[Tango-L] Why is it so hard to walk?

[Tom Stermitz]

On Jun 16, 2011, at 4:41 PM, sherpal1 at aol.com wrote:

> North Americans do not have a culture of walking, just walking with  
> style down the street, with grace, attitude and good carriage....

I stand by my statement that men (even North American men), have spent  
a lifetime walking around the planet without falling over. They arrive  
at tango with that skill. Grace, attitude, posture are not cultural  
issues.

> so we have to learn to walk in counterposcione before we can even  
> begin to learn tango steps.

I do not quite understand this sentence.

What would be the English translation of "counterposcione"?

And, why would that be a pre-requisite for learning tango?

> Just go to Spain, France, Italy, Argentina and look how the people  
> walk, stroll, saunter with attitude and statement and dignity along  
> the sidewalks.  Casual walking is an artform in many cultures, so  
> they have a leg up on the tango walk(no pun intended).
> Sherrie


I don't buy into all these cultural comments. It is true that most  
Argentines have grown up listening to tango and seeing it, at least a  
little. But, there are lots of Argentines who do not have good  
technique in their tango.

> This concept of getting the followers out of the way is the wrong  
> concept to put in the lead's head....he will step on her if he does  
> not place his foot directily in front of his stationary foot.  iI he  
> walks astride the woman rather than directly towards her center  
> line, he will step on her...it is not a question of getting her out  
> of the way, it is a question of proper foot placement..... No  
> Argentine teacher would ever make references like this......sherrie


And yes, if the follower does not get out of the way, she will be  
stepped on. That isn't the whole story, but it is a necessary  
requirement.

I'm not Argentine, but then, human bodies and physics is not an  
Argentine concept.



Tom Stermitz
c: 303-725-5963
http://www.tango.org
Denver, CO 80207