"The Walk," in AT

Ampster

Ampster

Active Member
Everyone who has really become proficient at AT has ruminated about "The Walk." It is the beginning, basis, and foundation of how good dancers look on the milonga floor.


All this time I've been dancing AT, this weekend, I decided to just watch the dancers. I was astonished at my own observations of who looked good, and didn't. Regardless of style, it boiled down to two types. Those who could, and those who could not walk.


Those who could walk:
  • It looked like they were on rollers... smooth
  • The were always sure footed. No awkwardness, any imbalance was instantly and smoothly compensated for
  • The looked to be in perfect synch with their partners
  • The didn't talk
  • They had their "Tango Faces" on
  • They were into each other
  • They were moving "as one"
  • They did not look like they were thinking of their steps. It just happened
  • They were elegant and fun to watch
  • You could see the connection happening
Those who could NOT walk:
  • Tried too hard to look good
  • Moved with an excess of motion
  • Tried too hard to make the steps work
  • Awkward and out of balance, axis, center...
  • Talked too much on the floor. Some were even trying to lecture
  • Bad posture
  • Choppy motion
  • Out of synch with the music
  • Painful to watch. Especially those who felt the need to do overly embellished things
  • Movements were out of synch with each other
  • The connection was clearly not there. Everything they did looked mechanical
These are just my general observations. It looked like the majority of "non-walkers" decided to go straight to the advanced, flashy, showy stuff, without first learning how to "Walk." Thinking (perhaps) that flashy steps and patters made you a tango dancer...:-?
 
Ampster said:
These are just my general observations. It looked like the majority of "non-walkers" decided to go straight to the advanced, flashy, showy stuff, without first learning how to "Walk." Thinking (perhaps) that flashy steps and patters made you a tango dancer...:-?
Click to expand...
Or, perhaps, it's that they don't yet have the ability to get the full appreciation out of the walk. It takes time to develop the sensitivity to be able to enjoy a subtle connection. (Not that I'm saying I'm there yet, but I know I can appreciate more now than I used to, and I've heard very good dancers say that they better they became the more they were able to feel in just the embrace.) In that case, they may as well have fun and enjoy themselves a bit in the meantime. So long as they're not hurting anyone (and, yes, I know that often times they are a danger on the floor) it's not a big deal.

DH talks about how, in the world of piano, there's the "Mozart Effect." (I think that's what he's called it. Something like that.) It's this bizarre appreciation for Mozart, with all of it's deceptive simplicity and beauty, when a pianist gets older (60's or 70's, i think he said). It's not that pianists can't/don't appreciate Mozart before then, but apparently all of a sudden it just becomes the pinnacle. *shrug* It would seem that there is a similar thing with AT.

One other thing to throw out there, regarding the walk/elegance connection... One of my all-time-favorite leaders does not have an elegant walk, or tango posture, by any stretch of anyone's imagination. In fact, his posture is pretty horrible--in life as in dancing. And he knows this, actually. His walk is not pretty. But despite that (something which I've heard other leaders bash him about), he's a fantastic leader. Most of the time he's incredibly into his partner (he's got off nights same as everyone else), his embrace is wonderful, he's very cautious and protective of his partner, his leads are clear, he's got his balance, he's playful, he's got good control of his center, he understands body mechanics and movement, he's musical...in short, he's a dream to dance with. (Did I mention the connection? He's got great connection.) And, yet, he most certainly doesn't have "The Walk." Proof positive, IMO, that it's not the be all, end all of tango. But it's nice. :cool:
 
Oh...and I'm very guilty of not having my tango face on. I caught myself this past weekend grinning, with my tongue stuck out a bit. Not a pretty tango face.

And I've been known to...gasp!...burst out laughing in the middle of things. (Sometimes, when a lead is obviously playing, I can't help it!)
 
Ampster said:
it boiled down to two types. Those who could, and those who could not walk.
It looked like the majority of "non-walkers" decided to go straight to the advanced, flashy, showy stuff, without first learning how to "Walk." Thinking (perhaps) that flashy steps and patters made you a tango dancer...:-?
Click to expand...

I assume you are talking about leaders? Because the followers don't really get a choice of whether the leader goes straight to leading the "flashy steps and patterns that make you a tango dancer"

Also, it seems to me that all you can really tell is who can walk and who can't with the partner that they are dancing with at that time.

