Styles of Argentine Tango
by Stephen Brown
In Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina, tango is danced in a spectrum of individualistic or personal styles, and
many tango dancers who are Argentine do not accept a categorization of their own dancing by any broad stylistic name.
They simply say they are dancing tango, their own style, or the style of their neighborhood or city. A few confuse the
issue further by identifying their own style by a name that other dancers associate with a different style. Consequently,
parsing the commonalities and differences that can be found across the continuum of individual styles to clearly describe
the characteristics of various styles is challenging, potentially controversial, and possibly misleading. Nonetheless,
if we regard style to mean an approach to dancing that creates incompatibilities with other approaches and has a sufficient
number of adherents who stick firmly to the listed elements, I think it is possible to create rough definitions for a number
of distinguishable styles of Argentine tango: salon, milonguero, club, orillero, canyengue, nuevo and fantasia.
Salon-Style Tango
Also known as "tango de salon," salon-style tango is typically danced with an upright body posture with the two dancers
maintaining separate axes. The embrace can be close or open, but it is typically offset (with each dancer's center slightly
to the right of their partner's center) and in a V (with the woman's left shoulder closer to the man’s right shoulder
than her right shoulder is to his left shoulder). When salon-style is danced in a close embrace, which is common in
Buenos Aires, the couple typically loosens their embrace slightly to accomodate the turns and allow the woman to rotate more
freely. When salon-style is danced in an open embrace, which is uncommon in Buenos Aires, the distance between the partners
allows the woman to execute her turns more freely and pivot without requiring much independent movement between her hips and
torso. If the woman rotates her hips through the turns independently of her upper torso, the embrace need not be loosened
as much. Salon-style tango is typically danced to the most strongly accented beat of tango music played in 4x4 time,
such as DiSarli. Those who dance salon-style tango to Juan D'Arienzo or Rodolfo Biagi typically ignore the strong "ric-tic-tic" rhythm
that characterizes the music. Salon-style tango requires that dancers exercise respect for the line of dance.
Ric-Tic-Tic Rhythm
Ric-tic-tic is onomatopoeia for the staccato rhythms that are prominent in the music of Juan D'Arienzo, Rodolfo Biagi,
and some other golden-era orchestras. With Biagi on the piano, D'Arienzo's orchestra debuted in the 1930s with the ric-tic-tic
rhythm. Although some describe music with the ric-tic-tic rhythm as 2x4, the characteristic rhythm of this music is
actually created through a variation in accented beats that yields an alternation of single-time and double-time rhythms.
For example, the music might be played one and two and, one and two and, one and two
and, one and two and (where boldface represents the accented beats), and the dancers might respond slow, slow;
quick, quick, slow; slow, slow; quick, quick, slow. One might express the chararacteristic stacatto rhythm of this
music as one, two; ric, tic, tic; one, two; ric, tic, tic.
Some tangos contain more complex rhythms and longer phrases of double-time staccato accents. Juan D'Arienzo's "El
Flete" contains a rhythmic figure of one and two and one and two and, one and two and one and two
and, one and two and one and two and, one and two and one and two and. For the
dancer adhering strictly to the accents, that rhythmic figure becomes the demanding and rapid fire slow, pause, slow, pause;
quick, quick, quick, quick, slow, pause; slow, slow, slow, slow; quick, quick, quick, quick, slow, pause. For a
dancer taking the music at half speed, the rhythmic figure becomes the familiar slow, pause, slow, pause;
quick, quick, quick, quick, slow, pause; slow, slow, slow, slow; quick, quick, quick,
quick, slow, pause (where boldface represents the beats used for dancing).
Milonguero-Style Tango
Milonguero-style tango is typically danced with a slightly leaning posture that typically joins the torsos of the two dancers
from the tummy through the solar plexus (in an embrace that Argentine's call apilado) to create a merged axis while allowing
a little bit of distance between the couple's feet. The embrace is also typically closed with the woman’s right
shoulder as close to her partner's left shoulder as her left shoulder is to his right, and the woman's left arm is often draped
behind the man's neck. Some practitioners of this style suggest that each dancer lean against their partner. Others
say that the lean is more of an illusion in which each partner maintains their own balance, but leans forward just enough
to complete the embrace. The couple maintains a constant upper body contact and does not loosen their embrace to accommodate
turns or ochos, which can limit the couple to walking steps and simple ochos until both partners develop the skills for the
woman to execute her turns by stepping at an angle rather than pivoting. Milonguero-style dancers typically respond
to the "ric-tic-tic" rhythm that is prominent in the music of Juan D'Arienzo and Rodolfo Biagi and also found in the playing
of many other tango orchestras. The milonguero style allows for a more elastic approach to the rhythm when dancing to
music that has a less insistent "ric-tic-tic" rhythm, such as that recorded by Di Sarli or Pugliese. The ocho cortado
is one the characteristic figures of milonguero-style tango because it integrates the embrace with rhythmic sensibilities
of the style.
