[Tango-L] Heel-first versus Toe-first, teaching history

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

--- Keith <keith at tangohk.com> wrote:

> I do agree with Manuel that "A more natural way of moving
> is crucial for dancing 
> and any exaggeration must be avoided if possible." 
> 
> But what's natural for walking isn't the same as what
> will feel natural for 
> dancing - given time, practice and correct instruction.

This is the crux of my original post, not whether walking
heel-first or toe-first is better or more authentic.

Whenever I've tried walking toe-first as some teachers have
instructed (either as a leader or follower), I've felt like
a prancing pony.  As a follower instructed to stay on the
balls of my feet and walk toe-first, I've had leg cramps
and foot problems.  

The person we've been studying with lately is Alicia Pons,
whose footwork (toe-first) comes from working so much with
the core and the entire body.  We've been praticing and
reviewing the material the past couple of weeks.  Walking
toe-first (leader or follower) is getting easier, however,
issues are emerging about making things flow better.  For
example, last night, I experimented successfully with an
experienced male student on bending his knee more to keep
his foot under him instead of extended beyond him.  These
are things I think teachers who walk toe-first are taking
for granted and not fully explaining.  And our time with
Alicia was limited.

Walking up a flight a stairs is the only activity that I
can think of in which one lands toe-first naturally. But
that's not the walk for tango either.

Lifting the quads of the free leg brings about the prancing
look and conflicts with the idea of the free leg being,
well, free.   Hence the necessity of using the core muscles
to lift the hip of the free leg that allows the foot to
land toe-first.

The body is an amazingly complex mechanism that needs to be
studied as a whole.  So, toe-walkers, what else might you
be doing that enables this graceful, elegant walk?

The culture of milongas in BsAs is also different and
self-enforces the importance of appearances.  Alicia
teaches her students to have their tango posture "on" the
second they walk through the door.  Even getting up to go
the bathroom is evaluated (don't forget to walk in time to
the music!).  People say that it's all a big show.  No
wonder.  That doesn't work in the States, where just trying
to get dancers can be a struggle.

So, patience, Keith.  Since 9/11, it has become much harder
for Argentines to come to the States to teach. This has
opened the door for American instructors, many of whom
teach heel-first and whose goals are to simply create a
community where none might exist.  This has even softened
up the Argentines about walking toe-first.  But as
competition to get dances at the major festivals increases,
there'll be more toe-first dancers showing up.

Happy walking,
Trini de Pittsburgh

P.S.  Alicia will be in Indianapolis this weekend and
Cincinnati next weekend.




PATangoS - Pittsburgh Argentine Tango Society 
Our Mission: To make Argentine Tango Pittsburgh's most popular social dance. 
http://patangos.home.comcast.net/ 



 
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