For me, tango begins at the feet. I need them for my technique and balance, but also for my musicality: how I take every step of the dance. What are you doing to improve your foot awareness? How are you building your balance? Where does your focus need to be to create your most musical, vibrant, present dance? Let’s start with your feet.
Wake up your feet
Sometimes your brain needs help to find your feet. The most extreme example I have encountered was when I asked a student what foot their weight was on, and that person had to look down to tell me. Most of the time, you have weight on both feet as you transfer your weight while walking and tuning into that process helps you with balance and musicality. Here are exercises to help you find your feet:
Massage/roll your feet
Carry massage balls with your dance shoes and roll the soles of your feet before donning dance shoes. This is a fantastic way to wake up your soles. Experiment: some people like soft massage balls or bumpy, hard ones; or a roller instead of a ball will help if your balance is shaky. Pro tip: hold onto something while you roll your feet at first.
Stretch the tops of your feet and under your toes
I use both stretches in my yoga practice and suggest you implement them for healthier tango feet.
If you can’t sit on the tops of your feet, it’s ok to lean forward and/or support yourself on your hands until the tops of your feet are stretchy enough to sit back on them. Here’s a short video to help you.
For toes under, I have short toes, so I have to adjust them manually before sitting back. It’s easier with longer toes, but many of us do not stretch here, and it may be extremely uncomfortable at first. Take your time and ease into sitting on your heels. I promise this gets easier as you practice! Here is a short video to help you.
More foot stretches and strengtheners
Heidi Weiss and I made two videos about foot health and tango. You can follow along here and here. I have posted this before but thought you would like to find everything in one place!