Tango Compendium

Trine and I have created this compendium to describe an alternative approach to tango. It is still the tango you know, but with a shift in focus toward what we can learn when we allow tango, as a social dance, to guide us. Ultimately, our aim is simple: richer dance experiences and better milongas.

We feel closely connected to encuentro milonguero gatherings and the space they create for close embrace dancing. Not because we believe this is the only way tango should be danced, but because it resonates deeply with us when we dance.

For us, tango is a social dance where improvised movement grows out of an emotional connection to the music, the shared space, and the attention between partners. A dance rooted in respect and presence, where it matters less who you are, and more how you act within the moment you share.

Many dancers arrive at this way of dancing through experience rather than instruction. You may have noticed how familiar figures begin to feel out of place in crowded milongas, or how tango starts asking for something quieter, more precise, more connected.

This compendium reflects how we have learned tango within the social world of the milonga. It offers perspectives and practical tools for a milonguero-oriented way of dancing that values connection over display, musical dialogue over figures, and shared responsibility over individual expression.

Feel free to downloade and share ...

The compendium can also be downloaded in Danish here: Lillemarkens Tangosalon Kompendium