Cortina

Definition: A short piece of music played as a break between two tandas (sets of tango music) during a milonga (tango dance party). The cortina is intended to make the dancers aware that the tanda has ended and a new tanda will soon begin. Cortinas were developed to create a partner change break in the music. Upon hearing a cortina, dancers thank their current partners and may find new partners. Songs used for cortinas may be of genres other than tango, such as rock, pop or jazz.