How to practice to obtain a nice 'waltz' curve ?

[dancingirldancing]

I found that even though I know what I am supposed to do, it can be a bit hard to keep my weight 'on my feet' during the dance especially if I am dancing with a gentleman that has less than perfect frame.

How do I practice to make sure I don' lean forward or backwards during standard dances (of course not only waltz) ?


How do I enhance my 'curve' ?

Is there any practices (like stretches etc) I can do to help me achieve this ?

Thanks a lot for the answer !

[madmaximus]

A woman has many curves...

Which one do you wish us to speak of?





m

[WaltzElf]

I found that even though I know what I am supposed to do, it can be a bit hard to keep my weight 'on my feet' during the dance especially if I am dancing with a gentleman that has less than perfect frame.

How do I practice to make sure I don' lean forward or backwards during standard dances (of course not only waltz) ?


How do I enhance my 'curve' ?

Is there any practices (like stretches etc) I can do to help me achieve this ?

Thanks a lot for the answer !



The stronger the core the easier it will be for you to hold yourself in place if the man is doing something wrong. Lots of stomach crunches.

Other than that concentrate on giving the man the strongest and steadiest center point you can, don't try and "curve" yourself, and you should find things relatively comfortable.

(If you've got a weak male dancer, then you're never going to have the beautiful curve that we see top dancers form, as the lady relies on the man to help her get that curve as much as she does it herself. Unless you've got a very good leader, just concentrate on standing upright).

[DanceMentor]

I would not recommend trying to create too much of a shape with a gentleman that is not maintaining frame and posture. Not to say you shouldn't do it some, but don't get too carried away with this.

[elisedance]

I agree with DM - guage your frame to the man - indeed guage everything to him. Any attempt to outdance the lead only results in a failure to communicate. Its the same for the leads - they have to adjust to the training of the follows too.

[Nik]

not 100% on the ladies standard stuff but I was under the impression that the ladies curve comes more from rotation around a set spine rather than trying to curve your body to shape.

[waltzguy]

How do I practice to make sure I don' lean forward or backwards during standard dances (of course not only waltz) ?


Is the man losing balance and causing you to lean forwards or backwards? That's a very different problem to fix versus if you had the leaning problem yourself.

[dancingirldancing]

I mean, it is hard for me to keep it up myself but if the gentleman is good then it makes matter much easier however if the gentleman is not so good the I am really unable to 'balance' him out to at least create a decent look.

[DanceMentor]

I mean, it is hard for me to keep it up myself but if the gentleman is good then it makes matter much easier however if the gentleman is not so good the I am really unable to 'balance' him out to at least create a decent look.

Don't give up on him, but hopefully find someone that can help him. Sometimes these things can be fixed relatively quickly.

[wooh]

I mean, it is hard for me to keep it up myself but if the gentleman is good then it makes matter much easier however if the gentleman is not so good the I am really unable to 'balance' him out to at least create a decent look.

And if the girl is good, then it's easier for the guy to be good and at least create a decent look. For every fault he has, I'm betting you've got one too. Concentrate on what you can do, in spite (and sometimes because) of what your partner does.

The new brilliant quote I'm stealing from one of our more brilliant DFers (I think she credits Benny Tolmeyer for it) that I'm trying really hard to keep in mind lately:
1) Don't expect anything from your partner. If you get anything, take it as a bonus.

2) Don't wait for your partner to be perfect, as it may ….or may never happen.

3) If you feel your partner you are not focused on the only person you can change; namely yourself.

[dancingirldancing]

If you read my original post, I am clearly not thinking that I am without fault hence I am asking what I can do to improve myself.

[WaltzElf]

If you read my original post, I am clearly not thinking that I am without fault hence I am asking what I can do to improve myself.


You can't. You need a man with a good frame and strong centre projection to get the kind of curve and balance you're looking for.

If you try and create the curve yourself, the most likely result is that you'll pull your centre away from the man, put additional weight in his right arm, and dragging his left in all kinds of funny directions. Essentially, you'll make his frame even worse.

The curve is created from stretching up and "into" the man's centre. If he can't handle that you can't create it yourself.

[and123]

Perhaps she's asking how to stretch? Yes, the lady will adjust to the man, but she also should be able to create a reasonable facsimile of the stretch without one. I think I remember a description of this online somewhere. If I can find it, I'll post it.

