In Figure skating, what is a Tango Stop?

Question

Does anyone have any visual aids or detailed description of what a Tango Stop is? I've been skating for close to 10 years, and yet I've never heard of a Tango stop. Any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

it's not a freestyle element. i don't have any visuals, but it is like a t-stop, except the stopping foot goes far out front.

Answer 2

I'll try to look for a visual - I'm pretty sure you've seen it before.  

Not the best examples, but here are a few:

(at about 2:06, they both do it but watch "her") - this goes too fast to really see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EVPaMzmX...

(at 2:57)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdsZpanKv...

(at 3:12)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDTYqmcDF...

A tango stop is just like a Tstop except that instead of T'ing with your foot in back, you T in front (on an outside edge).   It just looks more "showy" than a standard T stop.  

When you first learn it, you can go slow, turn that foot out, bend your knee a bit and just get used to skimming the ice with that blade on that outside edge and putting pressure on it little by little til you come to a complete stop.  You gradually put all your weight on that leg in front to stop - it doesn't have to be an abrupt stop (but you can once you are good at it).  You use the whole blade, but it helped me to think about the heel when stopping.  

To make it look "showier", when stop, point your back foot and just plant it on the ice (don't drag the toe pick to help you stop - you should already be stopped).  The toe pick look just kinda finishes it off.  But technically, it's a stop with the front foot - several positions can happen with the back foot.

Hope that helps!

**EDITED: found another:

(briefly at 2:19)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJoAzQ8OR...