The 5-Minute Foot Routine for Tango Dancers
The routine includes:
- Two strengthening exercises
for the days during the week without dancing, to make your feet more stable and resilient. - Two mobilization and decompression exercises
for during the week as well as before and after dancing, to release tension and bring more mobility to your ankle joints.
Overall sequence in brief:
- Hand-comb massage
- Midfoot release
- Active toe spreader
- Foot push-ups
Depending on your pace, this will take you about five minutes.
Routine for before and after dancing.
Perform these exercises once before putting on your dance shoes and after dancing, either on-site or at home.
Exercise 1 - Hand-Comb Joint Mobilizer
Category: Mobilization & Decompression
Duration/Repetitions: 10 rotations in each direction, per foot.
→ about 1–1.5 minutes total
Tip: Fit it in before going to bed
Exercise 2 – Midfoot Shifter
Category: Releasing tension & decompression.
Duration/Repetitions: Push/shake each of the 4 spaces between the bones 3 times.
→ about 1–1.5 minutes total
Tip: Fit it in along with Exercise 1, Joint Mobilizer, before going to bed
Routine for during the week without dancing
Build this routine into your daily life to decompress, relax, and strengthen your feet.
Exercise 1 Hand-Comb Joint Mobilizer and Exercise 2 Midfoot Slider form the first part of this routine. So you do these on days without dancing too. They keep tissue and joints loose.
Then come Exercises 3 and 4 for active decompression and strengthening.
Exercise 3 – Active Toe Spreader
Category: Strengthening & decompression.
Duration/Repetitions: About 10 repetitions at a calm pace
→ about 30–45 seconds
Tip: Do it while brushing your teeth.
Exercise 4 – Foot Push-Ups
Category: Strengthening.
Duration/Repetitions: About 8–10 repetitions at a calm pace
→ about 1 minute
Tip: Do it while brushing your teeth.
Bonus 1: Passive Toe Spreader
Category: Decompression.
Duration/Repetitions: About 30 minutes daily, while walking, sitting, or doing yoga at home.
Bonus 2: Fascia Massage with a Ball
Category: Relaxation.
In a standing position, place one foot on a small firm ball (3-5cm diameter). Hold a chair or wall for balance. By pressing the foot on the ball you massage the tissue.
This massage is very effective and a wonderful addition to the rest of the routine.
