Yichin. Waltz. Some of us try to step to far, usually to our front or to our side ,very rarely do we step to our full extent going backwards. The excercise it to give some idea of how far we are capable of going. The more the knee bends , the further you are able to go. Stand up straight and your distance is drastically reduced. This you would expect from a beginner. The energy stored in the bent knee of the standing leg will give the propulsion needed to reach your maximim with comfort. Try the pointing to find your distance with the knee bent. Measure it. Then try by taking a step forward or to the side and measure that also. You will find that coming off the rear foot will increase the distance we can travell foward by about 10 inches. Going to the side is different it will not alter vey much if we are to control our balance and are able to lower correctly. I guess thats why the driving step is always a step forward and the side step a swinging step.You will find that about the width of a 36 inch door frame is getting towards our limits in any direction.

this thread is outrageous nonsense. the size of the step is deteremined by how much the body moves, period. if you bend your knee, you must move the body a corresponding amount.

Anonymous. I'm no super athelete. But I can bend my knee and point my foot in any direction and still stay dead center.
Written up above, if you are the same person. You couldn't be more wrong when you said something about the side step comes from momentum and not from the standing leg. Why do you, or who bend the supporting knee. And what happens then. I hope you are also not one of those who forgets the sway on three.

Hi Quickstep
Just stepping back 2 or 3 posts, i agree completely about propulsion coming from the knee or thigh, as Ann Lewis apparently said (i don't have that tape), In fact i think it's obvious. Lowering will create energy, yes, but it would be almost impossible to dance without propulsion from the standing leg.
Makes me wonder how i dance tango (with little rise and fall) without using my standing leg for propulsion!!

Phil. When Michael Barr said that the Tango is a step step dance, and not a swinging dance It all began to make sense. No Rise or Fall. No Sway. John Wood said that feel as though you have a tail straight to the floor like a dragon. The weight very much to the rear. That was the example he gave. All the Best.

Great thanks for explanation especially the idea of why side step emphasized swing action , not be treated as a driving step.
I am practicing to acomplish turning lock to right following natural spin at one go .My teacher said : dance this 2 figures continuously with your strong ankles ,( He forgot I am 60 not 35 .) less flexed knee on 1, & , left toe slides forward as far as possible on beat 2, I felt a little bit panic for its farer distance based on limited flexed knees.( I will be appreciated if I may flex more knee, lower center , more propulsion generated, although the price is shorter line. ) Any way, I should overcome it if I want to dance better.
Ylchen