[waltzguy]

cool quotes, wooh

[WaltzElf]

Perhaps she's asking how to stretch? Yes, the lady will adjust to the man, but she also should be able to create a reasonable facsimile of the stretch without one. I think I remember a description of this online somewhere. If I can find it, I'll post it.


The stretch comes from projecting from the lower rib cage "up" and "into" the man's ribcage, while keeping the area below the top of the abs away from the man - you can do that yourself by imagining there's a man there :p If you're dancing with a man that won't respond properly, and won't create a proper frame, you're not going to get the curve you're looking for though.

[and123]

Definitely agree with you there. Looks pretty ridiculous too, creating a nice shape yourself and the man is slouching and shuffling along....

[waltzguy]

If you read my original post, I am clearly not thinking that I am without fault hence I am asking what I can do to improve myself.

I think one basic way to improve yourself is to practice forwards and backwards walks.

[Joe]

You should be able to create a nice shape (presumably you're talking about something like the first half of a natural turn) no matter how imperfect the gent's frame is, except if he's grabbing and squeezing you tight--you won't have freedom. If he's dropping his arms, however, it doesn't matter--the shape doesn't come from the arms. You should still be able to shape with your arms down.

[skipper]

If you read my original post, I am clearly not thinking that I am without fault hence I am asking what I can do to improve myself. I work on my own flexibiliy. Yoga, gyrotonics and most important of all--baby cobras every day.

[Josh]

You can't. You need a man with a good frame and strong centre projection to get the kind of curve and balance you're looking for.

If you try and create the curve yourself, the most likely result is that you'll pull your centre away from the man, put additional weight in his right arm, and dragging his left in all kinds of funny directions. Essentially, you'll make his frame even worse.

The curve is created from stretching up and "into" the man's centre. If he can't handle that you can't create it yourself.

Of course to a certain extent the lady's posture must be developed within the framework of a man's posture. However, to simply say "you can't" and that you "need a man with a good ..." is a bit misleading. This almost makes it sound like the lady doesn't really do a lot to create her shape, which is of course a ridulous thought, though I'm sure you didn't really mean it that way. She does a lot on her own, especially creating the proper base to create the shape on top from.

[fascination]

as I see it...most shape comes from below the waist and from the head...and the man is in charge of neither on me...nor is he in charge of my balance..though, if he isn't proficient he can disturb my balance...shape for me is about which hip is down, which side is long, what direction my head, feet and hips are in, and how much attention I pay to the use of my head and lifting it up and over my frame...meh...my 2cents

[WaltzElf]

Of course to a certain extent the lady's posture must be developed within the framework of a man's posture. However, to simply say "you can't" and that you "need a man with a good ..." is a bit misleading. This almost makes it sound like the lady doesn't really do a lot to create her shape, which is of course a ridulous thought, though I'm sure you didn't really mean it that way. She does a lot on her own, especially creating the proper base to create the shape on top from.


Yeah, I worded it badly. The lady does need to do a lot of the work herself, of course. There's only so much she can achieve without a good man to work off, though. In other words - it's up to the man to present a good frame, and the lady creates the lovely curve using that frame.

[DanceMentor]

Yeah, I worded it badly. The lady does need to do a lot of the work herself, of course. There's only so much she can achieve without a good man to work off, though. In other words - it's up to the man to present a good frame, and the lady creates the lovely curve using that frame.

You really have to look at the couple. There are a lot of men who think they are leading very well, but in reality are constantly impacting the ladies balance, as well as being incorrectly poised in many of their movements. Even top professional men still encounter this problem from time to time, and a good coach will be able to help. Even top men that understand the core principles will still fall into bad habits that must be corrected. This is one of the reasons that coaching is so important.

Ladies can do things like keep the right hip up, twist up and left starting from the foot like a strand of DNA, and keep the knees forward. She can do these do things even with a beginning man, but she can do them to a greater extreme and "live on the edge" once she has confidence the man will not have an impact on her balance or poise.

[Josh]

well said DM! Living on the edge... 8-)

[Chris Stratton]

as I see it...most shape comes from below the waist and from the head

What about your upper (not lower) back?

[fascination]

What about your upper (not lower) back?
I suppose if i was being precise I would say, i use my upper back but most to get my head to shape up and over it if that make sense...and i certainly use my back all of the time...bleh...I suppose that is clear as mud