For begginers it's difficult to feel the difference between body tone and tension,try to imagine that you are only using enougth strengh just to keep the arms up,make sure the elbows arn't pushed straight out but are slightly rounded,bring the elbows forward and up into position thie gives a longer knee line with less strain in the back of the neck. Hope this helps,don't let the man hold you to tight or not give you the fredom to move. Good Luck Dave

Knee = Neck.

To whome it may cocern. It doesn't matter what country a person goes to there is always a common mistake made by the average dancer. Not the finalists of a major championship, they have learned otherwise they wouldn't be there. The common mistake is not turning the shoulder and body equally. Natural Turn, if you are not aware your left shoulder will creep slightly ahead of the rest of your body, now there is a slight twist in the spine. When you finish, feet together is the left side over the left foot, and the right side equally over the right foot. It doesn't matter whether this is a Double Reverse or whatever the same rule applies. Try twisting the shoulders in a dance frame. It can't happen. If anyone would like to make a frame try a little over a metre of copper tubing, bend then pad it.

"The common mistake is not turning the shoulder and body equally. Natural Turn, if you are not aware your left shoulder will creep slightly ahead of the rest of your body, now there is a slight twist in the spine. When you finish, feet together is the left side over the left foot, and the right side equally over the right foot. It doesn't matter whether this is a Double Reverse or whatever the same rule applies. Try twisting the shoulders in a dance frame. It can't happen. If anyone would like to make a frame try a little over a metre of copper tubing, bend then pad it."

You need to find a real teacher, as what you claim as faults are actually virtues.

You got that wrong ,the body does not complete the turn untill you lower and take the next step yet the feet can be backing the line of dance, but I would agree that the left shoulder must always remain over the left hip.

Dave. If it is possible look at Richard Gleave and John Wood as well as Steven Hillier and Marcus Hilton. All doing the first three of a Natural Turn in the Waltz. See the difference. I think you might be with Richard Gleave and Steven.

If your partner is holding you too tightly my coach offered a solution. When she was training, her partner was made to hold a shoe brush, bristles to his palm. Within one lesson, he had learned the proper pressure to apply.

WannaB10Dancer.I like that one.You do mean the man's right hand, or is it both hands. Just for interest. I went to a lecture given by a former top international dancer. He held his palm towards me and got me to push my fingers against his palm. He showed me what the pressure of ten was. Then asked out of ten give me the pressure between a couple. I pushed to about 50% He said ease off , and some more. In the end i was down to the count of about one. No more than that he said. That is all you need for a connection and sometimes only our thighs are touching. This means the lady must know her own steps, and as a man don't try to do the ladies steps for her. It looks and is heavy if you do.

"He said ease off , and some more. In the end i was down to the count of about one. No more than that he said. That is all you need for a connection and sometimes only our thighs are touching. This means the lady must know her own steps, and as a man don't try to do the ladies steps for her. It looks and is heavy if you do."

Right idea, but wrong conclusion. It does not mean that the lady needs to know her own steps, only to haver reflexes for moving her own body and sensetivity to feel what the man is doing. If she were dancing her own steps, she would feel much heavier as she would never quite be coordinated with him.

I had that problem too. My coach gave me a few techniques that helped. I have only been taking private lessons for about 6 months as well.

1. My arms should feel bouyant, almost like they are floating on top of water.

2. The lifting of the arms should actually come from your back muscles, not necessarily the shoulders. That way your shoulders tend to stay relaxed. I imagine wings unfolding.

3. To keep my frame erect the center needs to be under control. With this part she told me to imagine that I am closing my rib cage together and pressing my belly button into my back.

4. Well, I'm not sure exactly how to say this, but...keep the bosoms up and out....This helped me more than anything with standing straight and tall.

5. I have to remember the narrow base, wide top theory and "stay in the man's hand". Basically the hand on my shoulder I should strive to stay in contact with. This keeps my body and head from dropping into the man's dance space.

I know this might sound silly, but I learn better with examples like this. They may not work for you if you don't have the same learning style and since I am a beginner, there may be other more advanced dancers with better advice.

Good Luck with your dancing.