• Cabeceó - (from cabeza; head): Traditional technique for selecting dance partners from a distance at the milongas in Buenos Aires by using eye contact and head movements. The Mirada is the meeting of the eyes. See Milonga, Confitería Bailable, Bailongo, Bailar, Ronda, Práctica, Orquesta, Piso, Pista, Bandoneón, Parejas, Abrazo, Pinta, Postura, Bien Parado, Códigos, Cortina, Bailamos and Tanda.

• Cabestrante (Winch) - A variation of Giro Inverso in Gold Vals.

• Cadena (Chain) - Key Pattern 6 in Bronze Milonga. Commonly refered to as the grapevine. Sometimes an athletic and very theatrical turning figure which moves rapidly across the floor turning left or right, in which the couple alternate Amagues (Cuatros) or Ganchos. Another variation involves the man stepping outside left or right in crossed feet and leading the woman in a change of direction to keep her in front of him as he turns, alternately going around her and bringing her around him.

• Cadencia (Cadence) - Key Pattern 3 in Bronze Tango. A deep check and replace, usually led by the man as he steps forward left, turning left. But can also be done as he steps forward with his right, turning right. Useful for avoiding collisions and making direction changes in small spaces. May also refer to a subtle shifting of weight from foot to foot in place and in time with the music done by the man before beginning a dance to give the woman the rhythm he intends to dance and to ensure that she will begin with him on the correct foot. See Balanceo.

• Caída (La Caída) (The Fall) - Key Pattern 9 in Bronze Milonga. Also a step in which the man steps backward, sinks on his supporting leg, and crosses his working leg in front without weight while leading the woman to step forward in outside position, sink on her supporting leg and cross her working leg behind without weight. La Caida may be done to either side.

• Caiga (Drop Back) - A variation of Caminadita in Silver Pecho.

• Calesita (Carousel) - A variation of Mordida in Silver Pecho. A figure in which the man places the woman on one foot with a lifting action of his body and then dances around her while keeping her centered over, and pivoting on, her supporting leg. Sometimes referred to as the Stork when the woman’s leg is lifted in the Cuatro position. Can go either direction - Left or Right.

• Cambalache (Swap) - A variation of Caminadita in Gold Pecho.

• Cambio De Frente Antihorario (Change of Front Counterclockwise) - Key Pattern 9 in Gold Milonga.

• Cambio De Frente en Sentido (Change of Front Clockwise) - Key Pattern 10 in Gold Milonga.

• Cambio de Pies (Change of Feet)

• Cambio De Peso (Change of Weight) - Key Pattern 1 in Silver Milonga

• Cambio de Rumbo (Change of Courses) - Key Pattern 4 in Gold Vals. One from the forward Ocho, and one from the reverse Ocho. This figure interrupts the woman’s Ocho and leads her into a new direction by transferring the axis from the man to the woman.

• Camina de Costado (Side Walk) - A variation of Triple in Gold Vals.

• Caminada - The walking steps; a walking step. See Caminar, Contra Body Movement, Contra Body Movement Position, Corridata, Cross System, Elevadas,Entregarme, Giro, Junta, Lento, Liso, Marcar, Mira, Otra Vez, Parallel Feet, Paso, Pisar, Puente, Seguir and Suave.

• Caminata (Walk) - Key Pattern 5 in Bronze Tango. Forward walks with focus on inside steps and placing foot before weighting.

• Caminata Enganchada (Hooked Walk) - A variation of Caminando Para Atrás in Gold Tango.
Caminata Interna and Externa (Walk Internal and External) - A variation of Caminata in Bronze Tango and Caminando Valseando in Bronze Vals.

• Caminata Cruzada (Cross Walk) - Key Pattern 2 in Silver Tango.

• Caminadita (Clipped Walking) - Key Pattern 5 in Bronze Pecho.

• Caminando (Walking Rotation) - A variation of Giro Básico in Silver Pecho.

• Caminando Para Atrás (Walking Backward) - Key Pattern 1 in Gold Tango.

• Caminando (Caminar) Valsiado - A crossing and walking step which the man initiates at 3 of the 8-count basic as he steps forward right in outside right position, pivoting to his right on his right foot and leading the woman to pivot on her left foot, stepping side left (side right for the woman) and drawing his right leg under him with weight (the woman mirroring with her left). The man then steps forward left in outside left position, pivoting to the left on his left foot, stepping side right and drawing his left foot under him with weight (as the woman dances the natural opposite). The man returns to outside right position and either continues the figure or walks the woman to the cross. May be danced in tango or vals.

