Basic tango steps: salida, ocho, retroceso and cadencia

Argentine tango is improvised: there is no fixed sequence, and each couple builds the dance from a small set of elements. The four figures on this page are the classic starting point taught in Buenos Aires for generations. They are described here in the traditional way, with the man leading and the woman following; today any partner can take either role, so “leader” and “follower” are used below.

Words in italics are explained in the tango dance glossary.

Before the first step: the embrace

Everything in tango starts from the abrazo, the embrace. The leader’s right arm goes around the follower’s back at waist height; his left hand holds her right hand, with the arm bent and steady. The follower’s left arm rests on the leader’s shoulder or around his neck. The embrace is the “zero position” before any movement, and it is also how the lead is given:

Partners step on the beat, one step per beat or, for variety, on every second beat or twice as fast. A popular saying in Buenos Aires is that dancing tango is like walking with a flourish.

1. Salida (basic step)

The salida, often called the “basic eight” because it takes eight counts, is the classic opening figure.

  1. From the embrace, both partners bend their knees slightly.
  2. Both take a step to the side, keeping the knees soft.
  3. The leader steps forward with his right foot outside the follower; she steps back with her left. They are no longer directly in front of each other.
  4. The leader steps forward with his left foot; the follower steps back with her right.
  5. The leader brings his right foot next to his left and turns his shoulders slightly back. This leads the follower to cross her left foot in front of her right: the cruzada.
  6. The leader steps forward with his left foot; the follower steps back with her right.
  7. Both step to the side: the follower with her left foot, the leader with his right.
  8. Both close their feet: the follower brings her right foot to her left, the leader his left foot to his right.

2. Ocho (forward eight)

The ocho gets its name from the figure eight the follower draws on the floor.

  1. Steps 1 to 4 are the same as in the salida.
  2. The leader pauses on the fourth step and, on the fifth and sixth counts, leads the follower to cross her left foot in front of her right.
  3. She pivots on her left foot and crosses her right foot in front of it.
  4. She pivots on her right foot and crosses her left foot in front of it, while the leader brings his right foot next to his left.
  5. The figure finishes like the last three steps of the salida.

Keep the shoulders parallel and the embrace close. The follower’s pivot starts in the hips, she stays near her partner, and her feet do not leave the floor.

3. Retroceso (backward step)

On a crowded dance floor the salida and the ocho eventually run into other couples, because they travel sideways and forward. The retroceso is a step backward used to avoid an obstacle and make room, after which the couple can continue with the salida or the ocho.

4. Cadencia

The cadencia is a rocking change of weight, often used to wait for space or to mark the music.

  1. Both partners bend their knees.
  2. The leader steps back with his right foot; the follower steps forward with her left.
  3. The leader crosses his left foot over his right; the follower crosses her right foot behind her left.
  4. The leader steps back with his right foot; the follower steps forward with her left.
  5. The leader ends the cadencia with a step to his left; the follower mirrors it to her right.
  6. The figure finishes like the last three steps of the salida.

Learning to dance

Steps are only the vocabulary. What makes tango is the connection in the embrace and the way a couple interprets the music. For how long it takes to learn and where to start, see How hard is it to learn tango?

Based on the dance section of El Portal del Tango (2001–2004), revised and expanded.