"With my contraption I can get a measurement off the screen. Joanne's arm is at an angle of 140 degrees. Which to me can be called straightish."

For point of reference angling up from the elbow at a 45 degree angle would be 135 degrees. So your "straightish" is merely five degrees beyond beyind halfway in between a right angle, and straight. That's not very strait, is it?

If you have too big an angle - not sure what that would be, but 145 might not be a bad guess for the limit, it can easily be fixed by having the man keep his hand closer to his head. Remember there is zero benefit to having the hands isolated way out there on their own.

And of course the goal is not a particular angle. Instead, it is to connect the man's left palm to the lady's right back, a connection that requires her elbow to have some non-negliable bend to it, and to have that elbow hanging slightly forward of her hand, matching the angle of her presented uppper back shape. If the hands get so far out that the elbow nears straightness, this is lost. If the palms seperate, this is lost. If the wrists break (either partner) this is lost. If the lady's elbow pulls back into a dominant position, this is lost. And so on.

Perfect function is the goal rather than perfect form, but the rules of form are good hints as to what you will need to achieve the function.

Anonymous. My little device measures the angle of the upper arm in relation to the forearm both at the same time. I can also get a measurment of the foot to the ground. The piece of machinery only costs $2 from among all the school type stuff.

One of the other Anonymous's. Agree with you there, everybody couple is different.
You mentioned centre weight. This brings up a very intesting point which has altered very much in the past few years. I know where my centre is. My partner knows where their centre is. When we dance we have a common centre. We have created another balance point which we both share.The question is . If we drew three lines down the man from head to toe and from the nose to the outside of the ribcage, . On the man which line, or in between the three lines would the lady make contact with her right side and create a common balance point. A. is the centre of the thorax. B. is over the right breast and C. is on the outside of the ribs. I am not telling I am asking. I know where I like the lady to be. What I don't like is not to be able to feel the contact of the ladies on my wrist.

Anonymous. The man's left arm is at a right angle. spaced equally between the two bodies at eye level. This is the way it has been since the year dot. It begins to look really bad if the left arm lowers and is even slightly forward. It might be worth taking a look at the angle of the left hand.
The mans right hand is just a decoration. No longer do we open or close the lady using the hand. Just as a test we had to dance with the hand straight out to prove we don't need it for leading. As long as you have a wrist and the ladies armpit is on it you'll be ok. Somebody will be thinking. How do we lead. You will pull your arm back which includes the side which will work as one unit. Into a Whisk for instance. The Tango is different.

"The mans right hand is just a decoration."

You really, really don't get it, do you?
Nothing is decortation, it is all functional. But to you, function means something unreasonably drastic:

"No longer do we open or close the lady using the hand."

No, of course not. That was never the proper function of the hand, though of course some mistakenly used it that way.

The proper function of the hand is to connect the bodies by letting you sense where your partner is. It is to feel, not to manipulate.

"Just as a test we had to dance with the hand straight out to prove we don't need it for leading."

You don't need it, but you will each have a more precise idea of where exactly the other is if you use it. So while you can manage without it, you do need it if you wish to accomplish the best you are capable of.

"As long as you have a wrist and the ladies armpit is on it you'll be ok."

And that's not part of the hand? Of course it is.

"How do we lead. You will pull your arm back which includes the side which will work as one unit."

I sure hope you don't intend to lead by pulling anything back!

Don,
I think it is a matter of feeling i would say as to where you would want your common centre to be. It would depends on the physical structure of the couple.
If you get a chance or you might have even watched it, try and get your hands on Luca's lecture videos on youtube. He speaks about a core and not centre. A very interesting concept here and it makes sense to me when i think about it.
Do a search on luca in youtube.
Like to hear your toughts on this one.

The 'common balance point' is actually a fictitious concept. It cannot exist, or you would be literally pushing and pulling each other in order to remain standing. A common balance point would mean that there is a spot on the floor, and either both people are over it, or his weight is unbalanced off it to one side and hers unbalanced to the other in a way that they counterbalance each other. Obviously both bodies cannot occupy the same space over a fraction of a footprint, so you would have to coutnerbalance. If you actually try this (maybe she could stand barefoot on his toe?) you will find that the forces between the partners are simply unreasonable.

You each have your own balance - but the progress of your balance (or imbalance at the points where that is appropriate) should be exactly coordinated with your partner's.

Anonymous. I have'nt seen Luca's DVD.I've got him on tape with his former partner at about the time he start to to make a name for himself. I've seen a rundown of his tapes which mentions Posture, Poise and so on. To use the word core as a way of discribing the central and most important part. I believe the spine means the same thing. What I have seen is a dancers poise ruined by telling he and his partner that the driving force comes from the lower stomach. So what happens is that part is pushed forward, why would n't they . That's what they are being told. I am being told that the spine is the centre , if you are balanced through having a straight spine don't twist it. CBM and CBMP can be applied without twisting the spine. We were given an excersise. Arms up to shoulder height folded across the chest elbows out. Turn your body without turning your hips. That is a twisted spine. Do it again this time the arms and the body all move keeping the arm in one position in relation to the body. That is a spine without a twist. Would anybody like to say which they think is correct. I make no claim to being an expert. I only know what I am, and am being taught and told. What I am good at is remembering what I have been told. Even from way back. Best wishes

good point... twisted or not twisted spine... I will go with the latter and thats entirely based on the lamp and table theory posted on this website under technique where the lamp is the upper body and table the lower body. To rotate the lamp we have to rotate the table ortherwise we are thrown off balance. Thanks Don.

Anonymous The table and the lamp, you will find in the Learning section. I just forget if it comes under spinning.
Some of these others will never last the 15 rounds. They'll wear out long before that. Good luck