The etiquette listed here is an informal guideline that has evolved to ensure everyone have a good time in
a social dance setting and is worth respecting.

Intimacy & the Codigos

Close embrace tango involves dancing intimately with your dance partner, who may be perfect stranger
The codigos of tango are a set of “codes” that offer some protective structure around this intimacy.

Here are some important points to get you started.

The lnvite

There are certain unwritten rules about inviting and accepting or declining dances:

Mirada and Cabeceo

Cabeceo & Mirada is non-verbal invitation and acknowledgement to request for the pleasure of dancing with a
nod of the head. Typically the man (leader) initiates the invitation, but the lady (follower) is also an active
participant always with the mirada, looking at desired partners when they are ready and interested to dance.

Here are the process to get you dancing.

• For optimal effect, the man should place himself in a visible position, to be seen by prospective partner
  to see and acknowledge any invitation coming her way.
• The partner selection process begins by watching the floor to see who dances well and to choose a
  prospective partner.
• The selection continues by trying to match the orchestras of each tanda with the right partner.
  
• Making eye contact is critical in the partner selection process and the follower is very much a part of
  it in order to dance with the men of their choice. Use it wisely.
• Follower, don't turn your eyes away too quickly as this may be mistaken as declining the invitation.
  Hold the gaze until the invite is confirmed with a nod and reciprocate.
• Mirada - scan with the eyes to see if a prospective partner would like to dance with you.
  
• Cabeceo - Nod or tilt your head or eyebrow when you catch their eye, to invite them to dance.
• If they accept your invitation, they will nod back or decline an invitation by looking away.
• Walk over to your partner when they accept your invitation and wait to make sure the deal
  is sealed, your partner will stand up as you approach, to be escorted to the dance floor.
• Extend your hand, verbally greet them and introduce yourself.
  

Accepting an lnvite

A man looks around the dance hall to search for a partner. If he finds a woman he likes to dance with,
he stares at her. The woman, who is also looking for a partner, will soon notice him.

If she doesn’t want to dance with him, she simply turns her eyes away.

If she wants to dance with him, she fixes her eyes at him and waits for him to invite her. He does so
by nodding his head at her, and she responds with a nod of her head in return to accept his invitation.

Declining an lnvite

The woman may turn her eyes away from potential partner to decline an invitation.

If you reject someone for a dance, verbally, because you are tired, taking a break, waiting for a
friend etc. Be gracious, a simple "No Thank you or No, not right now" will suffice.

It is, however, not advisable to dance that same tango with someone else.

Better to wait, preferably for the next tanda before accepting another invitation to avoid causing
offence to the first person that asked you.

Grounds for prematurely ending the dance

It is customary to dance the complete the tanda (3-4 dances) with the same person.

Generally, once we have agreed to dance, we are obliged to complete the tanda, at person. It is considered
rude not to complete the tanda.

However, there are exceptional circumstances in which we can and do break the tanda. If you are sufficiently
uncomfortable with your partner's dancing or other behaviour.

If you feel unsafe and unprotected when dancing with your partner due to poor floorcraft and navigation
skills, or if their behaviour is socially inappropriate or making you very uncomfortable in the way they
are dancing, these are enough good reasons to terminate the dance.

• If someone is making you uncomfortable during the dance, you have no obligation to continue with the dance
• If someone behaves or does does anything inappropriate on the dance floor, you do NOT need to finish the tanda.
• Excuse yourself — politely or not depending on the situation.
• If you feel the transgression is serious enough, inform the host.

La Ronda - The line of dance

Respect the line of dance & other couples on the dance floor. The dance floor is a shared space; you will be dancing not just
with your partner but other couple in front and behind. Depending on the size of the dancefloor floor and attendance, you could
be dancing with some 100 other couples.

Navigating your way around the danceloor is absolutely vital, be considerate, signal your intention before entering the floor, choose
appropriate lane to your dance experience, and stick to it.

Avoid stepping backwards, overtaking unless it’s absolutely necessary, and anti-social
figures and movements such as high boleos,
ganchos, piernazos etc.

