘softest’ of the standard dances, where there is no force exchanged between partners and the speed that is felt is much, much less than that which is seen.

If tango feels ‘hard’ or ‘tense’, then you are doing it wrong.

Dancers Notes  2001
Kevin Buell

Revision

Aug 27 2001

This guide should provide a useful starting place for you to keep your own notes collected from group classes, workshops, and other dance experiences. If a competent instructor states something which is contrary to what is in this guide, disregard what is written here in deference to the instructor. No guarantees are made as to the technical accuracy of these steps.

Table Of Contents

Amalgamations……………………………………………………………………………………………….3

Bronze Syllabus

Tango, International1-19

Amalgamations

Forward Walk

Progressive Side Step

Progressive Link

Closed Promenade

Rock Turn

Open Reverse Turn, Lady Outside, Closed Finish

Back Corte’

LF Rocks

RF Rocks

Tango, International1-19

Amalgamations

[1]

Forward Walk

Progressive Side-Step

[2]

Forward Walk

Progressive Link

Closed Promenade

Forward Walk

[3]

Forward Walk

Progressive Link

Closed Promenade

Rock Turn

[4]

Forward Walk (Curving Left)

Open Reverse Turn, lady outside partner, closed finish

Forward Walk

[5]

Forward Walk

Progressive Link

Closed Promenade

Back Corte’

Progressive Link

Closed Promenade

Tango, International1-19

TangoLady

Forward Walk
Rhythm: SQQ
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF fwd / Y / Facing DW / Nil or curved L / H
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3,4-S / RF fwd / R side leading / Facing DW / Nil or curved L / H


Forward Walk

Rhythm: SS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF Back / Y / Backing DW / - / BH
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3,4-S / LF Back / L side leading / Backing DW / - / BH


Progressive Side Step
Rhythm: QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF fwd / Y / DW / Nil or Curved L / H
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / RF side & slt back / Facing DW / Nil or curved L / IE of F / IE= Inside Edge
3 / 3,4-S / LF fwd / Y / DW / H


Progressive Side Step

Rhythm: QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF Back / Y / Backing DW / - / BH
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / LF side & slt fwd / L side leading / Backing DW / - / IE of BH / IE= Inside Edge
3 / 3,4-S / RF back / Y / Backing DW / - / BH


Progressive Link
Rhythm: QQ
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF fwd / Y / DW / H
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / RF Side & Slt back / PP / Facing
DW / RF- IE of Foot
LF- IF of B / Body Turns Slightly to R


Progressive Link

Rhythm: QQ
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF Back / Y / DW / - / BH
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / LF Side & slt Back / Promenade Position (PP) / Facing
DC / ¼ R bet 1&2 / LF-IE of BH RF-IE of B


Closed Promenade
Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF side / PP / Pointing
DW / none / H / Foot moves along LOD pointing DW
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / RF Fwd and across / Y / PP / Pointing
DW / - / H / Step across LF in CBMP
3 / 4-Q / LF side & slt Fwd / Pointing
DW / - / IE of foot / Lead woman to turn left
4 / 5,6-S / RF closes to LF, slightly back / End in closed Position / Facing
DW / - / Whole foot / Turning body to L, RF closes to RF slightly back. Weight on RF. End facing DW in line w/ woman


Closed Promenade

Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF side / PP / DC / H / RF moves along LOD pointing DC
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / LF Fwd and Across / Y / Y / PP / DC / Com L / H / Step across RF in CBMP. CBM when squaring to partner
3 / 4-Q / RF side & slt back / Backing DW / ¼ L bet 2&3,
BTL / IE of BH
4 / 5,6-S / LF closes to RF & slt fwd / End in
Closed Position / Backing DW / BCT / Whole foot / End weight on L foot. Backing DW in line with man


Rock Turn
Rhythm: SQQSQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / RF Fwd / R side leading / DW / ¼ R bet 1&3 / H
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / LF side &
slt back / Backing Center / IE BH
3 / 4-Q / Weight transfer fwd to RF / R side leading / DW
A-LOD / IE BH
4 / 5,6-S / LF back, Small step / L side leading / DC / nil / IE BH
5 / 7-Q / RF back / Y / Y / To Center / ¼ L bet 5&6 / BH
6 / 8-Q / LF side & slt fwd / Pointing DW / IE of Whole foot / 5-6 is back closed ending
7 / 9,10
-S / RF close to LF & slt back / Facing DW / Whole
Foot


