- Abrazo
- The embrace in Argentine tango.
- Cabeceo
- Traditional way of inviting someone to dance using eye contact and a nod.
- Cadence
- The rhythmic pattern of steps within the music.
- Close embrace
- Partners chest-to-chest, minimal space between.
- Cross system
- When both partners step with the same foot simultaneously.
- Floorcraft
- The skill of navigating the dance floor without colliding.
- Follower
- The partner who interprets the lead (not passive — active listening).
- Frame
- The upper body structure that maintains connection between partners.
- Lead
- The partner who initiates movement and direction.
- Milonga
- (1) A social tango dance event. (2) A faster-paced tango rhythm.
- Musicality
- Dancing in response to the music's dynamics, pauses, and phrasing.
- Ocho
- A figure-eight step pattern (forward or back).
- Open embrace
- Partners connected but with space between torsos.
- Parallel system
- Partners stepping with opposite feet (standard walking).
- Practica
- An informal practice session (less formal than a milonga).
- Ronda
- The line of dance around the floor (counterclockwise in tango).
- Sacada
- A displacement step where one partner steps into the other's space.
- Tanda
- A set of 3–4 songs played together at a milonga (partners dance one full tanda).
- Vals
- Tango waltz (3/4 time).