The Tango Lexicon
EL ABRAZO: EMBRACE (AS IN DANCE HOLD)
ABRIR: TO OPEN
ADELANTE: FORWARD
ADORNOS: EMBELLISHMENTS
AL COSTADO: TO THE SIDE
AMAGUE: FROM AMAGAR. TO MAKE A THREATENING MOTIONS. AN AMAGUE IS USED AS AN EMBELLISHMENT: MAY BE A BEAT (FRAPPE) BEFORE TAKING A STEP
ARRABAL: OUTSKIRTS, SUBURB
ARRASTRE: A DRAG
ARREPENTIDA: A CHANGE OF DIRECTION, IN WHICH ONE CHECKS THE MOVEMENT FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND REVERSES DIRECTION
ATRÁS: BACKWARD
BAILAR: TO DANCE
BARRIDA: SWEEP. A SWEEPING MOTION. ONE PARTNER'S FOOT SWEEPS THE OTHER'S FOOT. ALSO CALLED LLEVADA
BARRIO: NEIGHBOURHOOD OR DISTRICT
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
BOMBILLA: METAL TUBE, "STRAW" TO DRINK MATE
LOS BRAZOS: ARMS
CALESITA: OR CAROUSEL, IS A MOVEMENT IN WHICH THE MAN CIRCLES THE WOMAN AS SHE STANDS ON ONE FOOT. IF DONE AT A SUFFICIENT ANGLE, SHE LEANS ON HIM
CAMINAR: TO WALK. THE TANGO WALK IS VERY DISTINCTIVE: THE BALL OF THE FOOT TOUCHES BEFORE THE HEEL, AND THE TORSO AND LEG MUST MOVE AS A UNIT SO THAT THE BODY IS IN BALANCE
CAMINATA: A WALK
CANYENGUE: AN OLDER STYLE OF TANGO
LA CINTURA: WAIST
COMPADRE: A PERSON LIVING IN THE SUBURB, HAUGHTY, PROUD AND BRAVE
COMPADRITO: TYPICAL CHARACTER OF THE SUBURB, A BULLY AND A BRAGGART
CÓMO NO: YES, PLEASE. (LITERALLY "HOW NOT?")
CORRIDA: A RUN
CORTE: CUT, MEANS CUTTING THE MUSIC EITHER BY SYNCOPATING OR HOLDING SEVERAL BEATS
EL CUERPO: BODY
CRUZADA: THE CROSS. A CRUZADA OCCURS WHEN A FOOT IS CROSSED IN FRONT OR IN BACK OF THE OTHER
CRUZAR: TO CROSS
LOS DEDOS: TOES, FINGERS
DERECHA: RIGHT
DERECHO: CORRECT
DESPACIO/LENTO: SLOW/SLOWLY
DESPLAZAMIENTO: DISPLACEMENT. SEE SACADA
DIBUJO: DRAWING, SKETCH. A DIBUJO IS DONE BY DRAWING CIRCLES OR OTHER SMALL MOVEMENTS ON THE FLOOR WITH ONE'S TOE
DOBLE TIEMPO: DOUBLE TIME
ENGANCHE: HOOKING, COUPLING. OCCURS WHEN PARTNER WRAPS LEG AROUND THE OTHER'S LEG
ENROSQUE: FROM ENROSCAR. TO COIL, TWIST. FOR INSTANCE: WHILE THE FOLLOWER EXECUTES A TURN, THE LEAD SPINS ON ONE FOOT, HOOKING OTHER FOOT BEHIND THE SPINNING FOOT
FANTASIA: FANTASY OR STAGE TANGO.
GANCHO: A HOOK
GAUCHO: WANDERING HORSEMAN OF THE PLAINS. PAMPAS' "COWBOY"
GIRO: A TURN
GUAPO: NICKNAME FOR A CORAGEOUS MAN; HANDSOME
GUIAR: TO GUIDE, ALSO TO LEAD
GRACIAS: THANK YOU
IZQUIERDA: LEFT
JUNTAR: TO JOIN, BRING TOGETHER (AS IN, ONE'S FEET OR KNEES)
LAPIZ: A PENCIL, ORNAMENT: DRAWING WITH THE FOOT
LLEVAR: TO LEAD, ALSO TO CARRY
LLEVADA: FROM LLEVAR. TO TRANSPORT (SEE BARRIDA)
LUNFARDO: A SLANG USED IN BUENOS AIRES, OFTEN IN TANGO LYRICS
MATE: TEA DRANK AS A STIMULANT WHICH IS VERY POPULAR IN ARGENTINA AND URUGUAY
MARCAR: TO LEAD
LA MARCA: THE LEAD
MEDIA VUELTA: HALF TURN
MIRAR: TO LOOK
MILONGA:
POPULAR MUSIC OF THE PAMPA AND THE RIO DEL PLATA
THE NAME OF THE CHEERFUL DANCE WHICH PRECEDES TANGO IN HISTORY. A FAST PACED VERSION OF MILONGA IS STILL DANCED TODAY AT TANGO PARTIES
PLACE WERE TANGO IS DANCED, SUCH AS A DANCE PARTY OR DANCE HALL
MILONGUERO/MILONGUERA:
PERSON WHO FREQUENTS THE MILONGAS,
THEIR 'TANGO' LIFESTYLE OR
A PARTICULAR STYLE OF DANCING
MOLINETE: THE GRAPEVINE STEP USED ON TURNS
OCHO: A FIGURE "EIGHT", THE CRISS-CROSS WALKING STEP OFTEN DONE BY THE FOLLOWER; BACK OCHOS; FORWARD OCHOS; OCHO CORTADO (ALSO KNOWN AS OCHO MILONGUERO)
ORILLERO: AN OLDER STYLE OF TANGO; LITERALLY "FROM THE ORILLA", THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN OR THE CURBSIDE
PARADA: A STOP, OFTEN A "SANDWICH"
PASO: (S) STEP(S)
PATADA: A KICK
EL PECHO: CHEST
EL PESO: WEIGHT
EL PIE/LOS PIES: FOOT/FEET
LAS PIERNAS: LEGS
PISAR: TO STEP
PISO: FLOOR
PISTA: DANCE FLOOR
POR FAVOR: PLEASE
PORTENIO (PORTEÑO): THE TERM FOR A RESIDENT OF BUENOS AIRES, WHICH IS A PORT CITY
RÁPIDO: FAST
EL RITMO: THE RHYTHM
LAS RODILLAS: KNEES
SACADA: DISPLACING THE PARTNER'S FOOT OR LEG USING ONE'S LEG OR FOOT
SALIDA: THE EXIT / START OF SEQUENCE OF STEPS.
SALON: A STYLE OF TANGO FROM THE 1940S
SEGUIR: TO FOLLOW
SENTADA: A SITTING ACTION
TRABADA: FASTENED. IT IS A LOCK STEP
UNO MÁS?: ONE MORE?
UNA VEZ MÁS: ONE MORE TIME
VALS: THE ARGENTINE VERSION OF WALTZ WITH A THREE-COUNT TIMING
