There are many things I love about tango: the spine-tingling music, the warm embrace, the feeling of escape. And then there are adornments and for me they are an essential part this wonderful story.

Often referred to as decorations, embellishments or “adornos” (from the Spanish), what are adornments? How, when and where do I use them?

For the uninitiated, the “milonga” is the club where we dance tango socially. In fact, it is what it’s all about: what we go to classes to be ready for. And there are many milongas, not just in Buenos Aires, but in London and around the world.

In class, to a certain extent, we recreate the conditions of the milonga. We dance in an anti-clockwise direction (the line of dance), try to avoid collisions with other couples and learn to improvise so that our steps can adapt to the ever-changing shape of the dance floor. We even change partners at regular intervals – by eye contact – just like in the milonga.

You know you’re addicted tango when: