Portal a Tango in
Vancouver Latin American Film Festival
Portal a Tango & The Tryptich
at Latin Vox 2007
A Tango Proposal
To provide feedback and suggest ammendments please email us at info@portalatango.com
Paicas
A lunfardo word for girl. See mina, or pebeta.
Pájaro (m)
Bird
Palanca
Lever; leverage: Describes the subtle assisting of the lady by the leader during jumps or lifts in tango fantasia (stage tango).
Parada (f)
From parar - to stop; a stop: The man stops the lady, usually as she steps crossing back in back ochos or molinete, with pressure inward at the lady’s back and at her balance hand and with a slight downward thrust, preventing further movement. When properly led the lady stops with her feet extended apart, front and back, and her weight centered. The man may extend his foot to touch her forward foot as an additional cue and element of style or he may pivot and step back to mirror her position (fallaway).
Parallel step
The natural condition when a couple dance in an embrace facing each other, the man stepping on his left, the lady on her right foot, and then the man stepping on his right, the lady on her left foot, regardless of direction. The opposite of crossed feet.
Parejas
Couple: The two partners in a tango.
Pasada
Passing over. Occurs when the man has stopped the lady with foot contact and leads her to step forward over his extended foot. Used frequently at the end of molinete or after a mordida. The lady may, at her discretion, step over the man’s foot or trace her toe on the floor around its front. Pasada provides the most common opportunity for the lady to add adornos or firuletes of her own and a considerate leader will give the lady time to perform if she wishes.
Paso (m)
A step. Paso basico - basic step.
Patada
A kick
Pausa
Pause; wait: Hold a position for two or more beats of music. See titubeo.
Pebeta (f)
A lunfardo word for young woman or girl. See mina or paicas.
Pecho (m)
The chest
Pecho argentino
A social Tango from the 50's, with simple vocabulary but not limited.
Pelo (m)
Hair
El peso
The weight
Picados
A flicking upward of the heel when turning or stepping forward. Usually done as an advanced embellishment to ochos or when walking forward. See Golpes.
Picardia
Dirty tricks, mischief
Pie (m)
Foot
Pierna (f)
Leg
Pinta
Appearance; presentation: Includes clothes, grooming, posture, expression, and manner of speaking and relating to the world. See bien parado.
Pisar
to step.
Piso (m)
Floor
Pista (f)
The dance floor.
Planchadoras
The women who sit all night at the milongas without being asked to dance. The main reason for that, is because they don't know how to dance well enough. Yes, it may seem cruel but one of the many tango lyrics actually says something like, "let them learn as a consequence of sitting all night."
Planeo
Pivot; glide: Occurs when the man steps forward onto a foot, usually his left, and pivots with the other leg trailing (gliding behind) as the lady dances an additional step or two around him. May also occur when the man stops the lady in mid stride with a slight downward lead and dances around her while pivoting her on the supporting leg as her extended leg either trails or leads. Can be done by either the man or the lady.
Porteño (feminine; Porteña)
An inhabitant of the port city of Buenos Aires.
Postura
Posture: Correct posture for tango is erect and elegant with the shoulders always over the hips and relaxed, and with the center carried forward toward the dance partner over the toes and balls of the feet. See derecho and eje.
Potranca
A young female racehorse: Sometimes used to refer to a beautiful long-legged Argentine woman.
Práctica
A practice session for tango dancers. Generally shorter, and less formal than a milonga.
Preguntar
To ask. I.e. Una pregunta, por favor -- A question, please.
Puente
Bridge; See Carpa, Inclinada.
Punteo
Point; with the point; peck: Rhythmic toe taps to the floor done with the toe, or point, of the shoe while the foot is moving over the floor in a sweeping movement as in boleo or planeo. See Golpes.
Paicas
A lunfardo word for girl. See mina, or pebeta.
Bird
Lever; leverage: Describes the subtle assisting of the lady by the leader during jumps or lifts in tango fantasia (stage tango).
From parar - to stop; a stop: The man stops the lady, usually as she steps crossing back in back ochos or molinete, with pressure inward at the lady’s back and at her balance hand and with a slight downward thrust, preventing further movement. When properly led the lady stops with her feet extended apart, front and back, and her weight centered. The man may extend his foot to touch her forward foot as an additional cue and element of style or he may pivot and step back to mirror her position (fallaway).
The natural condition when a couple dance in an embrace facing each other, the man stepping on his left, the lady on her right foot, and then the man stepping on his right, the lady on her left foot, regardless of direction. The opposite of crossed feet.
Passing over. Occurs when the man has stopped the lady with foot contact and leads her to step forward over his extended foot. Used frequently at the end of molinete or after a mordida. The lady may, at her discretion, step over the man’s foot or trace her toe on the floor around its front. Pasada provides the most common opportunity for the lady to add adornos or firuletes of her own and a considerate leader will give the lady time to perform if she wishes.
A step. Paso basico - basic step.
A kick
Pause; wait: Hold a position for two or more beats of music. See titubeo.
A lunfardo word for young woman or girl. See mina or paicas.
The chest
A social Tango from the 50's, with simple vocabulary but not limited.
Hair
The weight
A flicking upward of the heel when turning or stepping forward. Usually done as an advanced embellishment to ochos or when walking forward. See Golpes.
Dirty tricks, mischief
Foot
Leg
Appearance; presentation: Includes clothes, grooming, posture, expression, and manner of speaking and relating to the world. See bien parado.
to step.
Floor
The dance floor.
The women who sit all night at the milongas without being asked to dance. The main reason for that, is because they don't know how to dance well enough. Yes, it may seem cruel but one of the many tango lyrics actually says something like, "let them learn as a consequence of sitting all night."
Pivot; glide: Occurs when the man steps forward onto a foot, usually his left, and pivots with the other leg trailing (gliding behind) as the lady dances an additional step or two around him. May also occur when the man stops the lady in mid stride with a slight downward lead and dances around her while pivoting her on the supporting leg as her extended leg either trails or leads. Can be done by either the man or the lady.
An inhabitant of the port city of Buenos Aires.
Posture: Correct posture for tango is erect and elegant with the shoulders always over the hips and relaxed, and with the center carried forward toward the dance partner over the toes and balls of the feet. See derecho and eje.
A young female racehorse: Sometimes used to refer to a beautiful long-legged Argentine woman.
A practice session for tango dancers. Generally shorter, and less formal than a milonga.
To ask. I.e. Una pregunta, por favor -- A question, please.
Bridge; See Carpa, Inclinada.
Point; with the point; peck: Rhythmic toe taps to the floor done with the toe, or point, of the shoe while the foot is moving over the floor in a sweeping movement as in boleo or planeo. See Golpes.