Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 6/16/2010

Question
Hi Diane,

I'd like to better demonstrate and teach ladies advanced ballroom waltz head position and have had ballroom coaches use ballet terms to teach this.
Are there any sources, youtube, online articles that would give clear information on exercises/developing the head positions, in accordance with good spinal posture and balance? Even some good dance terms to research would be helpful, since i don't speak much ballet.

Thanks,

Brett

Answer
http://www.thedancestoreonline.com/ballroom-dance-instruction/ballroom-basics.ht...  is one place you can look....

http://www.eijkhout.net/rad/data/dance_holds.html  is a long treatise you can go through

http://www.we-sale.com/edward/dancing/stepLists.asp   a site with video clips

As you can probably tell, I am not an expert on ballroom dancing. In ballet, we either turn or incline the head, or turn/incline... I cannot think of a ballet term that would be used in ballroom - but then I don't know ballroom.

In ballet we teach that the neck is always as relaxed as possible - not straightened, a mis-perception, but always retaining the natural curve. Ballroom has its own stylization...

I would go to youtube and watch all the ballroom dance videos - maybe you'll what you're looking for.

All the best, Dianne