Hello everyone!

Ok. So, I'm learning Standard (Waltz specifically) and the hardest concept that I'm trying to understand and execute is elongating my kneck & spine and maintaining proper head position.

How do I "elongate" my kneck & spine? My instructor is forever correcting my head position and I'm not seeming to understand.

Can someone please explain?? I feel like I'm riding the short bus when it comes to Standard!

Are you male or female?

Buy yourself a Dance Frame, man or lady.
At the very least you will be standing up straight with your arms the correct distance apart. Every studio should have one.

Whether you are man or woman, it isn't the spine that you are elongating. It is the supporting musculature. Elongate your stomach muscles, the muscles in your back and your neck. Stretch them out, you should actually be able to visually see a change in how tall you are.

A lot of this has to do with visualization and imagery until your muscles actually understand what you are asking of them. Tell them what you want, focus on stretching them and when you are in proper frame let your body know that this is Ground Zero. You want to return to this point. When your body relaxes, or losses tension, remind it again.

When you get the proper stretch than you can start working on locking in the muscles in your back and shoulders so you can lead/follow properly.

Which muscles exactly and final position should be determined by a good coach. You can't really learn that from the web.

"How do I "elongate" my kneck & spine? My instructor is forever correcting my head position and I'm not seeming to understand."

Start standing vertically and imagine that a wire has been drilled into the top back of your head, and is lifting your entire body, lengthening your spine by somewhat straightening it. You can work on dropping the shoulders at the same time (probably with the arms loose at your sides) as this will enhance the effective length of your neck.

Then you need to transition it to dance hold. Let you arms float up without raising your shoulders. Then develop a gentle toe-to-head curve over the entire length of your body, so that overall there is a curve but over any brief area the body is essentially straight - no bends or kinks. The lady's version of this will be more pronounced than the man's but the idea is the same either way.

The lady will have two curves. One to the left side and one slightly back. One on its own is no good. Two blended is necessary See Richard Gleave Instruction tape He mentions a Banana Shape. The eyes will be offset. The man's will be horizontal