 | abrazo: embrace. (as in, dance hold) |
| amague: from amagar. To make a threatening motions.
An amague is used as an embellishment either led or done on one's own and
may be used before taking a step. An example of an amague may be a beat
(frappe) before taking a step. |
| barrida: sweep. A sweeping motions. One partner's
foot sweep the other's foot. Also called llevada |
| barrio: a district, neighborhood |
| boleo: from bolear. To throw. A boleo may be executed
either high or low. Keeping knees together, with one leg in back, swivel on
the supporting leg. |
| caminar: to walk. Everyone should practice tango
walks until they are properly mastered. The walk is similar to a natural
walking step but placing the ball of the foot first instead of the hell. The
body and leg must move as a unit so that the body is in balance. Walks
should be practiced for balance and fluidity. |
| corte: cut" In tango corte means cutting the
music either by syncopating or holding several beats. |
| cruzada: cross. A cruzada occurs anytime a foot is
crossed in front or in back of the other. |
| desplazamiento: displacement. Displacing partner's
foot or leg using one's leg or foot. |
| dibujo: drawing, sketch. A dibujo is done by drawing
circles or other small movements on the floor with one's toe. |
| enganche: hooking, coupling. Occurs when partner wraps
leg around the other's leg. |
| enrosque: from enroscar. To coil, twist. While woman
executes a molinete, man spins on one foot, hooking other foot behind the
spinning foot. |
| giro: turn. While woman does molinete, man turns on
one foot placing the toe of the foot in front and executing a sharp
turn. |
| llevada: from llevar. To transport see barrida. |
| media vuelta: half turn. Usually
done when man's right foot and woman's left foot is free. Man steps forward
with his right leading woman to take a back step with her left and then
leads he to take two steps while turning a half turn. |
| milonga: may refer to music or the dance which
preceded the tango, written in 2/4 times or may refer to the dance salon
where people go to dance tango. |
| milongueros: refers to those frequenting the milongas
during the 1940s and 50's and were tango fanatics. |
| molinete: fan. Molinete are forward and back ochos
(figure 8's) done in a circle. |
| ochos: eights. Figure eights similar to the American
fan in tango but usually executed with feet together instead of one foot
extended. |
| pista: dance floor. |
| resolución: resolution. An ending to the basic
pattern similar to a half of a box. |
| salida: a start. The beginning of the pattern. |
| salida cruzada:the beginning of
a pattern with a cross i.e. side left crossing right foot behind left, or
side right crossing left foot behind right. |
| sandwichito: One partner's foot is sandwiched
between the other partner's foot. |
| sentada: a sitting action. |
| sacada: see desplazamiento. |
| trabada: fastened. It is a lock step -he step that
the woman takes when man steps outside partner with his right foot and then
straight forward left, together right- at this point the woman crosses and
this cross is referred to as trabada. |
