Formal and Informal strokes.

Well, since i emphasized "basics" in a previous post, let's start off with this very short post of explaining the aforementioned strokes.

Formal Strokes
Formal playing or formal strokes basically mean the movement of the sticks come solely from either your wrists or fingers.

In formal playing, you are not suppose to be using your biceps nor triceps to facilitate the hitting of the drums, but instead only rely on the facilities available to you wrist down (For most of us, there aren't many options left thereafter.). So if you were to play formally, you would more or less be seen as sitting completely still. Orchestral drummers normally employ this style of playing in order to not damage their cuff links.

Informal strokes
My guess is most drummers' style would fall under this category, and many not even knowing (Or caring!). In a nut shell, informal strokes are strokes in which you start moving your limbs as you play. Simple!

Moeller, and most of these hybrid techniques come under Informal strokes.
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As you can probably deduce, there aren't any advantages to play formally besides aesthetically looking so, just as i did when i first learned about this. But least we now know the terms. :)