As a follower, you have the last say; you have no obligation to accept any invitation from the leader that required responding to
anti-social figures and movements such as high boleos, ganchos, piernazos etc that can disrupt another person's dance
experience, or spoilt their enjoying of their evening.

Caution - Getting on the dance floor

• Dancers on the dance floor have right of way.
• Before entering the dance floor, make eye contact with the leader coming up on the
  ronda to signal your intention and only proceed onto the dance floor after receiving
  acknowledgement.
• Take care not to step in front of those already on the dance floor.
• Keep to your lane and avoid zig-zagging.
• Do not overtake the couple dancing in front of you.
• Maintain an even flow and use the space available to you by keeping a reasonable distance
  with the couple in front.
• If you bump into someone, just apologize to the other couple and to your partnerand move on.

During the dance

• Respect the lanes on the ronda (line of dance), typically two outer lanes and the inside lane
• It is customary for more experienced couples to dance on the edge of the dance floor
  or two outside lanes and the inside lane for the less skilled dancers.
• Leave enough space between you and the couple in front, to allow them enough space to move.
• Avoid overtaking the couple in front of you.
• The social floor is continually moving and does not allow for stopping in one place.
  Try not to obstruct the flow of the ronda by leaving too big a gap behind the couple in front.
  Keep the flow moving so you don’t halt or slow down the traffic behind.
• When dancing, don’t confuse the social dance floor with a stage.
• Avoid talking while dancing, save your conversation for the space at the beginning of each
  track and the cortina.
• Do not continuously apologize to your partner if you make mistakes.
• If you accidentally bump or kick another dancer, it is appropriate to promptly apologise
  for the offence by a nod to the other man and move on.
• It is customary for couple to dance one tanda together, its more sociable and gives everyone
  a chance to dance and socialise.

At the end of the dance

• The embrace ends when the music stops and the cortina (non tango) music begins.
• Abstain from further physical contact between the end of the last tanda and during the cortina
  so as to avoid any misconception of some sort of relationship.
• If you agree to dance more than one tanda, consecutively, with the same person, it may give
  the impression that you are interested in them beyond the milonga, don’t be surprised or offended
  if you receive a proposition. If you are not so inclined, simply stop at the end of the one tanda.
  
• At the end of a tanda, when you have finished dancing, it is customary to polite to say “Thank you”
  and accompany the lady back to her table.
  
• Leave the floor as quickly as possible, before the start of the next tanda.

Exiting the dance floor

• When you finish dancing, leave the floor as quickly as possible.
• Abstain from further physical contact between the end of the last tanda and during the cortina
  so as to avoid any misconception of some sort of relationship.
• Wait until a follower has exited the dance floor before asking her or him to dance.

Teaching on the Floor

Don’t teach (particularly for leads), don’t ask for tips (particularly for follows) or offer suggestions (everyone).
 Lessons or tips are for practicas or classes.  

•  Milongas are social dance events where people should be able to relax and enjoy themselves,
  its neither a class nor a practica, teaching on the dance floor is strongly discouraged,
  whether solicited or unsolicited.
• It is better to dance at the level of your partner, than to correct possible flaws. Unsolicited teaching
  can be humiliating and takes the fun out of dancing.
• The social dance floor is not the place to teach or to correct your partner and the 'no-teaching-at
  the-milonga'rule should be respected.
  

Protect your partner on the dance floor

Protecting yourself and your partner on the dance floor is the top priority! Floor get crowded, accidental bumps
the odd kick here and there, temper get frayed.

In the midst of all this, remain calm, ensure that your partner is shielded from it all and make sure by

Signal your willingness to dance

Dancers will be attracted to you if they feel you want to dance, this is easily done with an engaging smile
and standing close to the edge of the dance floor where you can be seen by prospective partners.

Acceptance of a dance is not an invitation to a treat

Each dance is a brief, and hopefully enjoyable, social encounter. An invitation for a dance does not
necessarily indicate a personal interest. It is customary for couple to dance one tanda (a set of 3/4 tracks
together.

However, you may dance more than three tandas with someone but be aware this implies that you are
interested in them beyond the milonga.

