A few Tango Expressions
Tango Terminology (https://argentinetangolab.com/terminology/ )
Abrazo – The embrace; a hug; or dance position.
Adorno (Decoration) – Adornment; embellishment.
Alteration – change of direction directly from forward to back and from back to forward, not only influencing the movement of the follower but the direction of the whole couple.
Baldosa – A walking box figure named after the black & white checkerboard tile floors which are common in Buenos Aires.
Barrida – A sweep; a sweeping motion: One partner`s foot sweeps the other`s foot and places it without losing contact. Barridas are done from either the outside or the inside of the foot of the receiving party. The technique is different for the inside and outside barridas.
Bandoneón – An accordion like musical instrument originally created to provide missionaries with portable pipe organ music for religious services in remote locales which has been adopted by tango musicians to create the mournful and soulful sound of modern tango music.
Boleo – A flick of the leg in a whip-like motion as an accent to the dance. A boleo may be executed either high or low. Keeping the knees together, with one leg back, swivel and return on the supporting leg with a whipping action of the working leg. Sometimes spelled Voleo.
Cabeceo – (from cabeza; head): Traditional technique for selecting dance partners from a distance at the milongas in Buenos Aires by using eye contact and head movements.
Calesita – Carousel; the merry-go-round: A figure in which the man places the lady on one foot with a lifting action of his frame and then dances around her while keeping her centered over, and pivoting on, her supporting leg. Sometimes referred to as the Stork when the lady`s leg is lifted in the cuatro position.
Caminada – The walking steps; a walking step.
Carousel – A term used for molinete con sacadas to the man`s left, the lady`s right, with ochos and or ocho cortado to exit.
Cortina (Curtain): A brief musical interlude between tandas at a milonga.
Cross – any time a foot is crossed in front of or in back of the other
Cruzada – From cruzar – to cross; the cross: A cruzada occurs any time a foot is crossed in front of or in back of the other.
Enganche (Hooking; coupling; the little hook): Occurs when a partner wraps a leg around the other`s leg, or uses a foot to catch and hold the other`s foot or ankle.
Enrosque – From enroscar – to coil or twist: While the lady dances a molinete, the man pivots on his supporting foot, hooking or coiling the working leg behind or around in front of the supporting leg.
Entrada (Entrance): Occurs when a dancer steps forward or otherwise enters the space between their partners legs without displacement.
Gancho (Hook): Occurs when a dancer hooks a leg sharply around and in contact with their partners leg by flexing the knee and releasing. May be performed to the inside or outside of either leg and by either partner.
Giro (Turn): A turning step or figure.
Lapiz (Pencil): Tracing of circular motions on the floor with the toe or inside edge of the working foot, while turning or waiting on the supporting foot. These may vary from small adornments done while marking time to large sweeping arcs which precede the lady as she moves around the man in molinete. See Dibujo, Firulete and Rulo.
Media Luna (Half moon): A sweeping circular motion of the leg similar to a ronde in ballroom but always danced in contact with the floor, never lofted. Usually danced by the lady and often led with a sacada to the lady`s leg. May be used to bring the lady to an inside gancho.
Milonga – May refer to the music, written in 2/4 time, or to the dance which preceded the tango, or to the dance salon where people go to dance tango, or to a tango dance and party.
Milonguero (feminine; Milonguera) – Refers to those frequenting the milongas from the early 1900s to the present who were or are tango fanatics. A person whose life revolves around dancing tango and the philosophy of tango. A title given by other tango dancers to a man (woman) who has mastered the tango dance and embodies the essence of tango.
Milonguero Style – A term originally given by Europeans and some North Americans to the style of dancing in a very close embrace; also referred to as confiteria style, club style, apilado style, etc. Usually used in the very crowded clubs frequented by singles in the center of Buenos Aires. Milonguero Style is danced in a very close embrace with full upper body contact, the partners leaning into each other (but never hanging on each other) while using simple walking and turning steps.
Molinete (Windmill; wheel): A figure in which the lady dances a grapevine on a circumference around the man, stepping side-back-side-forward using forward and back ocho technique and footwork, as the man pivots at the center of the figure. This is a very common figure in tango which challenges both the man and the lady to maintain good posture, balance, and technique in order to perform it well. One of the central codes of tango.
Mordida – From morder: to bite; the little bite: One partner`s foot is sandwiched or trapped between the other partner`s feet. If the other partner`s feet are also crossed it may be referred to as Reverse Mordida. Sometimes called Sandwiche or Sanguchito.
