I just started taking ballroom lessons after a 2 year absence. I have been told Ineed to work on my posture. I tend to lean inward and my right shoulder seems to creep inward alot. My lady instructer sometimes even pushes on my right shoulder to get it back and down. My problem is that when I lower my right shoulder it is hard to keep my right elbos up! any exercise or drills I can do to help with this problem?
thanks, Billman

Billman. You need to run the ruler over your idea of posture.Your right arm the elbow will be level with the front of your rib cage, not behind. The elbow will be slightly lower than your shoulder. Your hand on the lady will be lower than your elbow. A way of finding this position is. Fold your hands across your chest, at the same height as your shoulders palms in to your chest, elbows level with each other forming a straight line from elbow to elbow. Look to see that both elbows are in front of the rib cage. Don't push your chest out, this will cause a big front and a small back. From there simply open your arms. The ladies armpit should be on your wrist. The rest of your hand is just a decoration. The connection between you and your partners body is right side to right side. Very slight adjustments might have to be made if the lady is taller than yourself Happy Dancing

Thank you Billman as I was just about to ask the same question :)
And thank you Don for the answer.

I am having the same trouble with my right shoulder creeping up.
One of my instructors suggested standing with my back against a wall (to prevent the big front small back Don mentioned) arms extended to my side as if I was being crucified. From there move lower arms to their correct position and take a few slow steps forward to hold posture. It really does help while at the dance school, but at home I found I had a serious lack of free wall-space.
Therefor I am very thankfull for Don's suggestion which seems to be possible with less space or even without a wall.

Stavros.The lady also has a certain way of taking up position. If you can get a copy of an IDSF or Professional competition take note how the lady raises her left arm above the head comes in and places her left armpit on the mans wrist and graduly lowers onto the mans upper arm. See if you can see how far around the man's upper arm the ladies left hand goes untill it finds its final position. Body. Right side to right side is important. With the lady more to the man's right side the ladies right arm is much straighter than it used to be a few years ago. That also goes for the man's left palm being, not as it used to be a few years ago.
Man's left arm. The palm is facing flat from left to right. The ladies right palm is flat on the man's. No gap.
Any turning of the hand anti-clock by the man even slightly is out. Unforunately many professionals don't think it is neccesary to keep up with the latest trends. I see reported on this site how there is to be a Coaching Congress in Japan 27 Feb 2006. I would expect a deligate to attend this one and then report back with any new information or trends to be passed on. Will it happen. Keep Dancing

"Unforunately many professionals don't think it is neccesary to keep up with the latest trends"

Seeing as how these fads are being pushed by people barely 20 years old, I'm glad if some of the older coaches are averaging the changes over a longer period of time.

Suomynona. Seeing how these fads are being pushed by people barely 20 year
I will have to disagree with that, mainly because, who do you think are teaching these people.There would not be one in the top twelve who is not having lessons with the top coaches in the world at this present time. Incidently most of the males are nearer 30 than 20 years old. The top Amateur for one is 30 years old. If you don't think the standard of their dancing is not top class. I would point out that Riccardo Cocci and Joanne Wilkinson as Amateure Latin came first in Australia in December. Did another comp. in China where they again got first place. Four weeks later came 3rd in the Professional Latin at the UK Championship in February at Brighton. Merko Gozzoli and Alessia Betti Modern turned Professional at the end of 2003 and went straight to the top getting 4th in Blackpool then 2nd a year later and are now the undisputed Professional champions. The next one to leave the Amateur ranks will be Soale and Cerasoli . Watch how they will go considering they used to give Mirko a run for his money.

Thanks for the tips! I will try to use them.



billman

Hi Billman
i had exactly your problem for many years, much to the frustration of our coach. I think i've solved it now (or nearly so at least)
I didn't find any 'static' exercises of any use whatever. I had to dance simple, basic steps and think ONLY of my right shoulder.
Also, and what turned out to be very useful for me, i kept my head high and kept my rib cage well separated from my hips. I found that in this position, it was in fact hard to bring my right shoulder up.
Raising the right shoulder is simply a habit - there is no technical reason for it unless you are trying to pull your partner around with your right arm!
Check out the following - - when you dress and pull on your trousers, do you hunch up your shoulders? I used to, and it was only habit. I worked on that too. It all helps

What I see many times even with people who have danced for time. That is that the right elbow drops slightly.If this happens you will have a small right side with your normal left side. From a distance it looks very one sided and doesn't gives the lady the support that she needs needs. Elbows level with each other is to be noted. Some might say my partner is pushing down. The fact is the lower the elbow goes the more the lady will be looking for support. If you strike a lady who does bear down, Lift your arm higher. She won't be able to push down unless she stands on a pair of steps.

This is a really hard one that lots of guys have trouble with. The trick really is to keep the shoulder down and back while the elbow is high.

I think the main trouble is that guys pick up their arm using upper arm and shoulder muscles. The main muscles working should be pulling down in the back. Also rotating the forearm (in the direction of facing the plam slightly upwards) should help. Remeber that the connection with the lady's back should be up and out not squeezing in to keep the lady to you.

I am an open amateur dancer and I find these are the things that make a big difference.