The Tango - in2ballroom

The Tango

Suggested CD: The Time Signature:
30 Top Tangos 2 / 4 Two beats to one bar

(DLD 1097) Tempo (bars per minute)
33 / 34

Accented Beat:
Equal On Each Beat

Counting in Beats : 1 & 2 & 1 & 2 & etc.

Counting in Beats & Bars : Count the
first bar, and then accumulate : 1 & 2 &
2 & 2 & 3 & 2 etc.

A slow count is equal to one beat. A quick
count is equal to ½ a beat.

The Tango

Basic figures covered:

Forward Close Step
Tango Rock
Back Step
Progressive Link (Side Step)
Closed Promenade
½ & Full ‘U Turn’
Reverse Chasse Cross
Reverse Turn
Flick Kicks (Ball Changes)

Tango – Forward Closed Step &

Tango Rocks

(1) Forward Closed Step - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Dance 1,2
S,S OE (L) , IE SFDTW 3,4
Forward Left Forward Right Q,Q (R)
FDTW
Forward Left, Close Right OE (L) , HT

Forward Left S OE (L) FFDTW 5

(1) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Back Right, Back Left Dance 1,2
Back Right, Close Left S,S OE (R) , IE SBDTW 3,4
Back Right (L)
Q,Q BDTW 5
S OE (R) , TH FBDTW

OE (R)

Tango - Tango Rocks

(2) Tango Rocks - Leaders Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Steps S H Dance 6
7, 8
Forward Right (Turning) Q, Q TH, HT STBLOD 9
S TH BLOD, BLOD
Rock Back Left, Rock
Forward Right FBLOD

Rock Back Left

(2) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
S TH Dance 6
Back Left (Turning) 7, 8
Rock Forward Right, Rock Q, Q HT, TH STFLOD 9
Back Left S HT FLOD, FLOD
Rock Forward Right
FFLOD

Tango - Tango Rocks –

(Continued)

(2 cont:) Leaders Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
10
Back Right Q TH STFDTW 11
12
Side Left Q IE (T) FDTW

Close Right to Left S Flat FFDTW

(2 cont:) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Forward Left Q HT 10
Side Right Q IE (T) STBDTW 11
Close Left to Right S 12
Flat BDTW
5
FBDTW

The Steps – Tango

Set 1 & 2 (Steps 1 to 12)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days

6

Tango - Progressive Link

(Side Step) – Closed Promenade

(3) Progressive Link Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
(Side Step) - Leaders Steps

Forward Left Q HT SFALOD 13

Side Right Q IE (TH) FALOD 14
(Drop into Right Leg)
S HT FFDLOD 15
Forward Left

(3) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Q TH Dance 13
Back Right Q 14
Side Left S IE (TH) SBALOD 15
(Drop into Left Leg) HT BALOD
Forward Right
FFDLOD

Progressive Link (Side Step) –

Closed Promenade – (Continued)

(4) Closed Promenade - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Dance

Forward Right SH SALOD 16

Side Left (Slightly Forward) Q IE Foot TFDTW 17

Close Right Q Flat FFDTW 18

(4) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Forward Left S H 16
Side Right (Slightly Back) Q IE (TH) SBALOD 17
Close Left Q 18
Flat TBDTW
8
FBDTW

The Steps – Tango

Set 3 & 4 (Steps 13 to 18)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days

9

Tango - ½ Progressive Link (Side

Step) – ‘U’ Turn & Chasse

(5) 1/2 Progressive Link - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Q HT Dance 19

Forward Left SFALOD

Side Right Q IE (TH) FALOD 20
(Drop into Right Leg)
S HT FFDLOD 21
Forward Left

(5) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Q TH Dance 19
Back Right Q 20
S IE (TH) SBALOD 21
Side Left HT
(Drop into Left Leg) BALOD
Forward Right
FFDLOD

Tango - ½ Progressive Link (Side Step) –
‘U’ Turn & Chasse – (Continued)

(6) ‘U’Turn & Chasse - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Dance
S,Q HT , HT 22 , 23
Forward Right (Turning), STALOD ,
Forward Left (Turning) Q , Q , Q HT , TH , TBDLOD 24 , 25
Flat , 26
Forward Right (Turning), BDLOD ,
Rock Back Left, Side Right Q , and , Flat & Low BDLOD , 27 , 28
Q,S TFALOD , 29,
Close Left, Side Right, 30 , 31
Cross Left behind Right , FALOD ,
Replace Right , Tap Left FFALOD

11

Tango - ½ Progressive Link (Side Step) –
‘U’ Turn & Chasse – (Continued)

