Which is better? Heel walking or toe walking? I’ve heard arguments for both sides. The heel is more natural, elegant and relaxed. The toe is more powerful, controlled, and smooth. Javier Rodriguez is a heel walker. Gabriel Misse is a toe walker. Many of the pros all split right down the middle. And then when you ask them why, their answers are all over the place. Who’s right and who’s wrong? Which one is better for you? I HAVE NO IDEA!

Heel Walking Technique:

• Can make for longer steps because the heel can reach farther than the toe.
• Give you a longer “thump” with each step.
• Looks more natural as if you’re walking on the street.
• Less control because the heel has no muscles when it’s on the floor.

Toe Walking Technique:

• Is more natural for small steps (because it’s weird to heel strike when you’re taking a tiny step).
• Has more power and control because your toes can grip the ground.
• Looks more stage-y and show-ey because your legs look longer and dramatic with a toe strike. (Some people say this makes it look fake.)
• Essential for learning walking technique. (Some teachers say you should all learn how to walk with the toes and then decide later if you want to go back to heel walking.)

Which one is more natural?

Many old tango guys will tell me to watch how an animal walks. They say toe walking is more natural because that’s how animals do it. They walk on and off their toes—making their toes the first to hit the ground and last to leave the ground.

Does it even matter?

To me, it’s like whether the toe goes down first or the heel goes down first doesn’t matter. What’s more important is the movement of the knees and hips. How you position your knees and hips helps to determine whether toe or heel is more natural for you. And once you get the knees and hips figured out, well then it doesn’t matter any more whether you’re a toe-walker or heel-walker. The goal is to choose the ones that’s most natural for you.

I’ve heard another of thinking of the toe vs heel is to think of them as embellishments. Walking with the toe or heel can strike your feet on a different musicality. A leaping note can make you pounce with your toe whereas a dramatic step can make you clomp your foot from heel to toe. If anything the embellishment is to help you dance better to the music and and/or help your technique in the slightest way (which is how many embellishments are used).

My verdict is to learn both. Learning both helped me to understand walking better and I even realized that many turning moves are done from toe steps as well as heel steps. Learn it all because one day you’ll need it.