Slow Steps and Pauses in Argentine Tango

The bass line of argentine tango music normally provides a steady and obvious beat. To this you would normally dance with a slow, slow rhythm. But some tango songs are played in a more sophisticated manner. The melody line or the singing may overpower the bass line, and be set to a different rhythm. It may give a feeling of slowing, or even stopping. So as the leader, you may choose to slow or stop for a few beats of music. The leader should not have any difficulty doing this. But it likely will take practice to do it in time to the music. You will probably find that it feels more natural to slow down on side steps rather than forward or backward steps, and to stop when your feet are together after a Tango Close.

Pauses are an important part of the Argentine tango especially for the follower. For most of the tango dance, the follower is moving in response to the leader and has to trust the leader. The pause gives the follower a breather and an opportunity to add her own interpretation and embellishments to the moves of the leader. Tango is not just an athletic but also an emotional and social activity. The slower movement and the pause give you time to glance or gaze at your partner and let your face express real or play emotion — tenderness, anger, passion, sadness, contentment, or anything else. And it give the follower the opportunity to embellish.

At a stop or pause the leader can also do a decoration such as a Zarandeo (Shake). Twist the upper body slightly to the left using the spine as an axis, twist it to the right slightly, then end by returning to the straight-ahead position. The leader can do a Shake slow or fast, gently or energetically. The leader can do more than one Shake in a row.

Here is where a woman could improvise and embellish. As the follower feels the leader begin a Zarandeo lift the free leg straight back from the knee (keeping knees together) so that the Shake waves the lower leg back and forth.