Villa Urquiza and other styles of Argentine Tango

From: Sergio Vandekier - on the Tango List at tango-l@mit.edu

How Villa Urquiza style (Traditional Tango) differentiates itself from the other styles: (in this video).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roNnIkrkfAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXU9nojcFQo

Long Steps, Embrace in "V", use of a varying embrace (elastic embrace) close, with little light to open, profuse use of embellishments, elegant erect posture. Elegant formal dressing.

Tango walk with a narrow base, the feet brush heels as they pass each other, the foot lands either toe or heel first. Walking on a line with external rotation of the foot.

1 - Milonguero - Cacho Dante -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgWMs0rAcJk

Shorter steps, embrace more frontal (where the V is less evident), close embrace only, different degree of elegance, Tango walk with a wider base, the feet are right under the hips, the feet do not brush heels as they pass each other, the foot land flat on the sole, walking on two lines, no external rotation of the foot. Less use of embellishments.

2 - Milonguero - Susana Miller- Same as #1 except that here the embrace is more in V, and there is more play with the rhythm. Use of ocho cortado.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Any40gQTc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odl9DBOQsYQ&feature=related

3 - Nuevo Tango -

Fabian Salas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6inw_V_a1W0&feature=related
Tendency to use non traditional tango music.

Very open embrace, colgadas, soltadas, volcadas, piernazos, changes of direction, changes in the embrace, profuse use of heel sacadas.

Mariano Chicho Frumboli

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5Bxtck3Uw&feature=related

A very open embrace, profuse use of heel sacadas and changes of direction. Elegance is sacrificed in exchange for an element of "surprise".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lro4WfRpzM&feature=related

Tendency to use non traditional tango music (in this case Argentine folkloric music is used). Some piernazos, some volcada, a very open embrace, some soltadas.