Its very hard to walk smoothly with a bad partner. If you observe someone over the course of a whole evening, I suppose you could determine the person couldn't walk with ANYONE. But even that is tricky, because as we have discussed, certain people get relegated by the social structure to dancing only with bad partners. Then they look bad which reduces their chances of ever dancing with anyone better.

So what you can easily observe is which COUPLES walk well TOGETHER. Not which individuals do or don't walk well.
 
Peaches said:
One of my all-time-favorite leaders does not have an elegant walk, or tango posture, by any stretch of anyone's imagination. In fact, his posture is pretty horrible--in life as in dancing. And he knows this, actually. His walk is not pretty. But despite that (something which I've heard other leaders bash him about), he's a fantastic leader. Most of the time he's incredibly into his partner (he's got off nights same as everyone else), his embrace is wonderful, he's very cautious and protective of his partner, his leads are clear, he's got his balance, he's playful, he's got good control of his center, he understands body mechanics and movement, he's musical...in short, he's a dream to dance with. (Did I mention the connection? He's got great connection.) And, yet, he most certainly doesn't have "The Walk."
Click to expand...

Moral to the story... In social tango at a milonga, how it feels is more important than how it looks. Its not a stage performance.

Unfortunately, most people take quite awhile to get past the point of "performing" when they dance tango even socially. I know I haven't yet. My inner actress just won't go away, and I really WANT to do stage tango and perform. Without that opportunity, I find myself thinking too much about my "performance" when dancing at a milonga, when I should be thinking more about the connection (and forget about everyone on the sides watching)
 
Peaches said:
Oh...and I'm very guilty of not having my tango face on. I caught myself this past weekend grinning, with my tongue stuck out a bit. Not a pretty tango face.

And I've been known to...gasp!...burst out laughing in the middle of things. (Sometimes, when a lead is obviously playing, I can't help it!)
Click to expand...

It seems to me that you do have your tango face on... Spontenaity, sincerity and enjoyment.. Isn't that what a tango face should be? You can't "put one on" like a pait of CIFs. It just happens.

Frankly, I think too many people have way too SERIOUS!!! a tango look. My partner found his teacher in BA because she was the only person who smiled during the show. She just GLOWED, and he couldn't wait to find out who she was and learn from her.
 
Peaches said:
Or, perhaps, it's that they don't yet have the ability to get the full appreciation out of the walk. It takes time to develop the sensitivity to be able to enjoy a subtle connection. (Not that I'm saying I'm there yet, but I know I can appreciate more now than I used to, and I've heard very good dancers say that they better they became the more they were able to feel in just the embrace.) In that case, they may as well have fun and enjoy themselves a bit in the meantime. So long as they're not hurting anyone (and, yes, I know that often times they are a danger on the floor) it's not a big deal.
Click to expand...
An excellent point, Peaches. When you are first starting out, walking can get rather boring. Learning/doing other steps is a way to keep things interesting, while still working on your walk, connection, etc. Still there is something to be said for someone who can make the simplest of movements look great (maybe someday, I'll get there).
 
Peaches said:
And I've been known to...gasp!...burst out laughing in the middle of things. (Sometimes, when a lead is obviously playing, I can't help it!)
Click to expand...


Yeah, I have a friend who does that too. I lead something nice and unexpected and the dance comes to an abrupt halt cos she's just laughing so much.

I think she's getting better ( or used to me)

I was teaching the milonguero cross and at the end was demonstrating some exits with her and I put in a leg wrap. Perfectly executed and she didn't laugh and it was so good we had trouble convincing the students that it was a led move and not signalled or choreographed.
 
Ampster said:
Those who could walk:
  • It looked like they were on rollers... smooth
  • The were always sure footed. No awkwardness, any imbalance was instantly and smoothly compensated for
  • The looked to be in perfect synch with their partners
  • The didn't talk
  • They had their "Tango Faces" on
  • They were into each other
  • They were moving "as one"
  • They did not look like they were thinking of their steps. It just happened
  • They were elegant and fun to watch
  • You could see the connection happening
Those who could NOT walk:
  • Tried too hard to look good
  • Moved with an excess of motion
  • Tried too hard to make the steps work
  • Awkward and out of balance, axis, center...
  • Talked too much on the floor. Some were even trying to lecture
  • Bad posture
  • Choppy motion
  • Out of synch with the music
  • Painful to watch. Especially those who felt the need to do overly embellished things
  • Movements were out of synch with each other
  • The connection was clearly not there. Everything they did looked mechanical
Click to expand...


