Carla Pugliese, the award-winning composer of contemporary tango music, is the product of a family environment where family members engage in creative pursuits

While Carla made her own mark as an artist, it seemed that the shadow of her grandfather — renowned tango musician Osvaldo Pugliese — followed her around. Instead of trying to step out of her grandfather’s enormous spotlight, Carla was able to cast her own light through her music.

Rudolph Valentino, better known simply as Valentino, was a Hollywood celebrity catapulted into stardom thanks to one iconic tango scene from the 1920s blockbuster The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Though his life and fame were rather short-lived, Rudolph Valentino's tango performance was what enabled him to nab more leading Hollywood roles until his untimely death in 1926.

However, despite his celebrity status, is Rudolph Valentino truly a tango dancer?

Because of the sensual nature of the tango, its practice may potentially lead to certain tango dangers. It may result in unintentional awkward moments between partners which may arise due to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and cultural differences.

It is also possible for a dancer to encounter tango predators and sexual harassment on the dance floor.

Nevertheless, people should not avoid dancing the tango because of the potential risks it may involve. Following the tango guidelines, exercising common sense, and respecting others can ensure the safety of veteran and amateur dancers alike.

Those who dance Argentine tango know that there's more to this passionate dance than just its movements. One signature element that makes tango distinct from other dances is its music.

Often, music used for tango dancing is in Spanish, which non-native speakers do not understand. However, much like the dance itself, tango music transcends the barriers of language.

Even without knowledge of what the lyrics mean, one will immediately recognize its emotional qualities, thanks in large part to the bandoneon, which has been hailed as the soul of tango music.

Those who have been frequenting practicas and milongas often possess intrinsic understanding that subtle cues, certain steps, each movement of the hand or positioning of the foot articulate a specific message that both leader and follower wish to convey.

But for those who are just beginning to explore the dance, learning tango may be akin to learning another language. To the beginner, one might wonder:

How does one communicate in tango when barely any words are spoken between partners?

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about Argentine tango is how the presence of both leaders and followers is essential in delivering a beautiful performance and an even more rewarding experience. Thus, one cannot live without the other.

When talking about illustrious personalities in Argentine tango, there tends to be a focus on those who take up the leader’s role. However, there are also many dancers who have taken up the follower role who are worth, well, following.

Cachafaz — those who may have heard of it may immediately associate the term with a kind of dessert. After all, Cachafaz is a brand that produces its own version of the Argentenian “alfajor,” a maceina cookie filled with dulce de leche.

Of course, those who are knowledgeable about tango history would know Cachafaz as the name of one of the most famous tango dancers.

But is the cachafaz cookie even related to Cachafaz the tango dancer?

It is said that beginners must take that one step to progress. In the same manner, experts must also remember that it only takes one step for them to reach out to beginners.

To dismiss beginners as beneath one's level is to deprive both oneself and that beginner the opportunity to grow and become better tango dancers. If one is already an advanced tango dancer, take that step and guide another potential expert to success.

It is often said that the eyes are the windows to one's soul. One simple look can convey so much intention and emotion even without words.

In the realm of Argentine tango, a simple look is elevated to such a degree that it has become part of traditional tango etiquette. On the dance floor, particularly in milongas, to maintain eye contact with someone is generally understood as an invitation to dance.

As with anything one wishes to learn, understanding the related terminologies are important — and Argentine tango is no exception. Being familiar with what tango's elements are called brings one closer to the proper execution of its steps.

In tango, one of the things that may perhaps be confusing to some beginners is distinguishing the giro from the molinete. This is understandable as both terms tend to be used interchangeably and are often understood synonymously with each other.

This then begs the question: Is there really a difference between the giro and the molinete?

The Argentine Tango has long been associated with luxury, glitz, and glamour. Most people imagine it as elegant couples with the men donning dapper suits and the women wearing stunning outfits with sophisticated make-up and a stylish hairstyle, dancing passionately around to inspiring music in a fancy hotel venue. The way tango is portrayed in movies and on television can seem intimidating to someone with little to no dance experience.

However, the appeal of this highly visual art form goes far beyond sexy outfits and sensuality. There's the history and culture to the music and dance, but a good place to start is with those who have what it takes to be an Argentine Tango dancer.

Argentine tango is a passionate and elaborate display of masculinity and femininity.

Today, most tango circles no longer refer to one partner as either the man or the woman. Rather, the terms “leader” and “follower” have more commonly been used to define the roles in tango. While this is a more inclusive and less gendered way of referring to either partner, it has the potential to encourage passivity among those called followers and put undue pressure on those called leaders.

Thus, many tangueros and tangueras have begun to consider alternative terms to define tango roles.

Dance is often characterized by sequences and patterns, with many partner dances hinged upon a set of memorized steps or figures that are followed during the performance.

This is not the case with Argentine tango. Argentine tango elevates improvisation into an art form.

However, this doesn’t entirely mean that tango has no established figures or steps. In fact, it has various steps that build upon and enhance its foundational elements, which consist of walks, turns, embellishments, sandwiches, and structural connections.

Thus, one may benefit from familiarizing oneself with perhaps the most popular leader’s steps in Argentine tango: the enrosque.

Employee turnover is a costly and time-consuming occurrence, especially with small businesses.

One can reduce employee turnover rates by exercising the principles of Argentine tango when it comes to improving communications, adapting and improvising, clearly defining roles and structure, and exercising mutual respect in the office.

With these in place, a harmonious and creative working environment can be achieved, making it a win for both management and employees.

While Argentine tango is known for its sensual movements and steps, what makes it such an engaging dance is not just its figures but also its musicality. Tango musicality is the most difficult and yet the easiest thing to learn.

Thus, for someone to instruct students of tango about the dance’s musicality is certainly a welcome endeavor.

Joaquin Amenabar, author of the book “Tango – Let’s Dance to the Music!” is one such personality in the world of tango who has continuously taught many dancers about the musicality of tango and its many other aspects.

To fully understand what commonalities or differences a lead in swing has with a lead in tango, it would be advantageous to first explore swing dancing side by side with the Argentine tang from their origins, musicality, connection to improvisation.

While the intimacy between partners is more toned down in swing than Argentine tango, it is the creativity and spontaneity that swing dancers incorporate that make them good candidates for leaders in Argentine tango.

This simplistic view, done by way of a straightforward mathematical formula, implies that for a relationship to work, the connection between two individual parties must inevitably result in "oneness," a merging of the physical, mental, emotional, and, in some cases, even the spiritual.

However, as far as relationships go, such a viewpoint often lacks the complexity and sophistication inherent in how human connections function at even the very basic level.

Take tango, for example: in performing this dance, most people often assume that a “one plus one equals one” mindset will work because onlookers only tend to see the dance as a collective movement.