Anybody care to comment on what "keeping your body, position, or posture, positive?"

I keep hearing about it, but no one seems to have a satisfactory explanation.

Just as a starter to this question . In the International Style of Modern Ballroom Dancing now refered to as Standard, it is of the most importance that your top line as man is clearly understood. Some teach that you have three blocks of wood from just below the ribs down to the lowest part of your pelvis. Those block must always remain one on top of the other and must not move out of place. Also try having someone stand behind you with their hands on your shoulder. Now roll your shoulders backwards and down, keep them there without any tension. You will probably look and feel taller. Years ago the position between the man and lady was front on, now it is right side to right side. For this you will need a good instructor, or a video. Dance Vision 4 Richard Gleave has in it enough to keep you interested. One last thing , your head. When in dance hold you should not be able to see your partner even out of the corner of your eye, Nor she you. Happy dancing

very interesting. i did not know that you should not be able to see your partner. i usually can see my partner out of the corner of my eye. i will have to try that next time we are together. i would think that woukld be harder for the man to do because his alignment is straight. so i am guessing that it is all up to the lady to be out of view???

Not being able to see your partner Does this also hold true for the lady?

Yes, neither of you should be able to see each other if your heads are in the correct position. You will of course see each other on a promenade movement but don't look into the ladies ear. Men will have no difficulty with a reverse movement, but it all goes wrong on a Natural. Look at others dancing. Nice set up going into the Natural movement. But where is the mans head at the time the feet come together. Is it looking straight down the floor or has he maintained his head position. One of my former teachers taught that the man should see the back of his left hand. I can assure you that you will not see your partner with your head this position. Question. Which is your biggest side, which has the most space between you and your partner. Is it your left or your right looking at it from the man's position. Which must take us back to the correct setup and the tilted head position of the lady which needs to be a curve from way down at the foot level, straight up through the spine, it has been called a bannana shape with a curve to the left and very slightly back. One curve without the other is not the way to go. If it kept going it will be on a curve all the way to the ceiling. All this information is available on videos. But unfortunately not always on the one video. Best of luck.

This is a vary interesting discussion.
I'm a man and have had considerable problems with my arms and shoulders. I have found it VERY difficult to keep my shoulders down and relaxed at all times, especially if i keep my left elbow back -more in line with my back than my front. I can keep my shoulders back and down, but there is a sense of tension in my neck if i do this.
I have found that looking up at the ceiling in an exaggerated way helps me. Try this - it's harder to shrug your shoulders if you're looking up, than if you're looking down. It is for me anyway!!
Also, the upper body is supposed to be very 'quiet'.. i.e. the shape should be largely unchanged if in closed position, even though you're executing some fancy footwork or turning. I find this difficult - but i'm getting there!
The frustration is that the 'look' is ultimately all that counts. To some it seems to come naturally - lucky blighters!!

Something else to think about. The ladies left arm should be where ?. It must depend on the length of the arm in relation to the man. The book says the fingers of the ladies left hand should be grouped neatly on the mans right arm between the elbow and the shoulder. I've seen some, who have had to make contact on the outside of the mans upper arm and win major competitions. In my humble opinion the first priority is the body conection, right side to right side. Then find a comfortable position for the arm. As the great Len Scrivener wrote. If it doesn't feel comfortable then it is probably wrong.

I agree quickstep. I was taught to place my left hand right on where the mans shoulder becomes his arm (though that isn't the best description.) But I have met a couple that are very good smooth dancers and they have a HUGE height difference! The man is atleast a foot or so taller than the woman. And because of this the woman puts here hand on the back of his arm by his shoulder blade, his actual shoulder is so far up that it feels uncomfortable for her. Yet no coach of theirs has ever said that it is wrong. I think it just depends on the people.

Thank you all for the informative replies.

Quickstep, your comment about "pulling" the shoulders back was very helpful.

I should have added before that in the past the mans right hand was wrapped around the lay, about just below the shoulder blade. Todays dancer, it wouldn't matter if his hand was cut off.It is now just a decoration. The contact point between the man and lady on this side is the mans wrist under the ladies armpit. The lady with her shape to the left should put some weight onto the mans wrist. This is one off the major contact points and can influence the position of the ladies left arm. What a lot of writting just to say the hand and arm are much different today than they were yesterday. But having said all of this it doesn't mean that the male can lift the lady into an uncomfortable position ,which of course brings us to another discusion and that is what is the ideal heigh in a partnership. In other words there might have to be a compromise here and not just right wrist to armpit, here we go hang on.
Who can tell me how many contact points there should be ?