Walking in Argentine Tango (no heel leads)

[DanceMentor]

I find it a little peculiar that you always do progressive walks in Argentine Tango stepping first with the ball of the foot. The walks are a cross between rumba walks and (ballroom) tango walks. Are there ever any situations where you would step with the heel?

Also, virtually every dance that uses ball-flat involves Latin motion, yet Tango does not?

Also, virtually every dance that uses ball-flat incorporates "turnout". Is there a general rule for turnout in Argentine Tango?

Any insight into the reason you always step ball-flat?

[MadamSamba]

I'm not sure about this, DM, but I assume you step with the ball first in tango because the basic walk is made up of three movements: point, change weight then brush with the next foot.

Because you're walking backwards as a follow, it would be dangerous to walk on your heel. Similarly, as the leader, you wouldn't want to be stepping with your heel because, thanks to Argentine tango's VERY close hold, you'd trip face-forward in about two seconds.

I think stepping with the ball of your foot also markedly increases that beautiful, trademark tango body line.

As for turnout, it's funny, but some people do use a type of turnout, but a less severe one than used in ballet and it's more with the foot turned out, but down towards the floor so that, on your right foot for example, the area beneath your big toe would be touching the ground before you changed weight.

Mind you, everything I've said is based on my own logic...if you took me to court , I'd probably be thrown off the bench for making "unsubstantiated claims". :)

[aeras]

thanks

[Cats]

I think the man is supposed to have his chest tilted forward and raised a little bit. If he goes back on his heels he compromises this posture. I know this because despite all my practice, I get comments from my teacher as my balance isn't the best at times.

My teacher often comments "Think of yourself as Pablo Naron" meaning thrust your chest forward and take balanced deliberate steps.

On the Pablo Naron image, I do have a resemblance to the great one, except Pablo has curly hair, mine is straight, but already have the mustache and I can grow a beard like his.

>^..^<

[Sagitta]

How about the image of a cat for the feet placement/balance? If you are on the balls of your feet your chest naturally is a bit forward.

[Chris Stratton]

I've only had a single lesson in AT, but from a couple who seemed to really get it... They implied that the proper footwork would be what felt right more than some official answer.

So I'm thinking about why heel leads make sense in ballroom tango. And I remembered that many ballroom people teach that a heel lead is something that happens only at the last second - the foot really comes through ball flat, but the toe pops up ("flick" was how one teacher put it) at the last second. But it can feel almost impossible to do this in some situations if the weight and poise in a ballroom partnership are unconventional in ways which perhaps resemble the way AT is danced. Since the primary point of heel leads (and toe realeases) in ballroom tango is extra travel, and this is not a goal in AT, leaving them out seems to make sense.

I don't think toe leads need be associated with cuban hip motion. While the comment about the area under the big toe matches the way one teacher taught latin - dragging the bunion area as the foot comes through - in my mind it's more that this is the best way to do a floor-sliding toe lead from a lowered position.

[bordertangoman]

Two tango teachers have told me to arrive on my heel when I was arriving on my toes. One said the tango walk - for the man - should be natural, it is only the body weight which is moved forward prior to stepping.I have also been told to slide the foot forward barely above the ground, but weight still should travel onto the heel.I agree with Sagittas comments on the woman staying on her toes.

[piimapoika]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I once went to Helsinki teacher Leena Blomqvist for lessons in Finnish tango. She said that the tango is a Finnish dance, with the walk based on skiing. Naturally one cannot take heel leads while wearing skis.

[Chris Stratton]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I once went to Helsinki teacher Leena Blomqvist for lessons in Finnish tango. She said that the tango is a Finnish dance, with the walk based on skiing. Naturally one cannot take heel leads while wearing skis.

I don't know about that, but this just put a beautiful concept for the non-tango portion of international standard into my mind.

On cross country skis, you swing the legs behind your body, but you can't really swing them very far in front due to the nature of the bindings. Instead, the forward extension is accomplished by moving the body weight forward from the standing ski. This is exactly what you have to simulate in something like foxtrot, only it's easier to learn in skiing because the moving foot can be partly weighted and still slide.

[Polly]

Approximately 95% of tango masters I've studied with over the past 13 years have explained that the people who created tango were not master dancers, teachers, or choreographers. They were folks like us who wished to move to the exquisite music that was developing. They based their dance on walking because that is what they knew how to do. Then they created a myriad of ways of making it interesting with various in and out of frame, parallel and crossed systems, and timings.

They landed on the heel first going forward because it is natural and is more stable. The angle of the ankle is lower than for normal walking, but it is very elegant when done in sync with great posture and musicality.

Same for woman. Forward step, graceful heel first landing. Metin is one who said "Why would you land on the toe first if the dance is about walking?" Nito Garcia, Carlos Gavito, many many more land on the heel. The toe landing is for stage/fantasia choreography and certainly has its place in that respect. But for social dancing, easiest, most comfortable works best.

Polly McBride
atango2@aol.com