Dancer.The scene which sticks in my mind was a close up head and shoulders of Jennifer dancing, or more like standing still. The dancing is Modern. I will have to watch the film again. It's been on our cable TV at least a dozen times. You must be sensible about this. Jennifer will never dance at Blackpool and Karina will never star in a Hollywood movie. I think you will agree that Richards top line was excellent with his left palm facing across the body as it should be and looking left as well as standing up straight, and not like others who have an anti- clockwise turn of the hand. Whoever coached them did a good job in my opinion, when you realise he also had to instruct them as beginners as well as the comedy roles and have them slowly improve. This would have to have been rehearsed before the movie started shooting.
Question. In one scene, in the background on a screen Fred Astaire is dancing with Cyde Charisse. Does any one know which film this was.

Richard looks like a good student; JLO is disgustingly bad.

Our coach told me that a lady's head should always be over her left hip. Also he emphasized the importance of keeping the joint between the legs and the torso flexible all the time. What do you think about that?

Dear Jild, Thanks for your advice.
The top of head may over left hip a little bit .and maitain flexible joints without broken side line should be kept in mind.
The angle of shin bone ,more forward thigh ( than male) + extend head left- ward, upward from one side temple generate lady posture( a llitle bit backward ) and bigger frame . Our center force (muscle tone due to pulling up and pressing in belly, squeeze force in center resulting from reactive force from the floor and weight dwon the shoulder helps to support head weight besides elbows. ( triangle )
How to use them appropriately in my each step to create natural feminine character is what I am learning. Fortunately, my coach is keeping his one eye on it .
Lady responses to man' posture and shape , and we are affecting each other.
Correct me , if my concept is wrong.
ylchen

Yichen. one thing that never is mentioned and that is , and particulaly in Latin, The muscles of your Buttocks (Bottom ) must be as tight as possible wilst dancing. The Buttocks must not be spread. They are toned at all times.

Don,

Do you mean literally "all times"? Do you mean any figure during any Latin dance?

Guest. I won't say exactly what Hazel Fletcher'said about loose buttocks in a lecture I attended years ago. It was rather humorous. The message was tight at all times.

Thanks Don.

I would like to ask why the muscles in buttok should be in high tone throughout the dance ? Whether muscles over the buttocks have transient relaxation at some particular moment?

I tried , and found more strengh muscle tone over my pelvic abdominal muscles and standing buttock. No high muscle tone palpable on the swinging buttock region during the time from the passing point to forward heel onto its position. . The tone is increasing since foot fliction ...

In my mind use of equal tone of opposite muscle groups help stable frame , such as elbows line, side lines, head line etc .
Head weight+ relaxed anterior muscles + contracted posterior muscles generate body curve.
Lifting leg level involves contraction of belly core muscles +anterior lower limb muscles + relaxation / stretch of rear opposite muscles of lower limb. We contract and relax different part of muscles to create our outlook with music rhythm.

Strong anterior center tone obtained from up and in belly muscles + reacitive force from floor and head weight + shoulder weight , foot pression . Bryan said :a liitle central muscle used ,he pointed the region on clip. Tony told me just enough but not excessive muscle tone needed to avoid from the body rigid ( because he found I used too much upward streching and affected my swing) and let weight gravity convert into kenetic energy...
( I took his lesson in FEB 06. Of cource we had no time to discuss about the buttock muscle tone at that time.)

I understood buttock muscles must be involed when they were supporting body weight, driving body weight , rising ... which is easily to noted with its firmer changing. but I did not understand why it must be contracted in whole dance and possible is it? Looking forward to your teaching tip. Great thanks.

Dear Jild, From DVD of Luca ( basic waltz ). I noted lady's head extending beyond her hip , as you mentioned ,with her thighs and knees more toward man to avoid from heavy. and keep balance . (Loraine called it "back sway" resulting from particular muscles contraction ( direction toward her center : spine .)of her left side back , some degree of left shoulder blade rotation . Her posture and poise look soft, natural, girly and very graceful .
After 6 months searching ,learning, comparing, I am going to adhere to this couple's views and techniques mainly.
Great Internet ! Great top dancers ! Great friends on this website!!
ylchen

Yichen. You mentioned the ladies head and the action. It is very important that any exaggerated movement must come from the man's body position and balance .Just because the teacher , or you see on a tape, the head being used it cannot be put there just because the teacher said so.. Be aware of your partners position on the floor and work off him.Counter balance if you like Hope this makes sense.
A bit about Latin. In this the use of your arms is through your body. The arm does not go ahead of the body. If they did it would look very mechanical. Like the body is trying to fit in with the arms instead of the other way around.Hope this also makes sense.