This week I had the opportunity to try the Argentine Tango for the first time. After many years of performing and competing in the International style, it gave me an insight into the romance of Argentine Tango.
International Tango is passionate, dynamic and it moves around the dance floor with staccato movements. This can look like the couple is either creeping across the floor, or racing in an attempt to show the amazing contrast that makes Tango one of my favourites. The couple holds each other in a very different way to the other 4 standard competitive dances. The man's right hand is lower on the lady's back, and the lady's left hand is placed at the height of the man's armpit, rather than at his shoulder. The bodyweight of the dancers is further backward, and the person moving backwards is initiating the movement, rather than the person moving forward. The general stance is much lower.
The Argentine Tango, in my limited experience, feels much more intimate. The dancers heads are close together, creating an upside-down "V' shape with the bodies. The man leads the lady by interrupting her space