Rock Turn

Rhythm: SQQSQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / LF Back / L Side leading / DW / ¼ R bet 1&3 / IE of BH
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / RF fwd & slt side / Facing Center / H
3 / 4-Q / LF back & slt side / L Side leading / DW
A-LOD / IE of BH
4 / 5,6-S / RF fwd, small step / R side leading / DC / Nil / H
5 / 7-Q / LF Fwd / Y / Y / To Center / ¼ L bet 5&6 / H
6 / 8-Q / RF side&
slt back / Backing DW / IE of BH
7 / 9,10
-S / LF close to RF slt fwd / Backing DW / Whole foot


Open Reverse Turn, Lady Outside, Closed Finish
Rhythm: QQS,QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF Fwd / Y / Y / DC / Com L / H
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / RF side / BDW / Cont L / BH
3 / 3,4-S / LF back / Y / Partner Outside
(PO) / Backing Down LOD / Nil / BH
4 / 5-Q / RF back / Y / Down LOD / Com L / BH
5 / 6-Q / LF side & slt Fwd / Pointing DW / Cont L,
BTL / IE of foot / Body Facing Wall, Left toe facing slightly leftwards
6 / 7,8-S / RF close to LF, slt back / Facing DW / BCT / Whole foot

* ¾ Turn L over whole figure


Open Reverse Turn, Lady Outside, Closed Finish

Rhythm: QQS,QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF Back / Y / Y / Backing DC / Com L / BH
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / LF side & slt fwd / Pointing LOD / Cont L / Whole Foot / 1-3 Turn L to Face LOD. LF pointing down LOD, Releasing R heel
3 / 3,4-S / RF fwd / Y / Outside Partner, facing LOD / Down LOD / H
4 / 5-Q / LF fwd / Y / Down LOD / Com L / H
5 / 6-Q / RF side & slt back / Backing DW / Cont L / IE of BH
6 / 7,8-S / LF close to RF, slt fwd / Backing DW / Whole Foot

* ¾ Turn L over whole figure

Back Corte’
Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF Back / L side leading / Down new LOD / IE of BH
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / RF Back / Y / Y / DC / BH
3 / 4-Q / LF side & slt fwd / Pointing DW / Up to ¼ L bet 2&3 / IE of foot
4 / 5,6-S / RF closes to LF& slt back / Facing DW / Whole foot

*This step is often used in a corner. This is what the ‘NEW’ LOD indicates. If not used at a corner, the man simply begins backing down LOD and ends facing DW.

Back Corte’

Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF Fwd / R side leading / Down new LOD / H
1 / 1,2-S
2 / 3-Q / LF Fwd / Y / Y / DC / H
3 / 4-Q / Rf side & slt back / Backing DW / Up to ¼ L bet 2&3 / IE of BH
4 / 5,6-Q / LF close to RF & slt fwd / Backing DW / Whole Foot

*This step is often used in a corner. This is what the ‘NEW’ LOD indicates. If not used at a corner, the man simply begins backing down LOD and ends facing DW.

LF Rocks
Rhythm: QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / LF Back / L side leading / Down LOD / None / IE of BH
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / Transfer weight fwd to RF / R side leading / Against LOD / - / H
3 / 3,4-Q / LF back, small step / L side leading / Down LOD / - / IE of BH
RF Rocks
Rhythm: QQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Foot
work / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Man / RF back / Y / Down LOD / None / BH
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / Transfer weight fwd to LF / Y / Against LOD / - / H
3 / 3,4-Q / RF back, small step / Y / Down LOD / - / BH

LF Rocks

Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / RF fwd / R side leading / Down LOD / None / H
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / Transfer weight back to LF / L side leading / Against LOD / - / IE of BH
3 / 3,4-S / RF fwd, small step / R side leading / Down LOD / - / H

RF Rocks

Rhythm: SQQS
S
t
e
p / Beat / Position / Align-ment / Turn / Footwork / Description
Foot / CBMP / CBM /

Body

Lady / LF Fwd / Y / Down LOD / None / H
1 / 1-Q
2 / 2-Q / Transfer weight back to RF / Y / Against LOD / - / BH
3 / 3,4-S / LF Fwd, small step / Y / Down LOD / - / H

International Standard1