Personal Grooming

Before the dance:

• Shower and use a Deodorant or Anti-Perspirant.,
• If you use some fragrance, please use it sparingly. Some people have a problem getting
  up close and personal to heavy fragrance.
• Brush teeth and use mouthwash or breath mint.
• Abstain from foods with strong odours, like curry, garlic and other aromatic herbs and spices.
• The smell of cigarettes on one's breath or clothing can be very unattractive.
• Wear a clean shirt and bring a couple of spare if you tend to get sweaty.

During the dance:

• Check your grooming periodically
• In between tandas, freshen up and towel off before the next dance.
• Take with you extra shirt/top with you to the dance, in case you need a change.

We encourage everyone to dance with each other

• No matter how long you've been dancing Tango, never start thinking you're too good to dance with
  someone. Everyone in the room deserves your respect and a wonderful time dancing.
• No one is too good that they spend the whole time sitting out tandas.
  
• We encourage everyone to dance with each other, especially with someone on their first visit,
  it helps them to integrate easily into the community. Ask someone to dance who are not necessarily
  your favourite .
• Today's beginners will be the good dancers of tomorrow, so be nice to them and dance with them.
• Today's beginners will one day be the good dancers of tomorrow, so be nice and dance with them.
  They will never remember your gerousity of spirit and solidarity in their tango journey.
  
• Do not monopolize one partner for the whole night even though they maybe your favourite,
  give someone else a chance. It makes for a richer experience at the end of the milonga.

Tango music is played in tandas with an interlude of non tango music before the next tanda.

Tandas

Tango, vals and milonga music are typically played in sets of three to five songs known as "tandas."
Nearly all tandas are composed of music played by the same orchestra during a given era.

• Music from different eras are not mixed together in the same tanda
• Vocal and instrumental music are rarely mixed in the same tanda.
• All the songs on a tanda have a similar feel
• Each song contributes to the continuity of the tanda.
• A change of music (tanda) to that of another orchestra is used to change the energy and refresh the dancers.

Tanda Programming Cycle

A typical Tanda Programming Cycle is :

TTVTTM (Tango/Tango/Vals/Tango/Tango/Milonga)

Cortinas - Closing the Evening of Dancing

Each tanda is followed by a short piece of music, known as a "cortina," that acts as a curtain indicating the tanda has
drawn to a close. The same cortina or several tracks can is used as a cortina for the duration of an evening such as:

• Swing
• Salsa
• Rock & Roll,
• Pop
• World music

Closing the Evening of Dancing

We play the tango classic "La Cumparsita,"to bring the evening to a close, and typically play
two versions, one of which is our signature tune "La Cumparsita - Tito Schipaa" to end the
evening.

Reading between the lines

• "Thank you" before the tanda is over means " it’s over".
• Tandas - Three or four set of tango track
• Cortina - a short piece (about 40 seconds) of non-tango music that tells
  the dancers this tanda is over and a new tanda is about to begin.
• Three rhythms of tango music - Tango, Milonga, Vals
• TTVTTM (Programming of tango set in alternating format of Tango/Tango/Vals/Tango/Tango/Milonga.

Safety and Enjoyment

Everyone's safety and enjoyment is important in the milonga. Go to the host and/or DJ with any
social, etiquette or safety concerns, including sexually inappropriate behavior.

In order to feel safe with the intimacy of tango, it needs to be a social space in which people feel
protected from romantic advances. For this reason, it is not appropriate to ask someone for their
phone number, or ask them on a date.

However, this does happens but it should be discreet and outside the social space where people
dance.

Last word

A respect for the rules of the milonga, other dancers or indeed the tango as a social dance makes
for a better milonga for everyone! Finally, respect dancers' privacy, the intimacy and delicacy of
tango.

Enjoy your dance.

These guidelines are offered with the hope of helping dancers enjoy their tango and milonga experience.
If you have any comments, feel free to email us.

In writing this guideline, I have drawn on the thoughts and experience of other milongueros, old and young.
I am also indebted to the numerous event hosts, who have provided Social dance platform to indulge my passion,
DJs, who played music that inspired me to dance all night long, dance partners who have shared a warm embrace
and all of my students who have freely given me their feedback.

Any errors or omissions are entirely my own.