Abrazo:
kram, omfamning, fattning
Embrace, dance, hold.

Amague:
Skensteg
Fake step. Not completed step, just showing the intention

Arrastre:
Släpa
To drag (Arrastrar)

Barrida:
Svepa
A sweep. As in sweep with a broom 🙂

Base:
Grundsteg
Basic pattern. There are several basic patterns, all called ”base”

Boleo:
lower leg move ending with a kick in the air with a change of direction

Calesita:
karusell
Merry go round. Merry go round in combination with ”quebrada”. If the leader goes in a circle, see ”molinete”

Cadena:
kedja
Chain. A repeated chain of steps

Caminada:
Promenad, gå
Walk (Caminar)

Corrida:
Löpning
Run (Correr)
Run, implies a short sequence of forward steps, rather than a basic

Corte:
Avskuren
cut

Cruzada:
korsning
To cross (Cruzar)

Cunita:
Vagga
Cradle

Enrosque:
Korkskruv, vridning
Corkscrew, twist

Entrada:
Entrén
Entrance

Firulete:
Utsmyckning
Ornament, embellishment

Freno:
Broms
Brake

Gancho:
krok
A hook

Giro:
Sväng
A turn

Lapiz/ planeo:
Pennan
Pencil

Llevada:
Att Föra
When the leader uses the upper thigh to ”carry” the follower’s leg to the next step or when using ”barridas” to bring the follower across the floor

Llevada :
Markera
Marcar

Media vuelta:
Halv snurr
Half turn

Milonga:
1) A dance based on the Habanero rythm. Originates from African rythms brought to South America with the slaves.
2) A social dance, the place where tango is danced

Molinete:
Mölla, väderkvarn
Molino = mill, as in windmill molinete = grapevine
A dance move, is typically dancing in a circle around the leader

Mordida, Sandguche:
Bita, sandwich
To bite the sandwich (Morder)
The foot of the leader or follower is ”trapped” between the two feet of the other partner. If the legs of the ”trapping” partner are crossed, then it is a reverse mordida.

Ocho :
åtta
Eight
Painting an 8 on the floor with (normally the follower’s) feet either moving backwards or forwards

Ocho cortado :
Avskuren åtta
Cut eight
An ocho-like movement is stopped and reversed. Frequently used in milongas where many such brakes are used to avoid collisions!

Parada :
Stopp
A stop. There are many different ways to stop dancing a little while. Often the leader is blocking the way of the follower.

Quebrada :
Lutning
Break
A position where the follower stands on one foot, the other one hanging relaxed behind the standing foot, often seen with the follower hanging with all her weight against the leader (Sometimes used as the final pose when the music ends)

Reverse mordida :
Omvänd sandwich
Reverse sandwich
Making a sandwich with feet crossed

Rulo:
Cirkelrörelse med foten
Curl

Sacada:
Bortflyttning av fot
A displacement of the feet

Salida:
Utgång, ett grundsteg
Exit, basic walking pattern
First steps of dancing tango, derived from:”Salimos a bailar” = Shall we (get on the floor and) dance?

Sentada:
Sitta
To sit (Sentar)
The follower more or less sit (on the leader’s knee)

General Tango Terms

Canyengue:

1. Arrabalero, of low social status.
2. A way of interpreting or dancing tango
3. A reunion (party) where the people from the arrabal (the slums) dance.
4. The sound obtained from the double bass when the strings are hit rhytmically with the hand and the bow.

Candombe:

1. A type of dance danced by (originally) the descendants of black slaves in the Rio de la Plata region.
2. A type of african-origin music with a marked rhythm played on a ”tamboril” (kind of drum).
3. The place where the blacks congregated to dance.

Milonguero:

1. A man who likes to attend the milongas.
2. A person whose life revolves around dancing tango and the philosophy of tango.
3. Payador pueblero (traveling folk-music singer.)
4. A title given by other tango dancers to a man who has mastered the tango dance and embodies the essence of the tango.

Milonguera:

1. Female dancer (for hire) of the early dance halls, cabarets, and nightclubs.
2. A woman who likes to attend the milongas.
3. A woman whose life revolves around dancing tango and the philosophy of tango.
4. A title given by other tango dancers to a woman who has mastered the tango dance and embodies the essence of the tango.