Ocho (Eight (pl. ochos); Figure eights): A crossing and pivoting figure from which the fan in American tango is derived. Executed as a walking step with flexed knees and feet together while pivoting, ochos may be danced either forward or backward and are so designated from the lady`s perspective. El Ocho is considered to be one of the oldest steps in tango along with caminada, the walking steps. It dates from the era when women wore floor length skirts with full petticoats and danced on dirt floors. Since the lady`s footwork could not be directly observed the quality of her dancing was judged by the figure she left behind in the dirt after she danced away.
Ocho Cortado (Cut eight): change of direction: Occurs when a molinete or an ocho-like movement is stopped and sent back upon itself. Typical in club-style tango where many such brakes are used to avoid collisions. Describes a movement done on either foot, pivoting forward of backward, and going either left or right.
Ocho Defrente (Ocho to the front): Forward ochos for the lady (i.e., crossing in front).
Ocho para Atrá (Ocho to the back): Back ochos for the lady (i.e., crossing behind).
Parada – a figure where the leader stops the follower by placing their foot against the follower’s foot
Pasada (Passing over). Occurs when the man has stopped the lady with foot contact and leads her to step forward over his extended foot. Used frequently at the end of molinete or after a mordida. The lady may, at her discretion, step over the man`s foot or trace her toe on the floor around its front. Pasada provides the most common opportunity for the lady to add adornos or firuletes of her own and a considerate leader will give the lady time to perform if she wishes.
Planeo (Pivot; glide): Occurs when the man steps forward onto a foot, usually his left, and pivots with the other leg trailing (gliding behind) as the lady dances an additional step or two around him. May also occur when the man stops the lady in mid stride with a slight downward lead and dances around her while pivoting her on the supporting leg as her extended leg either trails or leads. Can be done by either the man or the lady.
Sacada – The most common term for a displacement of a leg or foot by the partner`s leg or foot. Occurs when a dancer places their foot or leg against a leg of their partner and transfers weight to their leg so that it moves into the space of and displaces the partner`s leg.
Salida – From salir – to exit; to go out: The first steps of dancing a tango, or a tango pattern, derived from “┬┐Salimos a bailar?” {Shall we (go out to the dance floor and) dance?}.
Sandwiche – See Mordida. One partner`s foot is sandwiched or trapped between the other partner`s feet.
Tanda – A set of dance music, usually three to five songs, of the same dance in similar style, if not by the same orquesta. The tandas are separated by a brief interlude of non-tango music called a “cortina” (or curtain) during which couples select each other. It is customary to dance the entire tanda with the same partner unless the man is rude or very disappointing as a dance partner, in which case the lady may say gracias (thank you) and leave.
Tango de Salon – An elegant and very social style of tango characterized by slow, measured, and smoothly executed moves. It includes all of the basic tango steps and figures plus sacadas, giros and boleos. The emphasis is on precision, smoothness, and elegant dance lines. The dancing couple do not embrace as closely as in older styles and the embrace is flexible, opening slightly to make room for various figures and closing again for support and poise.
Tanguero – (feminine; Tanguera) Refers to anyone who is deeply and seriously passionate about any part of tango, such as its history, music, lyrics, etc. In Argentina most tangueros are scholars of lunfardo, music, orchestrations, Gardel, etc. One can be a tanguero without being a milonguero and a milonguero without being a tanguero (very few milongueros would be referred to as tangueros). And of course, one can be an extremely good tango dancer without being either, such as stage dancers, who are quite disdained by real milongueros and tangueros, unless they go the extra distance and become milongueros by going to the milongas, and/or tangueros as well. An aficionado.
Traspie (Cross foot; triple step): A walking step with a syncopated cross. Using two beats of music the dancer does step-cross-step beginning with either foot and moving in any direction.
Vals – Argentine waltz: Sometimes referred to as Vals Criollo, or Vals Cruzada, and danced to what is arguably the most beautiful dance music anywhere (editorial bias!:-).
Volcada – from Volcar – to tip-over or capsize; a falling step: The leader causes the follower to tilt or lean forward and fall off her axis before he catches her again. The process produces a beautiful leg drop from her. The movement requires the support of a close embrace.
Yumba (zhoóm-ba) – A phonetic expression that describes the powerful, dramatic, and driving musical accent of a moderate or even slow tempo which is characteristic of the music of Osvaldo Pugliese.