The document describes various dance positions used in ballroom dancing. It explains 12 different positions including closed position, promenade position, shine position, two hands joined, one hand joined, inside hands joined, parallel left and right positions, and sweetheart position. For each position, it provides details on how the partners should stand and hold each other. The closed position in particular involves four points of contact between partners with their hands clasped at shoulder level.
23. Dance Position
1. Partners stand side by side – inside hands joined, free
hands on waist or girls free hand holding skirt and that or
boy is placed on waist
2. Partners stand side by side- hooking or linking inside
elbows facing same direction or opposite direction
3. Partners face each other- shoulder to shoulder hold, waist
to waist hold, waist and shoulders hold, both hand joined
and stretched sideward at shoulder level or crossed-arm
position.
4. Partners stand in back-to-back position
24. 5. Partners stand apart from each other- facing
each other, facing front, facing rear or facing
opposite direction.
6.close ballroom position
7.openballroom posotion
8. Versovienne position
9. Promenade or skating position
25. Shine Position
The shine position is used whenever you are facing a
partner but not touching hands. It is called shine because each
partner has more freedom to express him- or herself when apart
and not touching. Another interpretation of the shine position is
that a spotlight is shining on your chest and you are in the
spotlight to present your moves with flair. The shine position is
typically used in the cha-cha and the salsa/mambo.
26. Two Hands Joined
the partners face each other at a comfortable distance apart. The
leader opens his palms for the follower to put her hands into them with
the palms down. The leader then gently grasps the follower’s hands.
Avoid gripping too tightly. A modification of this two-hands-joined
position is used in the cha-cha. Specifically, the leader separates his
thumb from his fingers with his palms down (as if wearing a hand
puppet), extends his elbows out from his sides slightly and grasps the
follower’s hands on each side with his thumbs under her palms.
27. One Hand Joined
Start with two hands joined, then release one hand .
Typically, this position is used for leading either sideways or
rotational moves. For example, the leader’s left hand may be
brought across his midline toward his right side, or conversely,
the leader’s right hand may be brought across his midline
toward his left side.
28. Inside Hands Joined
This position is most often used in the polka. Stand side by
side with your partner; the leader is on the left side. The leader
extends his right hand, palm up, toward his partner. The follower
follower places her left hand, palm down, in his hand. Another
characteristic of the polka is for each partner to place the
outside hands on the hips.
29. Promenade, or Semiopen
This position is a modified closed position with outside
shoulders angled toward the joined hands. To get into the
semiopen position, keep your frame firm as both partners rotate
the lower half of their body to face their extended hands. Both
partners look toward the extended hands.
In the swing, the joined-hand position changes slightly such
that the hands are lower and the leader rotates the fingers of his
left hand clockwise approximately 90 degrees to have his thumb
on top before grasping his partner’s fingers.
30. Sweetheart
This position is used in the polka and the cha-cha. Other
names for this position include cape and varsovienne. It starts
with a right-to-right hand grasp. The leader then brings his right
hand to his right side to guide the follower in front and to his
right side. The follower’s palms are facing out and placed at
approximately shoulder height. The leader’s fingers gently
connect with the follower’s fingers. The follower stands
approximately a half step in front of the leader.
31. Parallel Left and Parallel Right
The two parallel positions are based on the leader’s
position. Start in a closed position, then modify it by bringing
the follower to one side of the leader. For a right parallel
position, bring the follower to the leader’s right side. The
leader’s right shoulder is next to the follower’s right shoulder.
For a left parallel position, the follower stands outside the
leader’s left side with left shoulders closer together and parallel.
32. Closed
The closed position is a very regal position reflecting the origin
of ballroom dancing in the royal courts of Europe when soldiers
wore swords on the left hip. Thus, the follower is positioned
more on the leader’s right side so as to keep the sword out of
the way. An offset position also keeps the leader from stepping
on the follower’s toes and from stepping around the follower
with his feet too widely spaced. In social dancing and within the
American styling, the closed position, or closed hold, consists of
at least four points of contact between partners:
33. The leader’s right hand is placed on the follower’s left shoulder
blade; the follower’s left arm is gently placed on top of the
leader’s right arm; the follower’s left elbow is resting on, or
slightly touching, the leader’s right elbow; the leader’s left hand
is extended with palm up for the follower to place her right
hand with palm down. The clasped hands are held
approximately level with the follower’s shoulders when in closed
position.
