[Tango-L] No dancing before the music

[Chris, UK]

> where tango is an improvised dance based on side, back, front steps and
> the pivot (and a little more)...

Actually it is an improvised dance based on tango /the/ /music/.

Not on any particular steps. Tango constrains the choice of steps and is 
the context of some people's first encounter with the steps you list, but 
actually those steps are just as much a part of countless other dances too.

> that it is a natural art to be taken into other music.

You can carry that package of steps to another music, but you won't be 
carrying any part of the art that is essentially tango.

To "dance tango" is to dance the music that is tango. It is not to do some 
dance called tango. That's why tango dancers look at you funny if you say 
you dance tango to other music. It's like saying you drink beer to wine, 
eat pizza to pasta, or watch film to television.

--
Chris