[Tango-L] Direction: Stationary steps

[Jake Spatz (TangoDC.com)]

As an addendum to my recent points regarding stationary steps, I wanted 
to include the following observations.

A stationary weight-shift (or step) not only defies the open-cross 
categories (in my view), but doesn't even require changing feet.

The "Tete salida" referred to earlier (see examples on YouTube) is a 
perfect example. The leader may lead a step by shifting weight from the 
heel to the toe _of one foot_. That's how I sometimes lead such a 
maneuver, anyway. (This is a counterpoint technique I class under 
"scaling": the single foot of the leader "scales up" to correspond to 
the follower's extension-shift-collection step complex.)

A pivot need not be involved in such a step, but often is. That being 
the case, and since the leader's unweighted leg need not be anywhere in 
particular (let's suppose it's out behind him or still coming in, as 
often occurs in my dance when I lead this),
consider that:
    =depending on the angle of his torso, he will have "led himself" 
into either an open-step, crossed-step, or head-on ("neither") 
_position_-- which will be clear even without resort to the 
"topological" reshaping method (thanks for suggesting the term, Huck)
    =he has _not_ changed feet, but he _has_ done a weight-shift (or the 
second part of one, which amounts to the same thing)
    =I honestly don't know whether to say he's "taken a step" or not, 
because I don't know whether to define a "step" as a leg movement 
(thereby excluding this thing), a change of weight (same foot or other 
foot?), or a change of axis (thereby including this thing)

Whether we work out the definition muddle or not, I can still do the 
thing. But I want to understand it better, I want to know it in context 
and in relation to other movements and to music. Perhaps it falls 
outside the currently used, widely accepted modes of analysis. Fine. So 
what mode does it fall within? What makes it work? What else can we do 
with that sort of device? Knowing that will get me somewhere on the 
dance floor, give me more to play with. And knowing how such a thing 
relates to other technique (and to good form) can help me decide whether 
it's worth refining or scrapping.

Jake Spatz
DC