Structure of Tango Dance – Turns
Tango is known as the “walking dance.”
You may have even heard people say, “If you can walk, you can tango.” However, while tango is a walking dance to many, the structure of the dance is more than just that.
Tango is a conversation between two people, and each movement has a purpose, including every turn.
Tango is a couples’ dance that involves counterclockwise turns or “giros.”
Beginners may find it difficult to spot a tango turn because dancers often look like they’re “turning.” But, the structure of turns in tango has its own purpose, charm, and feeling. Once you understand it, you’ll learn how you can carry the conversation in a dance yourself.
Tango Music Elements
Before you understand the structure of the dance, it’s best to learn about the structure of the music.
According to Tangology 101, the basic structure of tango music has the following elements:
Five sections
Four phrases per section
Four measures per phrase
Four beats (two “strong” downbeats and two “weak”) per measure (in 4/4 time)
Mastering the tango structure in terms of music allows you to understand the dance better. It also helps you find your style and rhythm in the dance.
After all, it’s in the music where you’ll exude the emotions of whatever story you’re trying to tell.
Tango is a story about love, heartbreak, loss, and yearning. It’s told through music and movement, so it’s essential to understand both.
Naxos Musicology International also listed the following as tango musical elements:
Rhythm
Melody
Harmony
Form
Instrumentation
Yeites
All these also influence the structure of the dance.
Tango music has a unique rhythm different from other dances, making tango moves more challenging to execute.
For example, tango has a slow and sensual melody perfect for a slow, intimate dance, but it can also be played fast and upbeat, requiring different moves from the dancers. Tango is also danced in a 4/4 or 2/4 time signature, so it’s crucial to hear the music and feel the beat to successfully embody the dance.
Additionally,
the tempo, or the overall pace (beats per minute) of a piece of music, dictates the tango’s structure.
As shared by Tangology 101, the tempo has a lot to do with your style of dancing. A closer embrace can allow a couple to remain firm at a faster tempo as they move faster. On the other hand, a slower tempo can be danced with a more open embrace to give space for pivots and larger movements.
A faster tempo also pushes you to move more linearly. And, with a slower tempo, Tangology 101 says:
“We might curve our steps and movements more. We might allow for more fluidity in our embrace. We might do more turning walks and more turns in general.”
Understanding tango music structure is the key to understanding the dance. Tango is a very musical dance, so it’s important to listen to and feel the music to let it dictate your movements.
Now, what does the structure of the dance look like?
Tango Dance Fundamentals
Mastering the turns or giros in tango isn’t the only goal you should have as a dancer.
Tango is a very technical dance, and there are several elements you need to learn before fully understanding the role of turns in tango.
According to Tango Space, the fundamental steps of tango are:
La caminada (or the walk)
The ocho
El cruce (or the cross)
Ocho cortado
Medio giro (or half turn)
More basic tango steps, according to a LinkedIn article by Anita Fletjer, include the sacada, pasada, and sanguchito. Each step has a different purpose, contributing to the turns you’ll eventually do in tango. Tango is a very linear dance, so most steps involve moving forward, backward, or sideways.
If tango is a linear dance, how come dancers look like they’re spinning around the dancefloor all the time? That’s where the magic of tango turns comes in.
Turns aren’t just for show; they play a crucial role in the dance and require much practice and technique to execute flawlessly.
Turns (Giros)
As defined by Argentine Tango Lab,
giro (pronounced as “hero”) is a turn or a turning step or figure. It’s often confused with pivots, torsions, and spins.
In our article about the four similar tango steps, we differentiated them as:
Pivot: Twisting your body to the left or right
Torsion: Dissociation similar to a pivot but specifically refers to the waist area instead of just the upper body
Turn: Moving around your partner or changing direction
Spin: Rotating while in an embrace
These four steps can influence each other, but they’re still distinct.
A turn, specifically, involves moving around with your partner and changing direction while you’re dancing.
Tango turns can be either slow or fast, and the speed will depend on your embrace, which will depend on the music.
Tango turns are not just for the looks; each turn has a meaning that carries the conversation between the dancers.
The giro is also often confused with the molinete, or the tango figure that means “windmill or wheel.” In our article about the two terminologies, we learned that the two are often executed together.
The molinete is when the follower moves around the leader, while the giro is when both move together.
According to Alex Krebs in his lesson about “Technique – Turns (Molinetes, Giros),”
the turn in tango encompasses all of the other fundamental techniques. This means the structure of turns involves the walk, pivots, and ocho.
Every step in tango is essential, but the giro is undoubtedly one of the most important steps you need to master. Without it, you won’t be able to communicate effectively with your partner and enjoy the dance to its fullest potential.
