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Baldosa is Spanish for a flat, ceramic floor tile common in Argentina. Many dance halls, such as the famous Confitería Ideal in Buenos Aires, have tile floors, and in many of the older dance halls, the large black and white baldosa tiles are common.
There appear to be two meanings to the term "dancing the baldosa" within Argentine tango. The first meaning refers to the crowded dance floors in Buenos Aires, where the line of dance often comes to a halt. The great tangueros can maintain a beautiful tango in these tight spaces. When you can maintain a great rhythm and embrace in a very small space on the tango floor, you are "dancing on the baldosa" (the tile). "You are considered a great tango/milonga dancer if you can dance on a baldosa (i.e. in a small area)." Tangology101.com The two videos at right shows this first use of the term and demonstrate useful moves in a small, stationary space.
The second meaning refers to the baldosa box, a basic 6 step sequence, used by some instructors as a foundation for learning milonga and tango. This 6 step sequence is only a learning foundation, on the dance floor many variations are used to maintain the line of dance. The baldosa box can be a good way to learn milonga; however, the back step is controversial among tango instructors. See Tango Truisims. Baldosa Box
The video at the bottom right is part of a series of instruction on milonga and begins with the basic beginners 6-step. The video below shows the many variations that can be done within the box. I have seen dancers in Buenos Aires do very small steps in variations of the baldosa box and maintain great rhythm on very crowded dance floors.
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