In standard dance, in order to make a large forward step, it seems necessary to slide a few inches on the heel of the forward foot while the leg is straight, before rolling down the whole foot. Is this correct?

This seems like an unstable position because there is only one point of contact between the foot and the ground (the heel) for the forward foot. I also have this fear that I may end up with an unintentional split if the floor is slippery and I'm unable to stop the heel slide.

Should I file down the round part of the heel so the contact with the ground changes from a point to a line?

Hi Newbie
You definitely shouldn't get any sensation of sliding or slipping as you described. It shouldn't be necessary to modify your shoes, but you may need to modify your technique a little . Your partner will also get very nervous if you're slipping

"In standard dance, in order to make a large forward step, it seems necessary to slide a few inches on the heel of the forward foot while the leg is straight, before rolling down the whole foot. Is this correct?"

Generally this happens because you've put the foot out too far ahead of your body. We all went through a phase of doing that.

Hopefully as your skills and strength mature you will be able to project the body more into the steps. The leg will still swing a bit ahead of the body right as it's placed, but not so far, and in a way that it feels like the foot is landing in the "footprint" of the body - basically it will feel like the foot is "underneath" where your body's forward momentum would cause it to fall if the foot wasn't there to catch it. The result of this is that your weight will arrive in a way that sticks your foot to the floor rather than skates it on the back edge of your heel.

For now, spend some time just walking naturally in front the studio mirrors, not trying to dance. In fact, walk around a bit without even looking to get your action natural. Then start looking and notice how your heel lead develops only at the last instant of the leg swing. Dancing works the same way - it's just ultimately bigger because we move our body more. But as beginners, we get stuck trying to reach our feet into over-emphasized unnatural heel leads, and that's where the skating comes in.

Dance is ultimately about moving the body. The feet are just there to carry it.

In short, yes, that is correct. However, as a beginner, I would advise against worrying about that at first.

In order to avoid that "split" feeling, you need to relax the knee of the behind leg. By bending this knee slightly, it will allow your front leg to extend forward without doing the splits. Additionally, the time in which your heel slides forward is very brief as it is merely due to the momentum of your body.

For now, I would avoid worrying about that too much as it will develop as you learn more about swinging through your steps.

OK. First thanks everyone for replying.

I keep hearing "swing your leg". Please someone explain what that means, as oppose to not swinging your leg. The only way I can swing my leg is when I'm standing straight and not moving forward or backward, then I can swing one leg and trace out an arc. How could you swing a leg when moving??

"I keep hearing "swing your leg". Please someone explain what that means, as oppose to not swinging your leg. The only way I can swing my leg is when I'm standing straight and not moving forward or backward, then I can swing one leg and trace out an arc. How could you swing a leg when moving??"

Simply by having your moving leg do the same thing, but while the body is moving across the standing leg.

The challenge is that you will need the strength to sustain continuous body movement which will include times when your body is temporarily not in balance and you would fall if you did not keep moving. You can already do this on a modest scale when walking around not trying to dance; the challenge as a dancer is to learn to walk fuller without changing the basic character of how walking works. If you try too hard, you change the character: you get your foot too far in front of a too stationary body, and skating on the heel results.

John Wood once said "Big steps are old-fashioned." He was kidding really, making the point that there is an illusion of a big step, when there is a lot more happening in the body (than meets the eye). If you are having to "manufacture" a "big step", something is wrong. Good advice on walking in front of a mirror, and yes...we all start out this way. Keep taking lessons! It's wonderful when you do start to get it!