Tango Salon
Salon tango was danced up through the Golden Era of the dance (1950s) when milongas (dance salon) were held in large dance venues and full tango orchestras performed. Salon tango is often characterized by slow, measured, and smoothly executed moves, never moving against the line-of-dance, and respecting the space of other dancers on the floor around them.
The couple embraces closely, with some variants having a flexible embrace, opening slightly to make room for various figures and closing again for support and poise. The walk is the most important element, and dancers usually walk 60%-70% of the time during a tango song.
"Estilo milonguero" (tango apilado)
This style is danced in close-embrace, chest-to-chest, with the partners leaning - or appearing to lean - slightly toward each other to allow space for the feet to move. The center line of the leader's and follower's spines are directly in front of each other, requiring that each dancer turn their head to their left slightly to find space over their partner's right shoulder.
The leader's left hand and the follower's right hand clasp in the same manner as other styles of Argentine Tango, with elbows pointed down (contrasting with elbows up and pointed back as in ballroom tango), with little or no pressure applied by the arms or hands. The leader's right arm is held high across the follower's shoulder blades to help facilitate the upper chest connection.
