Hello,

My partner has good techniques and classy look but lacks in forward projection and doesn't stand out well in competition crowd. We are a smaller couple which also doesn't help. He has an introvert personality and tends to dance within himself rather than dancing through his partner. What can he do to produce "confident look" and increase his forward projection?

Thank you.

There are coaches that work with presentation of couples. At least he has good technique. However, sometimes it's hard to change ones basic personality.

Anonymous. Don't be put of by the lack of inches. I doubt if you are smaller than the current Amatuer Ballroom winners at Blackpool. And take a look at the third placed Pro Latin.

The issue is not personality--rather, the acceptance of the fact that competitive dancing REQUIRES good presentation, and the recognition that your training should focus on this subject as much as movement technique.

Presntation is easy--you just need to acquire the tools and be comfortable with it.
One way to do this is to connect with the audience through eye contact and smiling when appropriate.
Make your dancing look EXCITING rather than looking EXCITED.

About your second concern.
Being short in stature requires a change in strategy in how you put your routines together.

You need to incorporate more spins in the Waltz, for example.
When you find yourself in a forest of tall people, to be seen, you move against the grain (if they're moving forward with Feather/Threes, you Telespin for ex.
That is to say, if they're doing progressions, do rotations and vice versa).
Look for the open floor space to showcase your work (say with line figures for ex.).






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Sometimes floor craft problems or musicality development can interfere with your presentation. How does your partner handle these?

There is one older coach (an ex judge) in our studio that says he specializes in the dramatic or the presentation side of dance. He was David Hamilton's coach in his early years. He charges about $90 per hour. I have watched some of his teaching before and after my lessons. He will dress the partners, change their hairstyle, work on expressions, a confident look, strutting and so on. The results from his students are not so amazing, in fact, some of it looks like lots of hot air and possibly some of it a waste of time to me. His personality is very stong and he is going for lots of specific details for that competition look. However, overall I'm sure that it helps them. Personally his style and personality would be a good fit for me.

As someone else said, projecting/presentation is something that has to be learned. We are social dancers and the big difference I noticed between serious social dancers and dancers who compete or do showcases. The competitors are much better at presentation/projection.

Your teachers should help him with that.
Even extraverts do not naturally have good projection/presentation. They just might be a bit more comfortable at working on it.