Milonguero-style tango can also be identified as apilado-, cafe-, and confiteria-style tango. One of the better-known
dancers of the style, Tete, refers to his own style of tango as salon.
Club-Style Tango
Club-style tango has the rhythmic sensibilities of milonguero-style tango, but it uses the posture, separate axes and embrace
of close salon-style tango. Club-style tango is danced with an upright posture with the two dancers maintaining separate
axes while embracing closely in an offset V. The couple loosens their embrace slightly on their turns to allow the woman
to rotate more freely and pivot without requiring much independent movement between her hips and torso. If the woman
rotates her hips through the turns independently of her upper torso, the embrace need not be loosened as much. Club-style
tango is typically danced to the "ric-tic-tic" rhythm that is prominent in the music of Juan D'Arienzo and Rodolfo Biagi and
also is found in the playing of many other tango orchestras. Club-style tango uses the ocho cortado and other rhythmic
figures that are found in milonguero-style tango. Possibly a rhythmic variation of the salon-style tango, some people
regard club-style tango as a mish mash of the salon and milonguero styles rather than a separate style.
Orillero-Style Tango
Orillero-style tango is an older style of tango whose name suggests that it may have had its origins in the streets of
poor outlying tenements in Buenos Aires. Later it came to refer to the man dancing around the edge of the woman.
In either case, orillero-style tango was not considered acceptable in the refined salons of central Buenos Aires during the
golden age of tango. To the extent that orillero-style tango is still danced it has become more like salon-style tango.
It is danced with upright body posture with the dancers maintaining separate axes, and the embrace is typically offset in
a V and can be either close or open. In the turns, the woman is allowed to move freely and pivot without requiring much
independent movement between her hips and torso. When orillero-style tango is danced in a close embrace, the couple
loosens the embrace slightly to accommodate the turns. If the woman rotates her hips through the turns independently
of her upper torso, the embrace need not be loosened as much. Orillero-style tango differs from salon-style tango because
it adds playful, space-consuming embellishments and figures that do not always respect the line of dance. Many of the
playful elements are executed to the "ric-tic-tic" rhythm that characterizes the music of Juan D'Arienzo and Rodolfo
Biagi.
Canyengue
Canyengue is a historical form of tango that was danced in the 1920s and early 30s that may or may not be accurately captured
by its current practitioners. The embrace is close and in an offset V, the dancers typically have bent knees as they
move, and the woman does not execute a cross. At the time canyengue was popular, dresses were long and tight.
Consequently, the steps were short and frequently executed in the "ric-tic-tic" rhythm that is characteristic of
the tango music played by the old guard which included Francisco Lomuto, Francisco Canaro (early in his career), Roberto Firpo,
and Juan de Dios Filiberto. (The modern-era orchestra Los Tubatango plays in the same style.) Some dancers of
canyengue use exaggerated body movements to accent their steps.
Nuevo Tango
Nuevo tango is largely a pedagogic approach to tango that emphasizes a structural analysis of the dance in which previously
unexplored combinations of steps and new figures can be found. The style is danced in an open, loose or elastic embrace
with a very upright posture, and great emphasis is placed on dancers maintaining their own axes. Although the advocates
of tango nuevo emphasize a new structural analysis over specific figures, some of its most identifiable figures are overturn
ochos and change of directions in turns, which are most easily accomplished in a loose or elastic embrace.
Fantasia (Show Tango)
Fantasia is danced in tango stage shows. It originally drew from the idioms of the salon- and orillero-styles of
tango but today also includes elements of nuevo-tango. Fantasia is danced in an open embrace with exaggerated movements
and additional elements (often taken from ballet) that are not part of the social tango vocabulary. These balletic elements
integrate well with salon-style tango because the way a couple relates to each other's space in salon-style tango is very
balletic in nature, even though tango movement is more grounded like modern dance.