• Caminar (To walk) - The walk is similar to a natural walking step, but placing the ball of the foot first instead of the heel. Sometimes taught that the body and leg must move as a unit so that the body is in balance over the forward foot. Another style requires stretching the working leg, placing the foot, and then taking the body over the new supporting foot regardless of direction. Walks should be practiced both forward and backward for balance, fluidity, and cat-like gracefulness. See Caminada, Contra Body Movement, Contra Body Movement Position, Corridata, Cross System, Elevadas, Entregarme, Giro, Junta, Lento, Liso, Marcar, Mira, Otra Vez, Parallel System, Paso, Pisar, Puente, Seguir and Suave.

• Cangrejo (Crab) - A variation of Ocho Cruzada in Gold Milonga. A repetitive pattern of walking steps and or Sacadas in which the man advances turned nearly sideways to his partner.

• Cantor - Taking two steps in one measure of Vals. Reverse cantor is steping both on the first and second beats. Triple cantor is stepping on all three beats.

• Carena (Careen) - A variation of Cambio de Frente de Sentido in Gold Milonga.

• Caricias (Caresses) - A gentle stroking with the leg or shoe against some part of the partner's body. They can be subtle or extravagant. See Adorno, Amague, Caricias, Carpa, Castigada, Chiche, Conclusion, Contrapaso, Cuartas, Cuatro, Cucharita, Dibujo, Elevación, Entrada, Fanfarron, Firulete, Frappé, Friccion, Gancho, Golpes, Latigo, Patada, Pausa, Picados, Punteo, Resolution, Ronde, Sacada, Salida, Saltito, Sandwiche, Sanguchito, Stork, Toque and Truco.

• Carpa (The tent) - A figure created when the man leads the woman onto one foot as in, or at the end of, Calesita and then steps back away from her, causing her to lean at an angle from her foot to his frame. See Adorno, Amague, Caricias, Carpa, Castigada, Chiche, Conclusion, Contrapaso, Cuartas, Cuatro, Cucharita, Dibujo, Elevacion, Entrada, Fanfarron, Firulete, Frappé, Friccion, Gancho, Golpes, Latigo, Patada, Pausa, Picados, Punteo, Resolution, Ronde, Sacada, Salida, Saltito, Sandwiche, Sanguchito, Stork, Toque and Truco.

• Carreritas (Little Race) - A variation of Encadenada in Gold Milonga.

• Castigada (A punishment) -  A lifting of the woman's working leg followed by flexing at the knee and caressing the working foot down the outside of the supporting leg. Often done as an adorno prior to stepping forward, as in Parada or in Ochos. See Adorno, Amague, Caricias, Carpa, Castigada, Chiche, Conclusion, Contrapaso, Cuartas, Cuatro, Cucharita, Dibujo, Elevacion, Entrada, Fanfarron, Firulete, Frappé, Friccion, Gancho, Golpes, Latigo, Patada, Pausa, Picados, Punteo, Resolution, Ronde, Sacada, Salida, Saltito, Sandwiche, Sanguchito, Stork, Toque and Truco.

• Centelleo (Twinkling) - A variation of Vuelta in Silver Pecho. Step backward bringing feet together, change weight, and then step forward. Can also be done with an initial step forward.

• Centripetal Force – Scientific Term Applied to Dance. In layman’s terms, centripetal force is the force that keeps a body on a curved path. Without centripetal force, the body would move on a straight path. Scientifically, centripetal force is a force that acts on a body moving in a circular path and is directed toward the center around which the body is moving. In dance, a force must be applied to the body to move in a curved motion. This force is generally applied by the standing leg. See Axis, Centrifugal Force, Energy, Lead/Follow, Mass, Momentum (Angular), and Momentum (Linear).

• Centrifugal Force - Scientific Term Applied to Dance. In layman’s terms, centrifugal force is an apparent force, and thus not a real force. It’s the apparent force a person would feel if the person was in a car that is turning, and the person is thrown next to the door. Actually, the car is on a curved path via centripetal force (friction of tires on road) and since the person is not tied down, the person continues to move straight. The door is applying centripetal force on the person to also force the person on the cars curved path. In dance, centrifugal force might be used to better understand why an arm is apparrenty thrown outward during a turn or rotation. See Axis, Centripetal Force, Energy