[Tango-L] Heel-first versus Toe-first

[Barbara Garvey]

I am consistently amazed by the detail of technical analysis and 
subsequent controversy on this list, not to mention fundamentalism in 
every way that it can possibly be applied to tango.

For the record, our experience of over 20 years in tango, is exactly the 
same as Sergio's, which is no coincidence as the list of our teachers is 
practically identical to those he mentioned, with the addition of Fino 
Ribera and Orlando Paiva and several  brilliant younger women teachers. 
 From an ascetic point of view, and a physical practical point of view, 
stepping on the ball of the foot first not only looks better, results in 
longer steps, helps avoid stepping on the partner's toes, and most 
specifically makes it possible to pivot at any moment to execute a turn 
or simply move around a crowded floor. Stepping heel-first seems to work 
for small non-turning steps (strict s.miller "milonguero" style) and 
also in the huge strides of nuevo exhibition dancing, when floorcraft is 
not an issue. Or in plain walking, although it doesn't look so good.

Stability is a function of posture and balance. Great posture is not 
only about looking good, but is necessary for leading and following and 
equilibrium. Plus as a person grows older, as we all will with any luck, 
posture and balance become more and more crucial in everyday life (I'm 73).

As for worrying about the effect on various muscles, that mystifies me. 
Everything we do uses, stresses, stretches, affects any number of 
muscles, and that's a good thing, yes?? Muscles are there to be used.

>Specifically,
>developing my core muscles to hold up my chest and ribcage
>causes my internal obliques to lift the hip of my free leg
>higher than the hip of my standing leg.  Although the hip
>of my free leg drops as I extend, my toe is still the part
>that touches down first without excess muscle.  Forcing my
>heel down first uses more muscle. 
>
>To step forward heel-first comfortably requires me to be
>more on the heel of my standing leg or to drop the hip of
>my free leg.  But there is only so much I can drop my hip
>without breaking my axis.
>

Correct posture presupposes a strong core which makes it possible to 
move without dropping one's hip.

Only confusion results from taking as gospel everything any given 
teacher says -- how about filtering opinions through common sense and  
personal experience?.  How about keeping one's eyes and mind open?  We 
have been going to milongas in Argentina since 1987; a sea change 
happened in 1994 when Susana Miller began teaching and promoting 
"milonguero style".  When we were in Bs As recently, after a 6-year 
hiatus, we saw as expected  that almost all dancers were doing close 
embrace, especially in the downtown milongas. We saw some Villa Urquiza 
salon style, which is what we do (bodies very close, moving out a bit to 
allow for turns) happening when floors weren't so crowded early or very 
late in the evening and at Sunderland. In the milongas in the center 
most frequented by tourists there was a mix of very close embrace (90+ 
%) and a little rather bad exhibition tango by visitors.   My 
favorites?  Sunderland and Lo de Celia. My not-favorite? Ideal. In the 
best milongas the embrace and style are close but  not standardized, 
individuality happens, fundamentalism is absent.

Abrazos from Puerto Vallarta,
Barbara


Trini y Sean (PATangoS) wrote:

>Hi Timmy.  Your way of choosing toe-first or heel-first
>based on how fast you wish to travel is part of the
>picture, and I think is correct for some degree.  But I
>think other facets have started to emerge for me just from
>this difference in stepping.
>
>And Sergio touches on something that I have long noticed -
>that Argentines are far more concerned about looking
>elegant than Americans.  Their culture at milongas promotes
>this, as well.  As he also mentions, Susana's style also
>sacrifices elegance for stability, which I think is useful
>for beginners.
>  
>