Steps for Tango v. Vals v. Milonga

Peaches said:
Because ...
"Although the fundamentals of tango and many tango steps are used in milonga and vals, these are distinctly different dances, and quite frankly, it just ain’t milonga or vals if you merely do tango steps to a milonga or vals. You can simply march your way through a milonga or do tango steps to milonga, but that’s just boring, and it ain’t milonga. The repertoire of distinctly milonga steps is so vast that the best milonga dancers never have to resort to using tango steps." [AATanguera]​

;-)
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Well my take on Milonga is:

1. The Rhythm is very different not just faster so some tango steps are simply not possible and given the speed of the dance the staps are inevitably shorter. This leads to a playful game of contra/cortina/cut steps to see what you are your partner can acheive.
2. There is lot more upper body exaggeration and occasional dips or 'the chicken wing' movement of the arms.
3. It is best danced with small repetitive sequences; this allows the lead a bit more thinking time.
4. Some steps like the cross and volcada come across but again they have to be kept in rhythm
 
Everybody has a different answer! But, here's mine.

Milonga, Vals, and Tango are all a part of the 'tango family' but they are different dances. They are danced to different beats and have different dynamics. It is like saying Foxtrot and Waltz are part of the 'ballroom family' but they are different dances. They are danced to different beats and have different dynamics. They have many cross over elements but each element is danced to a different rhythm and is executed with a different dynamic.

As far as how to 'dance' each one, well...
1. Tango is… well, I hate to use the word ‘duh’, but most of us know tango. Generally tango has more foot to floor contact until you start exploring specific styles. Tango (depending on style) allows for more carpa than the other dances.
2. Milonga has a more of a springing action from the ankles, for lack of a better word. (Not hopping or bouncing.) This sort of lightness is difficult (for me) because you have to be mindful of your center and not bob around. The woman acts as a metronome and follows the dance, while the man engages in more intricate footwork that the woman does not generally attempt to mirror or follow.
3. Vals has more of a placing the foot on the floor sensation - i.e. when you cross you lift your foot rather than caress the floor as you would in tango. It is, simply, faster than tango, and you just don’t have the time for all of that floor contact. Generally vals has more chain steps.
 
The main difference between the steps for tango, milonga and vals, are the timing, and concequently, the length of the steps. Personally, I would not say that there are steps that are "exclusive" to either of the dances, however, some steps maybe easier to execute to a tango rhythm, for example, than to a milonga rhythm... and vice versa.

Again, some steps you may use more often while dancing a milonga, and some while dancing tango or vals. The tempo of the music will help you define that a little more clearer.

Tango and vals allow you to do wider and more elaborate steps (if that is the style that you are dancing). While the milonga gives you a chance do to more quicker, syncopated movements.

So, much of that will depend on how YOU night feel the music, and what you and YOUR PARTNER are comfortable dancing. But, you can often use the same steps in all three dances.
 
There's a very good book I found by Robert Farris Thompson, called "Tango: The Art History of Love." It's got a bunch of chapters devoted to milonga and canyengue. Probably everyone here already knows about it--but it does talk about some of those differences between dances and traditions. I'm a musician, so I can hear musical differences long before I can figure out the differences in dance styles--and since we have precious little AT in Nashville, I'm kinda stuck with books and videos, and whatever I can pick up from my teacher. Anyway, Thompson's book is available, and I found it to be pretty good reading, for an academic book.
 
I think that the only difference is in terms of style. You can use any tango step in vals, milonga and tango, but some steps work much better than others in each. Tango is standard for me, where I can do anything without restrictions, while vals is longer and more circular--I like using sacada/barrida combos and ochos more than anything. Milonga is playtime, where I try to never step in the same direction twice, and make my dancing three dimensional, in that I disobey the old maxim of 'don't ever bounce' and lead down and up for different steps. I like crosses and walking variations in milonga since they seem to work best with the music's linear nature.
 
The definition of the word is "misstep" whether to stutter or to trip. It is more a style than a technique and, thus, is difficult to place an exercize to. However, try this.

Take a 6 step basico (side-front-front-side-close-step [forward or back depending upon whether dancing man/woman]). Now dance steps 1-2-1-4-5, for example. This is side-front-back-side-close). Now dance it in the rhythm of slow-slow-and-slow-slow (where and is a quick step). Now dance it in the rhythm of slow-slow-and-slow-and. If you now add the original last step #6 (forward/back depending) as a final slow, you get a nice traspie. Dance the basic 6, then the first exercize, the basic 6, the third exercize, and finish with the basic 6. It gives you a wonderful feeling of traspie.

Of course, there are others (combinations). Try some. Bonne chance et bienvenue aux DF.
 
elnuevotango said:
I like to dance Traspie but don't know much about it. Can anyone show me how to practice?
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For whatever it's worth, an BsAs teacher told me that by moving (not trying to do tango/milonga steps) on milonga music and on the toes (or at least the front part of the foot), the traspie will come by itself. She does that when practising/warming-up at home.
 
For me, the steps I would use in Milonga are a subset of what I would use in Tango (basically, there is nothing new in Milonga that I couldn't do in Tango). However, the "feel" of Milonga is much different, (more playful, maybe less serious). Also, I do not do pauses in Milonga, (like I would in Tango). I step on every beat, and occasionally do "quick steps" or traspies.

Vals for me is similar in "feel" to Tango, but the rhythm is different (3 quick steps for one slow step), which modifies (and I suppose restricts) which steps I can do to it.
 
Note of caution...the OP did not ask for milonga or vals. He/She asked about traspie. Though the posts are good, they seem to imply that traspie only occurs in milonga. Re dchester's post, it is good to note also that, though there are similarities between all 3 dances, each is danced with its own unique technique and style, and is not really just a slower or quicker version of tango.

The exercize that I offered above is just something that we have used in the learning/developing of traspie regardless of the dance.
 
elnuevotango said:
Tk u, Angle HI. I've tried your exercise. I think it's good exercise for beginner.

More, I really meaned the traspie in Milonga
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You are welcomed. Glad it helped. It will also work, in the very same manner, for milonga. Know that, of course, the syncopations will take on a quicker (almost Salsa feel) movement. This will require a correct and controlled balance (weight on the flat of the balls of the feet), and a well maintained center (body position).
 
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