Candace: I agree with your instructor. Although I dont think it is necessary to leave the arm "out there" all the time. Styling is what we are talking about here and it sets you apart from the other dancers as well as makes the statement that you are dancing with all your body all the way out to your finger tips. "Usually", there are parts of songs where you can stylize with your arm to accent the tempo, mood,story or whatever the song is doing. It is much easier to do that when you are already doing something with your arms rather than have them at your side and then begin to stylize.Owen