Small details, big change in how you move.
When I started dancing tango many years ago, I don’t remember anyone really teaching how to walk.
At that time, classes were mostly about sequences and steps. And yes, I learned them… but something always felt incomplete.
With time, workshops, and many hours of practice, I started to understand something very simple — and very deep:
Walking comes before steps.
Just like connection, the walk is a foundation.
And the more you understand it, the more everything else becomes easier, clearer… and more you.
Today I want to share a few ideas and exercises that helped me a lot.
Coming back to your natural walk
We often try to add too much to tango.
Too many instructions, too much control.
But your tango walk doesn’t start as something artificial.
It starts from your natural way of walking.
From there, we refine.
Little by little.
A few key ideas in your body
Instead of thinking about everything at once, I like to feel the body from bottom to top:
Feet
When walking forward: heel → metatarsal → toes
When walking backward: toes → metatarsal → heel
The step is continuous, almost circular.Knees
Soft and relaxed. Not locked.
When we lock them, the whole body becomes tense and we lose balance.Hips
Aligned when standing.
When walking, the free leg relaxes naturally — without pushing or forcing.Torso
Long and growing.
I gently lengthen my spine without pushing my chest forward.
All of this comes back to one thing:
Your axis.
Your balance.
Your stability.
3 simple exercises
1. Slow weight change
Stand on both feet and slowly transfer your weight from one leg to the other.
Focus on:
The exact moment your weight changes
Not rushing
Feeling connected to the ground
Why it matters:
Many dancers move too quickly before they have real control of their body, and that’s when the axis becomes unstable.
2. Conscious walking
Take a step forward… slowly.
And then try the same walking backward.
Feel your foot on the floor. Stay present.
Focus on:
The quiet moment before the step
Not anticipating the next one
Breathing
Letting your whole body move together
Why it matters:
This builds control, awareness, and a deeper connection with your movement.
3. Playing with speed
Walk forward and backward and start to explore different timings:
One slow step
One faster step
A pause
There is no correct way — just explore.
Focus on:
Staying relaxed when you go faster
Not losing your balance
Keeping your movement clear, even in faster steps
Why it matters:
Tango is not only about how you walk…
but when you walk.
A small invitation
Practice these exercises slowly.
Not to become faster.
But to feel more secure, more present, more connected to your body.
Because sometimes, in tango…
it’s not the step you take
that matters most,
but the one
you are about to take.
I’d love to hear from you —
Which of these exercises feels the most challenging for you?
And if you’re in Adelaide and want to go deeper into your walk, you’re always welcome in my classes.
Abrazo de Tango,
Cami