US President Barack Obama took to the dance floor to tango during a state dinner in Buenos Aires.

Attending the dinner with his wife Michelle and his Argentinian counterpart President Mauricio Macri, the President at first declined an invitation to dance from a female performer.

But eventually he relented and joined the dancer, who was wearing a shimmering gold dress, for a few turns of the tango.

First Lady Michelle Obama got in on the action too, pairing up with a male tango dancer.

Earlier in the day, Obama said his visit marked a "new beginning" for Argentine-US relations as Macri said it would be the start of new "mature" and co-operative relations.

However, protesters in the South American country have criticised the US President's visit at a time that coincides with the 40th military coup.

Protesters from left-wing parties burned a caricature vulture with an American flag on it outside the US embassy holding placards reading 'Obama, go home'.

The coup on March 24, 1976, was initially backed by the US which killed up to 30,000 people in a crackdown against Marxist rebels, labour unions and leftist opponents.