Tango New Paltz: A Few Terms

back

TANGO TERMS (easy to print)

Cruzada - cross - a cruzada occurs anytime a foot is crossed in front or in back of the other

Ochos - figure eights done either forward or backwards

Sacada - displacing partner´s foot or leg by occupying the space of the partner with one´s foot or leg - also called desplazamiento

Volcada - from volar(se) - to turn over, fall over; a form of lean where the woman is led to a cross while in a lean position

Calisita - the leader takes the follower off her axis and walks around her

Mordida - bite - one partner´s foot is sandwiched between the other partner´s foot

Molinete - fan - a forward, side and back step done in a circle - often syncopated on the back-side step; the step is similar to a "grapevine" step, but the technique of collecting the feet and position of the body is very different; this step is typically done by the woman around the man as he leads giros

Barrida - sweep - a sweeping motion, one partner´s foot sweeps the other´s foot

Boleo - from bolear -- to throw - boleo may be executed either high or low, front or back, linear or circular - as a movement of the leg going in one direction and then quickly changing to the opposite direction; most commonly it is a motion of the follower's leg going back by swiveling on the opposite leg

Corte - in tango corte refers to cutting the movement to the music either by syncopating or holding several beats while dancing

Enganche - hooking - occurs when partner wraps leg around the other´s leg

Giro - turn - while woman does molinete around the man, man turns and leads the molinete often while executing various footwork

Enrosque - to coil, twist; while woman executes a molinete, man spins on one foot, hooking the other foot behind the spinning foot

Milonga - may refer to the music or the dance which preceded the tango (written in 2/4 time) or it may also refer to the dance salon where people go to dance tango

Milonguero - refers to those frequenting the milongas during the 1940s and 50s - or generally those who live to dance tango

back