To improve ones ballroom dancing students should focus on fundamentals. All great golfers are aware of the importance of the setup as it writes the script for the swing. Jack Nicklaus (a very successful golfing legend) said, "If you setup correctly, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. If you setup to the ball poorly, you’ll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world."
Similarly, good ballroom (standard) dancers spend time polishing their posture, poise and hold before even taking a step. Good footwork with a poor hold and starting setup will not produce aesthetically pleasing dancing and will in turn limit your ability to do the steps properly.
If you cannot hold your partner properly, you cannot dance properly. The hold must be seen as firm and purposeful, leading and guiding the lady as she is being presented to the audience.
Let’s start with poise. Both man and lady dancer must stand in a natural upright position with knees slightly flexed. The man will have his body inclined forward from the feet braced at the waist with shoulders relaxed. His body weight will be over the balls of his feet with feet flat. The only difference in poise between the man and lady is that the lady must be poised backwards from the waist (but don’t over exaggerate this). Remember to be faced diagonally to each other at address (man’s right toe in line with lady’s right toe).
I like to raise my left hand first to hold the lady's right hand as she walks towards me at the beginning of the dance. This left hand connection with the lady is vitally important in dancing. This important connection enables the man to draw the lady towards him to create a proper dance hold. It is a dynamic connection. It is not static and it is never a rigid connection. The man’s left hand will hold the lady’s right hand between the thumb and first finger, the other fingers closed over the right side of her hand. The left wrist must not bend; there should be a straight unbroken line between the elbow and the hand. The palm of the hand facing diagonally to the floor, the upper part of the left arm should slope downwards slightly, the arm bent sharply at the elbow with the forearm slanting upwards from the elbow to the hand. The hand being held just above the height of his left ear, the forearm inclined very slightly outwards from the body.
After the lady is gently drawn and guided towards the man, she must be in balance as she stands in front of him. At this stage the lady must be very slightly to the man’s right side. The next vital connection is the man's right hand on the lady's back. The man’s right hand is placed just below her left shoulder blade with the fingers neatly grouped together. The upper part of the right arm should slope down downwards from the shoulder to the elbow then downwards from the elbow to the hand in a straight line.
The Lady will place her left arm lightly on the man’s right arm, the fingers grouped neatly in the centre of the arm just below the right shoulder. The right arm will slope very slightly downwards from the shoulder to the elbow, then upwards from the elbow slanting forward towards the man’s left hand. The fingers will fold lightly over the man’s left hand between his thumb and first finger.
And now you’re ready to take your first step! It sounds like a lot to remember, but it’s vitally important and relevant in all the standard dances (Waltz, Quickstep, Slow foxtrot and Viennese Waltz) excepting the Tango, and will lead to better dancing all round.
Happy dancing,
John
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