Ideal Height Difference in Standard

I'm 6' 2" and my wife is 5'6 1/2" ish - many people say we are well matched height-wise. Her pro partner may be a little taller than I am and when people compliment them I can see what they are talking about (I'm his stunt double ;) after all).
 
Actually reb, I think your wife's pro partner may be an inch shorter than you...but what's an inch or two, and heck I LOOK 5'6"...are you auditioning smooth partners? LOL
 
uh oh. Cat fight about to break out between fasc and latingal over who gets to be Reb's smooth partner.... Where's a mod when you need one??!!??
 
lovey, she is in the wrong weight class to venture into the arena...but alas, she does have proximity on me...dangit
 
I think the skill level also matters. I am same height as my teacher's pro partner, so we both have to deal with the same 10" difference. But she's obviously a much better dancer than I am, so it affects her less.
 
tanya_the_dancer said:
I think the skill level also matters.
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I agree. I am 5' 7", closer to 5' 9" in my dance shoes. I regularly dance with 2 guys who are 6' 4". They're both good enough dancers that I don't have any problem even though they're 9" taller than me.

Last year, my partner was my height but had shorter legs than I do (I'm a leggy lady). I think that matters as much as height.
 
Ecclesiastes3_4 said:
I agree. I am 5' 7", closer to 5' 9" in my dance shoes. I regularly dance with 2 guys who are 6' 4". They're both good enough dancers that I don't have any problem even though they're 9" taller than me.

Last year, my partner was my height but had shorter legs than I do (I'm a leggy lady). I think that matters as much as height.
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I'm 5'4", 5'6" 1/2 with heels. So 99% of guys are taller than I am. I found that with a good leader, the height difference doesn't matter as much, although both need to make some adjustments for it. If a guy is not so good, but shorter (like 5'8"-5'9"), it's OK, but if a guy is tall and not so good, it's like a double whammy.
 
I'm 5'4", 5'7" in my heels and while the height difference between Rhythm Pro and NP doesn't seem to matter as much with Latin, between Smooth Pro and NP, where there's less of a height difference between them? HUGE difference dancing Smooth. I feel much less under NP's feet (he's a shade over 6'.) I haven't danced much Smooth or Standard with him (we're doing a showcase Saturday and then Ohio, so there's not really time for anything else) but what little I have just works better.
 
Given our height difference, my DH and I really lucked out in our body types. Without shoes, I'm 5'3" and he's just over 6'. Happily, I have very long legs for my height, and he has a very long torso, so in dance shoes our hips are right about level. It's not optimal, but at least we can move together easily. If our proportions were opposite, I don't know if we could dance standard together. And would he really have been worth marrying if I couldn't dance standard with him? (Kidding! Kidding!)
 
I don't think is so much about height. Like anything, if you practice at it and work on it, I'm sure that something will click and it will feel comfortable... Unless there is a foot difference.

I am one of the shortest people on our team and finding a partner was hard when I lost my first partner. Many of our guys are closer to the 6' range when I am only about 5'1 with no shoes and 5'4 in heals. A lot of the problems that came up weren't about leg length at all. It was more about the guy lowering correctly (ie not hunching over or lowering too much into the knees) and me not stretching enough into my frame.

Currently I dance with my boyfriend and we still struggle a bit with the height difference, even though he is the best fit I've as a partner. Our biggest issue right now is that I still look like I'm peaking over his shoulder.... :eyebrow: Though it's getting better with each comp :)
 
I don't compete in Standard now but, I train in Standard with a top teacher/coach and he is just a tiny bit taller then me when I am in 2" heels. I am 5'6 1/2 and I think he is probably 5'9" or 5'10" Our leg lengths almost match which means that I can truly feel exactly when he is bending his knee to move and the leg compression gets me ready at almost the same time.

My Smooth competition pro is 5'11" and I found dance position harder to maintain in Standard with him.
 
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