(6) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Forward Left , Side Right S , Q HT , IE Foot 22 , 23
SFDLOD ,
Back Left , Q , Q , Q TH , HT , FDLOD 24 , 25
Rock Forward Right , Flat , 26
Side Left FDLOD ,
Close Right , Side Left , Q , and , Flat & Low FDLOD , 27 , 28
Cross Right behind Left , Q,S TBALOD , 29,
Replace Left , Tap Right 30 , 31
Turning Around
Partner ,
FBALOD

12

The Steps – Tango

Set 5 & 6 (Steps 19 to 31)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days

13

Tango - Reverse Turn

(7) Reverse Turn - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Dance
S HT 32
Forward Left Q Flat SFALOD 33
Q Flat 34
Side Right TBLOD

Cross Left In Front Right BLOD

(7) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Back Right S TH 32
Side Left Q Flat SBALOD 33
Close Right Q Flat TFLOD 34
FLOD

Tango - Reverse Turn –

(Continued)

(7 cont:) Leaders Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance 35

Back Right S TH BLOD

Side Left Q Flat TFDTW 36

Close Right Q Flat FFDTW 37

(7 cont:) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Forward Left S HT FLOD 35
Side Right Q Flat 36
Close Left Q Flat TBDTW 37

FBDTW 15

The Steps – Tango

Set 7 (Steps 32 to 37)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days

16

Tango - Side Step into Flick Kick

‘Ball Change’

(8) Side Step - Leaders Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Steps S HT Dance 38

Forward Left SFALOD

Side Right Q IE (TH) FALOD 39
(Drop into Right Leg)
Q HT FFDLOD 40
Forward Left

(8) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Back Right S TH 38
Side Left Q IE (TH) SBALOD 39
(Drop into Left Leg) BALOD
Forward Right Q HT 40
FFDLOD

Tango - Side Step into Flick Kick

‘Ball Change’ – (Continued)

(9) Flick Kick ‘Ball Change’ - Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Leaders Steps Dance

Kick Right , (Replace Right , Q , and Q Flat SFDLOD 41 to
Lift Left , Replace Left) 44

Kick Right , (Replace Right , Q , and Q Flat DLOD 45 to
Lift Left , Replace Left 48

Forward Right S HT DLOD 49

(9) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Kick Left , (Replace Left , Q , and Q Flat 41 to
Lift Right , Replace Right) SFDLOD 44
Kick Left , (Replace Left , Q , and Q Flat 45 to
Lift Right , Replace Right) DLOD 48
Forward Left S HT 49
DLOD
18

The Steps – Tango

Set 8 & 9 (Steps 38 to 49)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days

19

Tango - Side Close into

Full ‘U’ Turn

(10) Side Close - Leaders Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Steps Dance
S HT 50
Forward Right Q,Q,Q Stay Low SFDLOD 51 to
54
Side Left , Close Right , Side ,Q IE (Foot) , TFALOD , 55 , 56
Left , Close Right S,S Flat FFALOD

Side Left , Close Right TFDTW ,
FFDTW

(10) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Dance
Forward Left S HT 50
Stay Low SFDLOD 51 to
Side Right , Close Left , Side Q,Q,Q 54
Right , Close Left ,Q IE (Foot) , TBALOD , 55 , 56
Flat FBALOD
Side Right , Close Left S,S
TBDTW ,
FBDTW

Tango - Side Close into

Full ‘U’ Turn – (Continued)

(11) Full ‘U’ Turn - Leaders Timing Footwork Direction of Step
Steps S,Q,Q Dance
S,Q,Q HT , HT , 57 to
Forward Left , Forward Right HT Turning ‘U’ Turn , 59
, Forward Left S,S FFDLOD
Stay Low 60 to
Side Right , Close Left , ( Flat ) Continual Turn , 62
Back Right IE (Foot) , FBLOD
63 , 64
Side Left , Close Right Flat STDTW, FFDTW
( To Start Position )

(11) Followers Steps Timing Footwork Direction of Step
S,Q,Q Dance
Back Right , Back Left , S,Q,Q TH , TH , 57 to
Back Right TH Turning ‘U’ Turn , 59
Side Left , Close Right , S,S FBDLOD
Forward Left Stay Low 60 to
Side Right , Close Left (Flat) Continual Turn , 62
( To Start Position ) FFDLOD
OE (Foot) , 63 , 64
Flat STBDTW ,
FBDTW 21

The Steps – Tango

Set 10 & 11 (Steps 50 to 64)
Practice at least 20 minutes per

day for three days.

22

The Steps – Tango

Congratulations you are now in
command of the basic Tango!

You can now start again from the
begining.

23