[Tango-L] Ballroom vs Tango: Cross feet

[Huck Kennedy]

On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 12:48 PM, Michael <tangomaniac at cavtel.net> wrote:
> If Jay means cross-foot as in dancing on cross feet,
> ballroom DOES have cross foot figures. In Foxtrot and Slow
> Waltz, there is shadow spirals figure. In Samba, there is
> Shadow voltas figure.

     Yes, the emphasis being on the word "shadow."  From what I've
seen, pretty much the only time they stay on same feet for any
appreciable length of time is in shadow position.

> As a general rule, shadow positions are on cross feet because the woman is in front of the man.

     Huh?  It is normal for the woman to be in front of the man.  The
criterion is rather that they are facing in the same direction instead
of facing each other (which is probably what you meant).  They dance
on the same feet because in shadow position, opposite feet would both
feel awkward (particularly if they were almost glued together at the
hip in tandem) and look stupid.  I say "same feet" and "opposite feet"
because the corresponding AT terms "parallel" and "crossed" don't
really make sense unless the two people are facing each other,  When
you are in shadow position, being on the same feet feels a lot more
"parallel" than being on opposite feet.

Huck