Line dance tutorial

3 to Tango

Danced to 3 to Tango by Pitbull.

Intermediate4 wall32 countRaymond Sarlemijn, Roy Verdonk, José Miguel Belloque Vane

Predicted to play at Westwood, Neon Boots and Coyote Point Yacht Club

Tempo — start slow, build up

Run the whole dance to the music, top to bottom — full speed, no stopping. The real test.

Play to the music
Dancing to the track

Full dance, full speed, to the track. The real test.

Built for learning, not watching

Learn an 8-count, then stack it
BUILD UP
two downworking on this one

Get one 8-count down, add the next, run them together.

Loop the hard part
LOOP
full dancerepeating this bit

Pick the part you keep blowing and run it on repeat.

Keep track of what you've got
PROGRESS
3 Tequila Floor
Pieces to the Puzzle
American Kids

Every dance sits in one of three buckets. Yours to move.

Bars that play it

Every bar has its go-to setlist

Here's where this one shows up.

Westwood
San Francisco · Wednesdays & Thursdays
Neon Boots
Houston · Thursdays
Coyote Point Yacht Club
San Mateo · Wednesdays

Also on those floors

The rest of their setlist

3 to Tangothis page
3 Tequila FloorIntermediate
The WolfIntermediate
Drop It DownIntermediate
Browse all dances

More on the 3 to Tango line dance

How to do the 3 to Tango line dance

Full step sheet — all counts written out+
1-8

Counts 1-8

1&2step right together, touch right
3&4step left together, touch left
5-6side step forward, side step back
7-8step, swivel
9-16

Counts 9-16

1&2step right together, forward
3&4step left together, forward
5-6rocking chair (rock forward, recover, rock back, recover)
7-8point, swivel
17-24

Counts 17-24

1-2step back, back
3-4out, out
5-6down, up
7-8walk forward, two
25-32

Counts 25-32

1-2walk forward three, four
3-4cross, quarter turn
5&6right mambo back
7-8turn, step together
1-8

Tag (walls 2 & 4)

tag

Danced on walls 2 and 4: mambo forward, mambo back, half turn half turn, mambo right, mambo left, right paddle turn.

1&2mambo forward
3&4mambo back
5-6half turn, half turn
7&8mambo right, mambo left, right paddle turn
1-8

Tag (wall 6)

tag

Danced on wall 6: forward mambo, back mambo, half turn half turn, mambo right, mambo left, right & left paddle turns.

1&2mambo forward
3&4mambo back, half turn half turn
5-6mambo right, mambo left
7-8right paddle turn, left paddle turn

Counts written by Walls from the tutorial above. Original choreography by Raymond Sarlemijn, Roy Verdonk, José Miguel Belloque Vane.

Questions people ask

What song is the 3 to Tango line dance danced to?+

The 3 to Tango is most commonly danced to “3 to Tango” by Pitbull. Any upbeat track in a similar tempo works once you know the steps.

How many counts is the 3 to Tango line dance?+

32 counts across 4 walls. The same sequence repeats, rotating 90° to face a new wall each time until you're back to where you started.

Is the 3 to Tango a intermediate line dance?+

Yes, the 3 to Tango is rated intermediate. If you're new to line dancing, get comfortable with basic grapevines and triple steps first, then drill it one 8-count at a time.

Does the 3 to Tango have a tag?+

Yes. Tag (walls 2 & 4) Danced on walls 2 and 4: mambo forward, mambo back, half turn half turn, mambo right, mambo left, right paddle turn.. It's worth knowing before you dance it out on the floor, since instructors will sometimes call it.

How do I practice the 3 to Tango at home?+

Slow the tutorial to 70–75% speed and drill one 8-count at a time. Once each section feels automatic, chain two together, then run the whole dance to music. The player on this page lets you loop any 8-count and adjust speed without leaving the page.

What is a line dance?+

A line dance is a choreographed sequence danced solo in rows. Everyone does the same steps facing the same way, no partner needed. The 3 to Tango repeats the same 32-count sequence, turning to face a new wall each time through. Once the counts click, you can join in the moment the song comes on.