| The Evolution of Tango The history of the Tango can be traced surprisingly enough to a country dance of 17th Century England. The English country dance became the Contredanse in France, and this in turn was called the Contradanza in Spain or later simply Danza. When imported by the Spaniards into Cuba, it became the Danzahabanera. During the Spanish American War, a popular dance called the Habanera del Cafe appeared which was the prototype of the Tango. The whole genealogy is presented in the following chronological table: - Country Dance (England, 1650) - Contredanse (France, 1700) - Contradanza (Spain, 1750) - Danza (Spain, 1800) - Danza Habanera (Cuba, 1825) - Habanera (Argentina, 1850) - Habanera del Cafe (Argentina, 1900) - Tango (Argentina, 1910) ... from www.allabouttango.com |
| 319 Westtown Road, Ste P --- West Chester, PA 19382 --- ph: 610-883-1974 --- u2canTango@tangomas.net |
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| 319 Westtown Road, Ste P --- West Chester, PA 19382 --- ph: 610-883-1974 --- u2canTango@tangomas.net |
Barrida
Boleo
Cadena
Cambio de frente alteracion
Colgada
Enganche
Gancho:
Giro: molinete: grapevine, turn:
Ochos
Parada
Sacada
Salto
Sanguichito, mordida
Sentada
Soltada
Volcada
- a foot sweep
Boleo
- a leg flick of one person in the air, but not between the legs of
the other person
Cadena
- literally a “chain”; three or four steps involving change of
direction that repeats itself
Cambio de frente alteracion
- change of direction (turn, check, rock)
Colgada
- when the followers axis is tilted away from the leader.
Enganche
- a leg wrap
Gancho:
- a hook where one person flicks the leg between the legs of
his/her partner
Giro: molinete: grapevine, turn:
- a series of turning steps that follow the pattern of a forward step,
side, back, side, forward, side, back side.
Ochos
- literally “eights”: a front ocho consists of a step forward with a
pivot and then another step forward, while a back ocho consists
of two back steps with a pivot in between
Parada
- literally “stopped” – a step where the bodies stop and one foot
of one person is adjacent to the foot of his/her partner. A foot-
stop
Sacada
- a displacement. Sacadas are the entering of the foot of one
person between the feet of the partner with a displacement of
the other’s space.
Salto
- Literally “jump” – leading your partner/yourself into a jump
Sanguichito, mordida
- literally “little sandwich” or “bite” – meaning a foot sandwich
where both feet of one person are sandwiching the foot of the
partner.
Sentada
- literally “a sitting action” e.g. you lead the partner into a sit on
your thigh
Soltada
- literally “let go” – when you open your embrace and get creative
Volcada
- literally “a tip-over”; in practice the followers axis is tilted
(towards the leader)