Liquid Tango
Liquid tango is an emerging approach to dancing Argentine tango that is danced with an embrace that shifts between close
and open to allow the integration of various styles of tango, particularly the nuevo and club styles. It is probably
premature to consider this a separate style of dancing because the approach is largely compatible with nuevo and doesn't have
an identfiably separate group of adherents.
Nuevo Milonguero
Nuevo milonguero is a relatively new approach to Argentine tango that adds some nuevo movements such as change of direction
in turns, cadenas, and volcadas to milonguero-style tango. It would probably be a stretch to regard nuevo milonguero
a separate style of dancing because the approach is fully compatible with milonguero-style tango and doesn't have an identifiably
separate group of adherents.
Some Additional Comments about Style
Which Style is Authentic?
All of these styles have some degree of authenticity because they draw from the practices, idioms, and historical precedents
of Argentine tango as it is and was danced in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and other cities in Argentina and Uruguay. Some
styles are more popular in a particular city or in venues within a city, but popularity should not be confused with authenticity.
Fantasia is authentic for stage dancing, but not for social dancing.
Some of the confusion about authencity may be the result of different styles serving different social purposes during the
golden age of tango. Salon-style tango was danced in very nice clubs, where one was expected to get dressed up and dance
very slow. Milonguero-style tango was danced in less formal venues, where dancers got together for the purpose of meeting
each other. Orillero was considered a lower class or street style of tango. In many cases, the same individual
would dance somewhat different styles in different venues or to different music.
Which Styles Have an Open Embrace and Which Have a Close Embrace?
All of the styles except fantasia can be danced in a close embrace. Although salon- and orillero-style tango can
be danced in a open embrace, they are more typically danced in a close embrace in Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina.
Milonguero- and club-style tango are only danced in a close embrace. The milonguero-style embrace is also typically
closed with the woman's right shoulder as close to her partner's left shoulder as her left shoulder is to his right.
The nuevo embrace is loose and elastic, but many of the movements that are emphasized in tango nuevo can be danced in either
the apilado or the close offset V embraces.
Embrace and Frame
Some people distinguish between milonguero and other styles of tango by claiming that the frame in milonguero-style tango
is in the woman, and in other styles the frame is created in the arms of the embrace. Whether the frame is inside the
woman or in the arms of the embrace depends largely upon the closeness and softness of the embrace. A firm, distant
embrace places the frame in the arms of the embrace. As the embrace becomes closer and softer, the frame is moved into
the woman's body in all styles.
Which Styles Are Improvisational and Which Are Choreographed?
All of the styles are potentially improvisational including fantasia. Many instructors of salon-style tango and fantasia
emphasize memorized figures in their teaching. Performance tango is often choreographed.
Which Styles Are Feeling and Which Are Analytical?
Some people look upon improvisation in salon, orillero, fantasia, and nuveo tango as puzzle pieces that are assembled as
you dance, and those who teach the structure of tango within these styles can emphasize the analytical nature of the dance.
If these styles are held in the intellectual domain and not moved into the intuitive and emotional domains, they can remain
a dry, analytical puzzle. Dancers and instructors of the milonguero-style tango often emphasize the intuitive and feeling
aspects of the style, but it can be approached in an equally analytical manner to the other styles.
Aren't Salon Tango and Fantasia Really the Same?
Salon-style tango and fantasia are distinct styles, but fantasia is an extension of salon-style tango and relies heavily
upon salon-style tango for its basic set of movements. Fantasia adds balletic elements and showy figures and embellishments
that are inappropriate for social dancing. Many tango instructors confuse the two styles for their students by teaching
an indistinguishable blend of social and stage figures and calling it salon tango. This hybrid style is characterized
by an open embrace, large steps, dramatic pauses, conspicuous ornamentation, and sometimes a disregard for the line of dance.
Although its characteristics make the hybrid style unsuitable for dancing in crowded milongas in Buenos Aires or elsewhere,
it is danced socially by many thousands of dancers outside of Argentina and Uruguay.
How Are the Milonguero and Club Styles Related?
As described above, the styles are very similar. Club-style tango was danced in some of the clubs de barrios during
the 1950s, while milongueros were dancing somewhat different styles in central Buenos Aires. These facts suggest that
milonguero- and club-style tango may have developed at about the same time. Edaurado Arquimbau, a leading dancer of
club-style tango, claims that several of the better-known milonguero-style dancers took lessons in club-style tango from him
during the 1950s. His claim has led some to raise the possibility that club-style tango may have played an important
role in the development of milonguero-style tango. More likely both milonguero- and club-style tango took their rhythmic
elements from the older orillero style tango.
