It is often said that in Tango, the Embrace is more important than any moves or steps. It is therefore worthwhile spending some time familiarising yourself with the way in which the man and woman come together. The Hold, or Embrace as it is known in Tango, is different in important aspects to the standard Ballroom hold. In Tango, there is Close Embrace or Open Embrace and the embrace will change according to the type of move being danced. Walks, for example, are usually dance

Alignment The position of the foot in relation to the room at the end of the step. The normal dance teachers’ notations are used. • Facing LOD — Facing around the room with the flow • Facing DW — Facing Diagonally to the Wall with the flow • Facing Wall — Facing squarely to the Wall along which you’re dancing • Facing DW against LOD — Facing Diagonally to the Wall against the flow • Facing against LOD — Facing against the flow • Facing DC — Facing Diagonally to the centre lin

Tempo Unlike most other partner dances, Tango may not necessarily have a consistent or “strict tempo”. That means that the music may slow down or speed up and the dancers will reflect the tempo or speed of the music in their interpretation of the dance and their choice of figures, elements and combinations. Tempo is conventionally counted in bars per minute. Generally, the normal range of traditional Tango is around 30–32 bars per minute or 120–128 beats per minute with a 4/4

The couple will start the dance at normal height, feet together and therefore with the legs straight and knees locked back. The man will lead the first indication of movement by relaxing his knees. The slight downward movement is then translated into backwards, sideways or forward movement as required. On Slow Counts, the foot is placed in position without weight on the first beat and then the foot position held while the body weight is transferred on the second beat. The foo

The Codigos or protocols are an important subject but a little time well spent on them will pay dividends. The Codigos evolved as a way of ensuring not only civility and respect in the dance environment but also the means to minimise any embarrassment to either party. Cabeceo – The Dance Invitation This is one of the most important of the Codigos. If you dance with someone, you will be expected to continue dancing with them until the end of the tanda or set. Therefore, be car

Dance has always been a universal language that transcends cultural barriers, connecting people through rhythmic movements and emotional exp