Putting your heels down?
- Thread starter danceguy
- Start date
Hmm..I'm practing both ways in my office and either way works. In both approaches, you're accenting the toe or more so the the ball of your foot. However if there is a slight accent in the heel, you get more hip action. If you stay on the ball of your foot, you may appear stiff. Is that what your instructor was espressing? Unfortunately, I haven't had an instructor that talked about it either way. :roll: But I can see why your instructor stresses the heel in one aspect. Anyone else?
Oooohhh, I think I see now. Yes, this was more prevelant in my Rueda classes. If you're doing LA style, this will throw you off a little. I hope I'm thinking of the same thing. *shrug* Question: If you're doing a back basic, when the heel touches the floor, is it on the 2, 4 and 8 beats? It will be easier if we could view it. I'll look for some clips. 
EDIT: I think Boriken was taking a Cuban Rhythm class but I'm not sure. Boriken, any suggestions?
EDIT: I think Boriken was taking a Cuban Rhythm class but I'm not sure. Boriken, any suggestions?
i can see putting the heel down on the forward half of the basic but it seems to me that commiting to the heel on the balk half of the basic would leave you back weighted, no? :?
borikenSalsero
Changui
I'm thnking the same thing SD is thinking. It is easier to put the heel down forward, yet you still have to do a lot of compensating to get your body weight going again. It takes to much time to shift weight around.
I tend to do that, stepping forward with my left heel and push off as hard as I can with my thigh, straightening the knee hoping to compensate for lost power, agility and control.
The only time that I can see the heel being placed flat on the floor is during the break on the 4 or 8, if that... besides that the song would have to be way slow where the given style won't hinder timing.
The afro cuban class I took stressed never heel down, reason being that once your heel is down you loose balance, and it slows you down. They do, however, I don't recall the back foot heel ever been placed down completely. As it throws your weight way off... However, there are a lot of places, including the class I took where they would have the person go from toe to heel, heel to toe just to get them used to the feeling, but where never asked to do it dancing.
However, I have taken classes where a given style is to dance completely flat footed. The dancer must bend down a great deal to compensate for the flat footedness. I use it some times with slow songs, and when I want to look like I'm gliding on the floor.
If you notice SG, when you put your back foot heel down your weight shifts so much that it seems that you will loose balance, and you actually do. You will also have no power going off that leg, to gain that power you must first pick up the heel and get on the ball of your feet to then attack the next step.
Perhaps, she is really she trying to get you to do the hip action. By stressing the entire movement, like that you know how it feels and how all your body parts should be moving. Take in as much as you can, and as you mentioned, with time you'll have your own style. Use things as you wish, how you wish, even if the heel down limits you in some areas (If used when actually dancing) it can help the look and feel of something else. Incorporate it to your dancing, but IMHO, She is just trying to show you the body movement...
You are lighter, more agile, and more powerfull with your heels off the ground. There are moore downs, than ups, using a heel down style when dancing. There is just too much movement required and a loss of too much energy...
I tend to do that, stepping forward with my left heel and push off as hard as I can with my thigh, straightening the knee hoping to compensate for lost power, agility and control.
The only time that I can see the heel being placed flat on the floor is during the break on the 4 or 8, if that... besides that the song would have to be way slow where the given style won't hinder timing.
The afro cuban class I took stressed never heel down, reason being that once your heel is down you loose balance, and it slows you down. They do, however, I don't recall the back foot heel ever been placed down completely. As it throws your weight way off... However, there are a lot of places, including the class I took where they would have the person go from toe to heel, heel to toe just to get them used to the feeling, but where never asked to do it dancing.
However, I have taken classes where a given style is to dance completely flat footed. The dancer must bend down a great deal to compensate for the flat footedness. I use it some times with slow songs, and when I want to look like I'm gliding on the floor.
If you notice SG, when you put your back foot heel down your weight shifts so much that it seems that you will loose balance, and you actually do. You will also have no power going off that leg, to gain that power you must first pick up the heel and get on the ball of your feet to then attack the next step.
Perhaps, she is really she trying to get you to do the hip action. By stressing the entire movement, like that you know how it feels and how all your body parts should be moving. Take in as much as you can, and as you mentioned, with time you'll have your own style. Use things as you wish, how you wish, even if the heel down limits you in some areas (If used when actually dancing) it can help the look and feel of something else. Incorporate it to your dancing, but IMHO, She is just trying to show you the body movement...
You are lighter, more agile, and more powerfull with your heels off the ground. There are moore downs, than ups, using a heel down style when dancing. There is just too much movement required and a loss of too much energy...
sagitta
Changui
My instructors have told me ball of the foot, not toes, and in describing hip motion as part of the basic have described rolling of the feet from inside to outside. They have always said no to heels. I, modify my action to limit the use of my toes, due to toe problems.
I find that when I do the flick on the 4 and 8 beats, if dancing on 1, I must use my heels.
I find that when I do the flick on the 4 and 8 beats, if dancing on 1, I must use my heels.
borikenSalsero said:
sagitta said:
Right Boriken and Sagitta. SG, the answers that Boriken and Sagitta gave is what I was getting at when I asked:
peachexploration said:
SG, is this what you mean?
SG, What's the verdict? Was this what you were speaking of or something totally different? 
I missed this thread the first time round...
I definitely step differently when I dance Cuban style, where you want a more grounded feel than LA style. I tend to shift the centre of balance/gravity a bit lower than when I dance LA style, and I think I do put my heels down when stepping, but I've never really thought about it much until now. I'll try and see what I am (and other Cuban style dancers are) doing the next time I'm out.
I definitely step differently when I dance Cuban style, where you want a more grounded feel than LA style. I tend to shift the centre of balance/gravity a bit lower than when I dance LA style, and I think I do put my heels down when stepping, but I've never really thought about it much until now. I'll try and see what I am (and other Cuban style dancers are) doing the next time I'm out.
While I agree with MacMoto, 100%, I would just like to add that quite often it's not whether you put your heels down, but rather than where your centre of gravity is.......
To get 'grounded', you lower your centre of gravity to your hip level.
To prepare for a more 'up in the air' style, you hold your tummy tight & place your centre of gravity between your hip & rib cage.
If you do that, you can be on the balls of you feet ALL the time, while having the option of putting your heels down when you need to (ie. one of those toe-heel turns), and still have to appropriate flavour :wink: .
.....my 2 cents..........
To get 'grounded', you lower your centre of gravity to your hip level.
To prepare for a more 'up in the air' style, you hold your tummy tight & place your centre of gravity between your hip & rib cage.
If you do that, you can be on the balls of you feet ALL the time, while having the option of putting your heels down when you need to (ie. one of those toe-heel turns), and still have to appropriate flavour :wink: .
.....my 2 cents..........
:lol: :lol: :lol: ......ok, when dancing on your hands, do you put your palms down......?
:wink: 8)
:wink: 8)
hey this thread is very educational! I'm sure I read this thread earlier, but I can take in more now cause I think I'm more prepared for it. I almost regret rashly expressing my premature views earlier 
oh well.. life goes on
It's interesting how boriken's afro-cuban class taught him never to put the heels down.. I thought at least in cuban style, you'd put your heels down..
I like the centre of gravity explanation SC btw!
I'm sure I read this thread earlier, but I can take in more now cause I think I'm more prepared for it. I almost regret rashly expressing my premature views earlier oh well.. life goes on It's interesting how boriken's afro-cuban class taught him never to put the heels down.. I thought at least in cuban style, you'd put your heels down..
I like the centre of gravity explanation SC btw!