Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:22:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jack Dylan <jackdylan007@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Ball or Heel?
The subject of walking on ball or heel has been discussed many times
and I've always believed it was just a matter of personal preference. I've
always walked ball-first because it's the way I was taught and I think it's
more elegant. But recently I've been experiencing some pain in my leg
which, after an MRI,?has been diagnosed as a strain in the upper part
of the calf muscle.
After some experiments, I've found that landing ball-first increases the
pain whereas landing on the heel reduces the pain. The problem is that?
I feel less stable that way when dancing with a partner in close embrace.
There's a slight wobble between putting the heel down and transferring
the weight to the whole foot. This appears to make sense as the contact
area on the heel is far less than when landing on the ball.
Anyone else have any experience of this? Is it just a question of
practicing with the new technique or is something else going on?
Any help would be appreciated.
Jack
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 06:31:41 +0000
From: Jay Rabe <jayrabe@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Ball or Heel?
To: "tango-l@mit.edu" <tango-l@mit.edu>
Jack,
I agree that there's more elegance in the ball-first stepping, though I think there's more groundedness in the heel-first. Yes, IMO it is a matter of style, but you're also right that there are consequences to the choice. I don't have any experience in the pains you're having, but I understand completely about the extra stability of the ball-first style. I personally walk heel first, and it's taken several years of working on it for me to feel like I have any significant facility with it. Early on I was watching some videos of Naveira, and noted that while he predominately steps heel first, his right foot steps are often ball first. My analysis is that it's not so much a matter of the heel having more contact area as it is a consequence of more lever arm (or leg-arm? haha). You have more stability if you have a wider stance, and the additional foot-length of stance that you get between your standing leg and the ball as opposed to the heel of your stepping foot gives you!
just a bit more margin of stability. I think this explanation is also consistent with Naveira's often stepping ball first only with his right foot, due to the nature of the embrace. The left side of the embrace (from the leader's perspective), is more open, especially in the "V" embrace that Naveira uses, so there is more flexibility in allowing minor adjustments to the spacing between the bodies that can accommodate slight imbalances caused by the leader and follower less than perfectly stepping together (exactly same direction, exactly same length of step). On the right side, in contrast, because the chests are in full contact on that side, there's less flexibility, less range of adjustable motion, and the added stance length that you get with a ball-first step can give you just that little bit of extra stability that you need when things aren't precisely perfect.
As far as your pains, I recommend you try stretching your calf muscles after a night of dancing, though you should probably consult with your doctor to see if he recommends waiting until the strain is healed before doing much stretching.
J
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Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:01:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Ball or Heel?
It could also be how you're presenting your leg. I do both heel-first and toe-first depending on what I need to do. Going heel first is the most natural and least stressful way of walking. However, if you want to continue doing toe-first, there's a way of doing it with less stress on the calf. When I do toe-first, I still keep my lower leg relaxed and don't point the toe. The knee lifts but the toe hangs so that it can land first. If you're actively pointing the toe, that could place more stress on your calf.
When walking heel-first, think of rolling onto the metatarsal using your standing leg after you've made contact with your heel. The weight transfer onto the leading foot should feel like a "C". You might also have a tendency to pronate or supinate, which could cause the wobble. With practice, you'll be able to walk more steadily. If the problem persists, you might want to see an Alexander Technique professional who can teach you how to walk without stressing the muscles. Sometimes you can get insurance to cover their fee.
Hope this helps.
Trini de Pittsburgh
--- On Wed, 6/3/09, Jack Dylan <jackdylan007@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> There's a slight wobble between putting the heel down and
> transferring
> the weight to the whole foot. This appears to make sense as
> the contact
> area on the heel is far less than when landing on the ball.
>
>
> Anyone else have any experience of this? Is it just a
> question of
> practicing with the new technique or is something else
> going on?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Jack
>
>
> ? ? ?
>
>
>
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 05:06:57 -0400
From: Sergey Kazachenko <syarzhuk@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Ball or Heel?
To: Jay Rabe <jayrabe@hotmail.com>
Cc: "tango-l@mit.edu" <tango-l@mit.edu>
<ebb7980c0906030206o6b9b9ddby414caf8edaf3f078@mail.gmail.com>
Here's a video of Naveira where you can clearly see him stepping heel first
with his left and toe first with his right.In a class, no less.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgnjOZxVsCw
Obviously, when you step heel first, you can make a larger step. Beginning
leaders often don't realize that they can make a way larger step forward
than their followers can do backward. Also there's a tendency in beginning
leaders to shift their weight back on their heels with causes them to step
toe first and only then move their body, confusing the lead. That's why I
tell all beginners to keep the weight on the balls of their feet and step
toe first.
Sergey
May you be forever touched by His Noodly Appendage... (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster )
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:26:10 -0400
From: Steve Littler <sl@stevelittler.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Ball or Heel?
To: Jack Dylan <jackdylan007@yahoo.com>
Cc: Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>
Dear Jack,
Yes, in the last month I experimented with the ball lead for two weeks
and got the same bad pains in the arch, heel, ankle, calf, knee. (It was
then further exacerbated by a bump to the knee by a theater seat. An
Activator doctor helped with some treatment https://www.activator.com/ )
After consultation with my doctor and several walking gurus now I am
back to the heel lead as a forward step default and doing much better.
Of course on diagonal, side and back steps I go ball lead as a default.
I do know a ball stepper but he does mostly side, diagonal and back
steps, but in my mind is problematic to navigate in social dancing by
causing problems crossing lanes on crowded floors.
My teacher says ball lead is more pertinent to long smooth steps in
stage Tango, not social dancing, where the heel lead would be the
default.The only difference in the two leads is that the foot flexes
naturally at the last second just before placing the heel down.
Any videos with Jorge Dispari (Geraldine's father) and many other great
dancers show this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAuh5ImWJmQ : that
little flex just before landing.
El Stevito de Gainesville
Jack Dylan wrote:
> The subject of walking on ball or heel has been discussed many times
> and I've always believed it was just a matter of personal preference. I've
> always walked ball-first because it's the way I was taught and I think it's
> more elegant. But recently I've been experiencing some pain in my leg
> which, after an MRI, has been diagnosed as a strain in the upper part
> of the calf muscle.
>
> After some experiments, I've found that landing ball-first increases the
> pain whereas landing on the heel reduces the pain. The problem is that
> I feel less stable that way when dancing with a partner in close embrace.
> There's a slight wobble between putting the heel down and transferring
> the weight to the whole foot. This appears to make sense as the contact
> area on the heel is far less than when landing on the ball.
>
> Anyone else have any experience of this? Is it just a question of
> practicing with the new technique or is something else going on?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Jack
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:51:46 -0600
From: Gordon Erlebacher <gerlebacher@fsu.edu>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Ball or heel
To: tango-l@mit.edu
I tend to walk toe first, although I do use the heel on occasion when I dance. I have found then
walking on a single track, forward, that the toe first is easier for me (I learned it that way).
However, I never land toe first. I land with a "broken" foot, i.e., that is, the outside edge of
my foot hits the ground (no pressure on it). As I move off the back foot, I "roll" onto the metatarsal
and I am prepared for the next step. Breaking the foot creates and action in the opposite hip,
which remains slightly back with respect to the moving body and acts as a counter weight. This
movement can be executed very slowly. It is very hard (for me) to walk with a heel lead in slow
motion. Of course, this does not work when walking on two tracks. I used the technique for
small steps as well, but the "edge of the foot" effect is reduced accordingly, but is always there.
This technique is responsible for greatly increasing velocity control and smoothness (if that
is desired). You can see this technique used in Gavito's dancing.
Gordon
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