The Donella Tango

{c. 1950}



Introduction

The Donella Tango is an easy Tango sequence dance described by Victor Silvester in 1950.



The Position

Closed position, Lead facing LOD.


The Dance

Part I - Closing Walk (4 bars): Back the Follow one step (1), and collect free foot beside supporting foot (2). Repeat three more times (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Part II - Parallel Breaks (4 bars): Step diagonally along LOD to center (1), then the Lead crosses right in front of left as the Follow crosses left behind right (2). Rock off of the cross step (3), and side-close toward outside wall (4-and). Repeat on the opposite foot, crossing toward the outside wall (5, 6, 7, 8-and), turning to promenade position at the end.

Part III - Promenade, Back and Forward, and Pivot (4 bars): Promenade two steps along LOD (1, 2). Then back the Lead two steps toward the center (3, 4), and back the Follow two steps toward the outside wall (5, 6). Finish with a 3/4 pivot to the right along LOD (7, 8), ending with the Lead facing LOD.

Part IV - Walk and Scissors (4 bars): Back the Follow four steps (1, 2, 3, 4), then then cross first foot through toward outside wall (5) and point second foot toward outside wall (6), then repeat the cross and point to the center (7, 8). Both partners cross in front.

Repeat from the beginning.


The Music

Tango music, at 64 bpm.


Sources


© 2018 Nick Enge


For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.


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