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)

Phrasing:

“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.