• ​La Derecha (The Right) - A variation of Marches in Bronze Milonga.

• La Ronda (The Round) - A variation of Giro Básico in Bronze Vals.

• Lanzadera (Shuttle) - A variation of Caminadita in Silver Pecho.

• Lanzamiento (Throwaway) - A variation of Molinetes in Bronze Tango and Bronze Vals. The two variations are in Parallel System and Crossed System.

• Lanzamiento y Arrojada (Throwaway & Cast) - Key Pattern 4 in Silver Milonga.

• Lanzamiento Cruzada (Crossed Cast) - A variation of Lanzamiento y Arrojada in Silver Milonga.

• Lanzamiento Cruzado (Crossed Throwaway) - A variation of Alas Abierta in Silver Vals.

• Lápiz (Pencil) - Key Pattern 6 in Silver Tango. Tracing of circular motions on the floor with the toe or inside edge of the working foot, while turning or waiting on the supporting foot. These may vary from small adornments done while marking time to large sweeping arcs which precede the woman as she moves around the man in Molinete. See Dibujo, Firulete and Rulo.

• Lápiz Zarandeando (Shaking Pencil) – A variation of Lápiz in Silver Tango.

• Latigazo (Whiplash) - A variation of Zarandeo in Silver Vals. Describes a whipping action of the leg as in a Boleo.

• Latigo (The Whip) - also used to describe the whipping action of the leg in boleos to front or back, when led with energy and speed. 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.

• La Vid (Grapevine) - A variation of Caminadita in Silver Pecho.

• Lead/Follow - The lead is not about pushing and pulling the woman within the frame to get the woman to move in the direction the man desires. The man “accompanies” the woman as they dance. The mind set should be “to invite” the woman to move in this direction or that direction - sometimes call the “Invitation Lead”. The lead is about communications, and the man redirects the woman’s momentum and angular momentum through communication. The man communicates with the woman through movement (the woman senses the movement and follows), through opening space as he steps back (the woman senses the open space and closes the space), through rotation (the woman senses she is not belly-to-belly, and moves to correct), through counter body motion (the woman senses the CBM and prepares to move), through rising and lowering of the body (the woman senses rise as a stop, and lowering as preparing to move), through weight changes (the woman senses the weight change and changes her weight), through touching of the woman’s body (the woman senses foot-to-foot in sacada, leg-to-leg in barida, and thigh-to-thigh in ocho), the man prepares to step and then steps (the woman senses the preparation and she prepares, and then steps with the man) and through no movement or pause (the woman senses no movement and stops moving or pauses, or completes the move and then pauses). A woman, when completing a figure, will attempt to return to the belly-to-belly position. She will avoid stepping out of this position unless a lead takes her out of the position. A man’s head and eye direction will also give her subtle clues on where the couple is moving, along with the direction of his feet (the feet point in the direction where the body will be going). See Beat, Compás, Improvisational, Lead, Legato, Musicality, Ostinato, Phrase, Ritmo, Rubato, Staccato and Syncopation. Also see Axis, Centripetal Force, Centrifugal Force, Energy, Mass, Momentum (Angular), and Momentum (Linear).

• Legato - A music and dance term. In music, an articulations where the musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note with no intervening silence. This is interpreted into dance with a smoothness of movement, flowing one figure into the next. Compare to Stacatto. See Beat, Compás, Improvisational, Lead, Legato, Musicality, Ostinato, Phrase, Ritmo, Rubato, Staccato and Syncopation.

• Lento (Slowly) - See Caminada, Caminar, Contra Body Movement, Contra Body Movement Position, Corridata, Cross System, Elevadas,Entregarme, Giro, Junta, Liso, Marcar, Mira, Otra Vez, Parallel System, Paso, Pisar, Puente, Seguir and Suave.

• Levantada (Lifted) - Form of a Pause in Bronze Tango.

• Liso - Smooth, as in Tango Liso, an early term for Tango de Tango. See Caminada, Caminar, Contra Body Movement, Contra Body Movement Position, Corridata, Cross System, Elevadas,Entregarme, Giro, Junta, Lento, Marcar, Mira, Otra Vez, Parallel System, Paso, Pisar, Puente, Seguirv and Suave.

• Llevada (Carrying, From llevar - to transport; a carry; to take with) - A variation of Zarandeo in Silver Vals. Occurs when the man uses the upper thigh or foot to “carry” the woman’s leg to the next step. Barridas interspersed with walking steps in which the man takes the woman with him across the floor.

• Loncha (Rasher) - A variation of Atornillo in Gold Vals.

• Lunfardo - Lunfardo (from the Italian lumbardo or inhabitant of Lombardy in the local dialect) is a dialect originated and developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the lower classes in Buenos Aires and from there spread to other cities nearby, such as the surrounding area Greater Buenos Aires, Rosario and Monte video. Originally, Lunfardo was a slang used by criminals and soon by other people of the lower and lower-middle classes. Later, many of its words and phrases were introduced in the vernacular and disseminated the Spanish of Argentina, and Uruguay. Nevertheless, since the early 20th century, Lunfardo has spread among all social strata and classes by habitual use or because it was common in the lyrics of tango. See Tanguero, Milonguera, Milonguita, Bailarín, Aficionado, Compadre, Vareador, Compadrito, Grelas, Guapo, Portranca, Mina, Paicas, Pebeta, and Planchadoras.

• Lustrada (Shoe Shine, Shine) - A variation of Contra Giro Marchando in Silver Milonga. A stroking of the man’s pant leg with a shoe. May be done by the woman or by the man to himself but is never done to the woman.