Ballroom Posture

[Ballroomlover]

Hi everyone in the forum,
I am new to ballroom dancing but I just love it. However, my dancing posture is very bad. I understand that there is some kind of a "clutch" whereby it helps to hold your hand position.

Does anyone know the actual name of this "clutch" and where can I get it ?

Thanks.

[Sagitta]

Welcome to the forums Ballroomlover. You definitely have come to the right place, I hope! It seems everyone else is in bed and unfortunately, even though I know a little ballroom, I've never heard of this "clutch" of yours. (Great thing about this place...you learn something new every day!!) If you provide more details of the issues that you have I am sure I and others could help you without this "clutch", though! What exactly about dance posture bothers you? What dance is this a problem? (The partnership frame does differ depending on what dance you do. Or it differs for me anyway.) Are you dancing socially or want to learn the competition style?

Again, welcome aboard! We are happy to have you with us. :D I hope to see a lot more of you in our forums! :)

[Vince A]

Welcome Ballroomlover . . .

Here ya' go . . .
Remember the days when you first learned how to drive a manual transmission automobile? If you were like me, it probably took you a long time to be able to start the car smoothly. But eventually we all learned how to ease in to gear by letting out the clutch gradually.
The beginning of a dance poses a similar problem. Many men don't give their partner any clues that they are about to begin, and by the time they actually start moving their partner feels a sudden jerk. Dancers call this "popping the clutch".

To prevent such bad starts, become familiar with the principle of leaning. A lean prevents you from "popping the clutch" and getting off to a rough start. By preceding all movement with a lean, you decrease the potential for false anticipation by your partner and build her confidence in your ability to lead. Ladies, by tapping into the man’s lean, you will be able to correctly anticipate the direction he wishes to go. The amount of lean directly corresponds to how large or how small the step will be. If the man leans a lot, get ready to take a big step. If it’s a small amount of lean, take a shorter step. Pretty simple!

[Sagitta]

Thanks Vince!! I like that analogy! :) Unfortunately more and more people nowadays want/use automatics so it probably isn't an expression that I can use often. :(

[Vince A]

Thanks Vince!! I like that analogy! :) Unfortunately more and more people nowadays want/use automatics so it probably isn't an expression that I can use often. :(
True, but remeber that really good performance cars are manual shifters, next would be the"paddle shifters," but we can't spank our followers to start - - although some may like that!

[emanuela]

Thanks Vince!! I like that analogy! :) Unfortunately more and more people nowadays want/use automatics so it probably isn't an expression that I can use often. :(
True, but remeber that really good performance cars are manual shifters, next would be the"paddle shifters," but we can't spank our followers to start - - although some may like that!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Laura]

I wonder if Ballroomlover means "crutch," and is thinking of the device that the guy in "Shall We Dance?" wore when he was practicing?

[standardgirl]

Are we talking about the "dance frame?" I think that's what it's called. I have seen them before, but I have never tried them.

[macha]

One tried-and-true method:

Practice :D

[Dancing4Life]

Could be the dance frame - the one advertised by Alan and Anik... Several sites sell them - www.dancescape.com and www.showtimedanceshows.com are two that come to mind. Price is around $ 100 - plus or minus $ 25 (I think)...

I would ask your teacher though if you should buy one of those contraptions - at the very-very beginning I used to walk around with a broom stick (across my back, hooked my arms (elbows) behind and pulled forward) or even danced with a chair that I was holding in front of me.

Have to agree though, practicing in the right position with a focus on posture would help a lot too...

[Sagitta]

Yup practice is the way to go. :wink: :)

[Twilight_Elena]

My teacher gives me small exercises to do that help my frame, maybe you should ask your teacher to give you some. I practice them anytime, anywhere (even at school!)

Twilight Elena

[pygmalion]

What kind of exercises? 8) Anything you care to share?