Argentine tango can be danced as a social dance or as a stage performance dance. As a social dance, tango is an improvisational dance where the lead communicates the moves through upper torso movements. The dancers are joined in close embrace, for this reason the number of steps used is relatively small and the length of steps is short. A variation of this style allows for opening the embrace at times to take more elaborate steps. Social tango is danced for the dancers, not for an audience. It requires no special physical training, and it can be danced by almost anyone.
As a stage performance dance, tango is generally danced in open embrace to allow for longer steps and a wide range of figures that can be seen from afar. Stage tango is generally choreographed, and requires from the dancers extensive training and physical conditioning
Tango Nuevo (Spanish for new tango) is a variation of stage tango that can be danced socially. This is the tango style danced in the movie The Tango Lesson. Although it is improvisational, it requires some level of training and physical conditioning, and it is generally danced when the dance floor is not too crowded.
Hollywood movies generally call tango a choreographed dance probably created for Rodolfo Valentino back in the 20’s and featured in movies ever since. A recent example of this dance is Schwarzenegger’s tango in the movie True Lies. This dance is not danced in tango events.
Ballroom competitions feature a tango dance that is similar to the tango dance seen in Hollywood movies, using different music and styling from Argentine tango, with more staccato movements and the characteristic "head snaps". Those head snaps are totally foreign to Argentine tango.