I have been dancing for just over a year and competed bronze 1 and 2 standard this past weekend (Feb 26-28) at the Indiana Challenge. My understanding is that the partners must have constant body contact while in dance position in smooth and standard. At the comp, I noticed one instructor that did not have body contact with any of his students at any level. He also competed gold level pro and did not have contact with his partner. I noticed a few other couples at various levels doing the same thing. Not just losing the connection, but consistantly not making body contact throughout the dance. The particular teacher I mention and his pro am partner won several dances dancing this way. Is this okay? Is there some flexiblilty? Are there different syllabi? Is this up to the teachers discretion? Are my instructors teaching me wrong? How important is this? I'm confused.

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"I have been dancing for just over a year and competed bronze 1 and 2 standard this past weekend (Feb 26-28) at the Indiana Challenge. My understanding is that the partners must have constant body contact while in dance position in smooth and standard. At the comp, I noticed one instructor that did not have body contact with any of his students at any level. He also competed gold level pro and did not have contact with his partner. I noticed a few other couples at various levels doing the same thing. Not just losing the connection, but consistantly not making body contact throughout the dance. The particular teacher I mention and his pro am partner won several dances dancing this way. Is this okay? Is there some flexiblilty? Are there different syllabi? Is this up to the teachers discretion? Are my instructors teaching me wrong? How important is this? I'm confused."

It is not a requirement, though there are many ignorant people who will try to convince you that it is.

What is a requirement is that the partners closely coordinate, and they will of course try to produce a pleasing shape together. Often that level of coordination means their bodies are touching at least some of the time, but that's not necessarily true early in the many-years process of learning.

Very often teachers who insist on contact introduce various bad habits in their students in order to achieve it even when there are problems in the coordination between the partners or how they stand over their feet. Insightful judges can see through the shape created and notice the ill-advised shortcuts being used to get it, so they may well prefer the student who is exhibiting better skills, even if she looks less showy.

Thank You for that information. I am also wondering if a partner that is a full foot taller than his very petite partner can sometimes create a poor topline or a poor partner match. I really like my instr.....but I feel like he pulls my left shoulder up..........he tells me to keep them down....but I just saw pictures and his arm is so high on me that it appears lifts my left shoulder up and I look as if my shoulder is in my ear! It is very possibly me but I think it might be me. How can i tell? I don't think he will believe it is hime. I'm not trying to find fault with an instructor that I respect and like, and I need to accept responsibilty for my mistakes.....but it looks like he is pulling it up......

I'll tell you what my instructor told me and I think he is correct. Your left arm should create a pleasing line by having your shoulder in proper frame and your arm extending in an almost flat topline. It will have just the slightest slope up from the elbow to his shoulder but your shoulder should really create a flat line (basically) to your elbow.

When I dance with my instructor I am the one who has to lower (approx. 3") since we are the same heighth. He has to lower himself to dance with most of the rest of his students who are 12-18" shorter than he is. I imagine your instructor could train himself to dance this way...

"Thank You for that information. I am also wondering if a partner that is a full foot taller than his very petite partner can sometimes create a poor topline or a poor partner match."

Yes, but the issue becomes more serious later on. In the first few years you should be trying to learn good personal dance habits for dancing your own body. Appearance is still valued, but ideally the dancing comes first, and you can work on that a lot even with a teacher who is not the ideal size - provided that the teacher is willing to teach you dancing rather than just performance.

That's the real question, and one that we can't help you with because we don't know your teacher.

5lisamarie. Why go any further than to
look at Jonathan and partner on Learn The Dances. That is body contact as it is supposed to be. Look carefully from top to bottom and see what part of the body is in contact with partner in normal hold and then see what is the difference when in Promenade

"5lisamarie. Why go any further than to
look at Jonathan and partner on Learn The Dances. That is body contact as it is supposed to be. Look carefully from top to bottom and see what part of the body is in contact with partner in normal hold and then see what is the difference when in Promenade"

This is an example of only one of several different schools of thought on body contact. Each method has it's own advantages and costs.

And each may be more or less appropriate for a partnership at different levels of development, and with a different height match.

It is interesting that the IDTA Technique says nothing at all about body contact in hold.

The rule is that there isn't a rule.

Telemark. " IDTA Technique says nothing about body contact ". You are correct. There are instructions in most of the books which cover where the arms should be but no mention of body contact. A friend of mine has several older books which most have probably never heard of. Again , no mention of where the bodies touch.
But. In a seminar given by Andrew Sinkinson only two weeks ago . He said in no mincing of words. The contact is tit to tit. I would have said nipple to nipple. On the Dancesport Uk site , if you know how to find it. It does say the Right side of the man and the Right side of ladies chest are in contact.
I look at it this way. If the man and the lady place the palms of the hand together. And the man moves his palm in any direction. The ladies palm will stay in contact. This will happen if we follow Andrew's advice at the chest level.
A simple look at the video clips on this site will confirm all of the above.
I take it for granted that we know who Andrew Sinkinson is. And also that you know how to click on Learn The Dances.

Yes, I know.

Actually, Howard DOES mention body contact once: in connection with the definition of PP. Given the fundamental importance of the hold, the omission is rather strange, but then the 2007 edition of the Technique would have us believe that the sway on a Chasse from PP is "1, 2 & 3". Er, no.



Yes, I do. Thank you.