A turn supports the walk, encourages pivots, and cultivates ochos. Every step leads to a turn, and every turn leads to more steps.
In Tangology 101’s 36 Basic Steps of Tango, they said:
“Some of these steps often require a pivot or a turn, so donʼt try to make them all move forward in a straight line.”
A turn allows the continuous flow of movements between the leader and follower, making tango an even more sensual dance.
It’s like the curve in a very linear dance, creating more possibilities for movements and, therefore, more ways to tell a story.
Types of Turns in Tango
An interesting viewpoint on the importance of turns in tango is given by Tango Topics. The article “Eight Turns of Argentine Tango” said:
“In today’s Tango world, the Turn has become a necessity. We would like to believe that Tango is the lovely and amazing walking dance that we have heard said it was. The reality is a little different. Tango is no longer a walking dance.”
However, as you focus on mastering the giro, you shouldn’t think that the walk has become an unimportant element of tango. Remember that every step, no matter how small, is crucial in tango. And, as we mentioned earlier, turns support the walk and other steps.
It’s best to see the giro as the next most important tango dance element after the walk.
As Tango Topics added,
“In fact, today’s modern tango is more of a turning dance than anything else. And the reason why isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. It’s a series of factors that generate the state of affairs in Tango… So the turn has become the de facto, go-to element that one must study with as much diligence as one studies one’s walk.”
A turn isn’t just a singular movement but a series of moves you and your partner execute together.
Tango Topics further explained by sharing the eight types of turns in Argentine tango:
Walking Turn
Media Luna
Argentine Calesita
Rock Step
Ocho Cortado
Colgada Turns or Single Axis Turns
The Follower’s Molinete or the Leader’s Giro
Milonguero Turn
There’s a turn perfect for every tango music you encounter. Different types of turns are also ideal for different tango figures.
Mastering the turn won’t be easy. Tango is, after all, a very challenging and technical dance. But, once you and your partner can execute turns flawlessly, you’ll find that the dance becomes more fluid and beautiful.
Tango Turns: When and How?
Like any other element in Argentine tango, turns are not random movements. You do them as the dance tells you to do so.
A turn, specifically a directional turn, allows you to continue your tango even on a very crowded dance floor.
In a YouTube video by Howcast, a leader uses a turn to avoid running into another couple.
“If we take a side step, usually we’ll take a step forward in this direction. If you want to change the direction, what we do, we step around our partner. Now, my direction goes in this way. This will change the basic into a cross system but with turns to dance around.”
A giro, however, is not just a movement to simply avoid another couple on the dancefloor or maximize the space you have.
Tango is a very intimate dance, so every move should also aim to create intimacy. Tango Movement beautifully describes a giro as:
“The follower walks around the leader and the leader does elegant movements in the middle. His balance is put to the test … and so is hers. This means both parties need to work hard not only to be perfectly in axis but not to pull their partner off theirs!”
In a YouTube video by MIRIAM LEONARDO Tango, the couple carefully demonstrates the power of a turn in every tango dance.
The leader is responsible for not dropping the follower’s weight as she does a side step before letting them go. The follower is also responsible for knowing when to change where they put their weight as they turn.
A turn is all about the timing of every move that a dancer executes. It’s impossible to turn gracefully and correctly if a couple is not in sync. Every fundamental move that encompasses a turn is crucial, from the initial lead to how you and your partner move your feet. As added by Tango Movement;
“The giro provides the leader his chance to shine. For most of the tango he provides the frame to the follower’s painting, enabling her beautiful movements. But this is his moment in the spotlight, when all eyes are on him…
But as I always tell my students, around every leader, walks a strong follower! The follower may maintain the same series of steps but the leader’s success is wholly dependent on her strong technique. The more flamboyant his movements, the better the follower needs to be.
So, next time you watch the leader executing a fabulous giro, don’t forget to also applaud the follower! She’s also a superhero!”
So, when and how do you do a turn in tango? The answer is it all depends on the dance.
You don’t need to do any set number of turns or specific turns. You can do as many or as few turns as the dance calls for. Whatever emotion the music dictates, the leader will follow, and the follower will respond.
Turn Your Tango Around!
A tango turn is more proof that tango is nothing without connection.
A turn starts with the lead. The leader initiates the turn by leading the follower into it. The follower then responds to the leader and completes the turn. All these depend on the music and the emotion the dancers must express.
A turn is not easy to execute, as simple as it may sound. Once you’ve got it, however, you’ll see how a turn can make your tango more exciting and dynamic.
The magic of a single tango turn contributes to the allure of this beautiful dance.
Tango is a sensual dance, and a turn amplifies that feeling.
Don’t rush to turn your tango around. Get to know it slowly and surely, and you’ll find that turns can be the most fun part of your tango experience.