A boleo in Tango is a flying, free leg movement which can be done either small or big.
Boleo can also be written Voleo. In spanish the letters b and v are sometimes interchangeable, and this word can be spelt either way. Volar (verb) means to fly, so voleo could be ‘let fly’ .
In tango a boleo/ voleo is a whip like movement of the lower free leg caused by a sudden change of direction of the follower pivoting on the supporting leg. May be led by changing the direction of the follower’s ocho from back to forward or vice versa. Hence voleo atras/back voleo or voleo adelante/front voleo.
Origin: bolas are a hunting instrument used by some indigenous South Americans and gauchos. They comprise three short light ropes tied together at one end, then with stones tied to the free end of each rope. They are twirled then thrown so that they fly like helicopter blades. When they come in contact with the legs of an animal such as a rhea (S. Am flightless bird ) they wrap around the legs and the animal can be easily caught.