Difficult not to Duck Walk
- Thread starter bonz
- Start date
bordertangoman
Well-Known Member
don't think about your feet, think about keeping all your leg from knee to thigh constantly touching/passing the other leg
Knowing which foot his partner's weight is on, and that when his upper body moves forward it will clear a space for his foot, the "Tango Man" walks assertively and confidently straight ahead. (Artistic License invoked)
You can practice the mechanics of not "duck walking" on your own. Assume your best tango posture - Alicia Pons should have given you some good information on that - and walk forward: step collect, step collect. Then step and continue to walk as your ankles brush past each other, and repeat. Make sure that you start each motion with your upper body, then move your foot forward.
Your previous posts indicate that you are interested in close embrace, so work on stepping under yourself once your upper body moves forward. Also work on being able to stop your forward momentum with each step. In close embrace as taught by Susanna Miller and Alicia Pons, you should be sharing weight with your partner, so keep that weight forward!. It's much more rewarding with a partner, but you can practice walking on your own.
Early on, when I was learning an open style of tango, actually brushing the ankles, and collecting my feet - ankles pretty much touching - was emphasized. Susanna Miller, who teaches close embrace milonguero loved that (HA!). Let's just say she encouraged me to stand with my feet a few inches apart when doing close embrace.
The more you practice walking and standing with your feet close together, the more it will become something you just do without thinking. If there are mirrors where you dance, check yourself occasionally.
Also...
When dancing or practicing with a partner, your partner plays a big part in how confidently you can walk straight ahead. You must know where her weight is before you step forward into her! One of her roles in tango is to clearly communicate to you where her weight is. If you don't know where her weight is, you don't know where you can step. You must be confident, however, that the foot she doesn't have weight on will move if your upper body goes first. If you don't know which of your partner's feet is free to move, lead a weight change or two so that you do know. It's easier with a skilled partner.
You can practice the mechanics of not "duck walking" on your own. Assume your best tango posture - Alicia Pons should have given you some good information on that - and walk forward: step collect, step collect. Then step and continue to walk as your ankles brush past each other, and repeat. Make sure that you start each motion with your upper body, then move your foot forward.
Your previous posts indicate that you are interested in close embrace, so work on stepping under yourself once your upper body moves forward. Also work on being able to stop your forward momentum with each step. In close embrace as taught by Susanna Miller and Alicia Pons, you should be sharing weight with your partner, so keep that weight forward!. It's much more rewarding with a partner, but you can practice walking on your own.
Early on, when I was learning an open style of tango, actually brushing the ankles, and collecting my feet - ankles pretty much touching - was emphasized. Susanna Miller, who teaches close embrace milonguero loved that (HA!). Let's just say she encouraged me to stand with my feet a few inches apart when doing close embrace.
The more you practice walking and standing with your feet close together, the more it will become something you just do without thinking. If there are mirrors where you dance, check yourself occasionally.
Also...
When dancing or practicing with a partner, your partner plays a big part in how confidently you can walk straight ahead. You must know where her weight is before you step forward into her! One of her roles in tango is to clearly communicate to you where her weight is. If you don't know where her weight is, you don't know where you can step. You must be confident, however, that the foot she doesn't have weight on will move if your upper body goes first. If you don't know which of your partner's feet is free to move, lead a weight change or two so that you do know. It's easier with a skilled partner.
AzureDreamer
New Member
I find ignoring my feet, concentrating on my chest/shoulders works for me; your feet mostly sort themselves out. Other than remembering weight changes, you can largely just forget them. To me it -feels- like moving to catch a ball (like in baseball, cricket, tennis, squash, whatever...) You start moving first, then your legs just kind of go where they are supposed too. Initiate all movement from the center of your chest, make sure to keep your head up.
(Maybe bring a beanbag to toss around? just toss if high enough that you aren't bending over to catch it.)
(Maybe bring a beanbag to toss around? just toss if high enough that you aren't bending over to catch it.)
bonz said:
I think both bordertangoman and Tanguera had good suggestions. Lots of walking with distance between the feet is done because the guy is afraid to step of lady's feet. Also, have you tried walking and thinking that you are pushing something heavy in front of you, absolutely straight forward? That way you naturally will keep you feet together; if you "duck walk" the heavy stuff would tip to the side. The "heavy stuff" idea also helps in keeping the weight forward. (One of my teachers used it, I can not say if it is a very good way or not since I already pretty much had the habit of walking on a line from aikido training.)
Another version, from my favourite teacher: image that you have a pen in your tailbone, and with that you draw a straight line on the floor. It helps if you have a floor with straight lines in it. Then you can walk with one foot on each side of the line, first looking at your feet to check that you place them right but then looking forward just drawing a straigt line your oyur tailbone-pen and making one trail behind you rather one two.