Ahem, this might ruffle a few feathers, but it just has to be said.
We hear a lot about the importance of ‘The Tango Walk’ (‘TTW’). Many lessons start with exercises explaining nuances of TTW according to the latest flavour.
TTW uses strong energy from the leaders core to create powerful travelling energy for the couple, with the follower extending their legs beyond their natural stride. The thing is (and it’s a BIG thing) that you’ll never walk like that at a Milonga.
Encouraging people to use powerful and extended forward strides is quite simply a recipe for disaster. Just look at how much space the couple are using.
Yes, there are elements that are important Tango dancing technique, but trying to perfect your TTW is a waste of time, as you’ll never get to use that technique unless one day you end up dancing on stage, or teaching Tango to people who don’t know better. If you use TTW at a popular Milonga you’re going to crash and collide with a lot of other dancers. Quite simply, it is dangerous and anti-social so it beats me why anyone would teach this to people who want to be able to dance at popular milongas with limited space.
But then I’ve never understood the appeal of cheese & onion crisps, either.
[Exits, stage right, with long, purposeful strides……]
Why? Guess they might be teaching to folks who’re not yet ready for crowded popular milongas, maybe who’ve recently started. Gets to add a few concepts to them and give them sense of progression in dancing.
And from a vague memory of first few tango lessons, if you can’t do anything much right, are concentrating on not step on your partner’s toes, and have a limited tango vocabulary, it’s something to do as your tango dance?
For non beginners maybe it provides an area to work on for styling, projection, use of the core, intention etc. Even if floor is busy maybe you could have the occasional tango walk step.