Much of that which is listed I notice describe everything but the walk. Embellishing is not walking. Neither is "not talking" nor indeed "talking". And Tango Faces (that whole sucking lemon face) is not walking but a facial expression. Bad posture: again, tends to emanate from the chin, neck, shoulders, chest, abdominals and not indicative of a good or bad walk. Trying to look good is "trying to look good" with or without the Walk etc. etc.

On Sunday I danced (again) with one particular chap who resembles a dressage-horse when he walks and would be considered "a bad walker" (?) Yet, when does do his thingymajig walking thing that he does, he does right on the beat of the music and with a superior sense of musicality. Another chap after he you would describe as "exact walker" – demonstrating the perfection of what is required in a "Walk" – and yet – to Norma Jones's I Can't Help Myself that was being played, he was totally out of sync (I guess he couldn't help himself). And so I reiterate, just having the man rock me in his arms at the start, immediately propelling into out into the Cosmos is to experience that whole coming together as One. The Walk therefore comes in at 2nd or 3rd or even last place.
 
What I don't like here is the implicit cause/effect suggestion. Their dance had all the green lights because they know how to walk. Wouldn't you get the same two lists if the criterion was, say, being sync with the music? Or having no heels?
 
Heather2007 said:
Much And so I reiterate, just having the man rock me in his arms at the start, immediately propelling into out into the Cosmos ......
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Yes I forgot to turn my portable Transporter off once, and my partner disappparated- fortunatly the co-ordinates were set for my ship, otherwise she might have been a bit breathless!
 
dchester said:
When you are first starting out, walking can get rather boring. Learning/doing other steps is a way to keep things interesting, while still working on your walk, connection, etc. Still there is something to be said for someone who can make the simplest of movements look great (maybe someday, I'll get there).
Click to expand...

Mmmm...dunno. Last week I was invited to teach a beginnerish class of 12(unsually larger than my usual 1-2-1/-1-2-2). First I watched each of them "individually" walk down an imaginary catwalk without the music and then to the music. And theh thought "yep" the class was going to be all about walking. Just walking. Would they be bored? Possibly. Were they bored? No. I took something out of my past drama-school days and had them each "get into character". Teaching them how to get into a particular character (note: the best character is one's higher ego) and then putting that character to the walk. Heaps of fun. Loads of laughter. Everybody applauding each other and a huge "thank you" message left on my mobile the next day. So no, it doesn't have to be boring.
 
Heather2007 said:
Mmmm...dunno. Last week I was invited to teach a beginnerish class of 12(unsually larger than my usual 1-2-1/-1-2-2). First I watched each of them "individually" walk down an imaginary catwalk without the music and then to the music. And theh thought "yep" the class was going to be all about walking. Just walking. Would they be bored? Possibly. Were they bored? No. I took something out of my past drama-school days and had them each "get into character". Teaching them how to get into a particular character (note: the best character is one's higher ego) and then putting that character to the walk. Heaps of fun. Loads of laughter. Everybody applauding each other and a huge "thank you" message left on my mobile the next day. So no, it doesn't have to be boring.
Click to expand...

You know, I think that was quirky but effective because the acting dynamic gave the students an 'out' for appearing silly that was not related to their dancing. I have always suspected the boredom complaint is an excuse made by students who are trying to draw the critical eye away from themselves. Walking is something that can and should be practiced at home, daily, even if for just a few minutes. There is absolutely no excuse for an 'advanced' dancer to be falling all over him/her self during a basic walking exercise in class. They of course know this and seek an excuse, whether they are aware of it or not. (Honestly, I think some students have mastered the art of self deception.) Some will quite simply stop attending classes and, when asked, will say, "Oh, the class was too slow and too basic. I'm taking more advanced classes from a different teacher now."

Notice how the 'advanced' students just eat it up when a visiting Argentine (cue angelic chorus) makes the entire class spend the entire hour on basic walking. They leave class saying, "Oh wow. Those Argentines really know their stuff. I'm going to have to train my basics all over again!" (translation: It really is not my fault that I can't walk without falling over - I didn't have a 'real' teacher to begin with.)
 
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