To heel or not to heel?
“Do you feel a difference when you dance with partners wearing heels and those wearing flats?” A milonguero friend asked me recently.
“Yes of course,” I said. “Those dancing in heels are less stable and more tense, always.”
He was surprised to hear that. He, like so many other dancers, was under the impression that heels improve the follower’s technique.
They don’t. They improve the aesthetics, meaning, they look pretty. But they don’t make you a better mover.
Just think of ballet. We all appreciate the look of dancers en pointe. The lines, the grace are admirable. But ballet pointe is an aesthetic choice, not a functional one. It is not functionally healthy to walk on the tip of your toe, the body was not designed to do that. And you only need to see a few ballet dancers’ feet to understand how profoundly damaging it is to be on point repeatedly for years. So much so, that dancers have to retire by the time they are 30!
So let’s think of that in terms of wearing heels. Slightly lower than pointe, you’re not balancing on the tips of your toes. But you are balancing on the ball of your foot while your heel has a very small area of support. By pure physics this destabilizes your axis and makes it more difficult for you to stay balanced and move freely. No matter how good your technique is, wearing heels is ALWAYS more painful, less stable, creates more tension in the body, and causes injuries.
Is it possible to follow without heels?
Absolutely!
It requires a different approach and the technique has to be adjusted because the reflex is to dance on your toes. The whole point for dancing in flats is to utilize the heel as much as possible so that you don’t wear out the ball of the foot. But once you learn the basic technique for dancing in flats you effectively prolong your dance time tenfold.
So when you’re making the decision about whether or not you want to wear heels, think about your end goal. If you want to hit those lines and reach for that aesthetic perfection, then heels are your game. Perhaps you want to perform and you really love that aesthetic, go for it!
But if your goal is to dance as much as possible, for as long as possible without significant wear and tear on your body, then flats are your best friend.
What’s your take on heels? Do you love them? Hate them? Can’t live without them? Pop in some for your thoughts below, I would love to know.
Do you want to work with me? I offer 1x1 and group sessions, online and in-person.