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Chapter 1
Spine Placement and Partner Relation
Understanding of the position of the spine in relation to the self and to one’s partner is the foundation for becoming a great dancer. This chapter describes the role and importance of the spine in movement and explains how the position of the spine directly affects weight connection as well as timing between partners. Consequently this topic is the first on the list as it will have a great impact on the rest of your dancing.
Spine Placement
In the American Smooth Style, the two partners spend the majority of the dance with some distance between them (as opposed to constant body contact in the Ballroom Style). However, when a physical connection between the couple occurs, this can be sensed through what is known as a weight connection.
Weight connection: a physical attachment to the partner which produces a sensation of being related either on a push connection or a pull connection.
Note: We do not advise achieving a weight connection via distance (i.e., by moving closer or further away from each other or the physical attachment). Instead position the spine to the front or to the back of your own foot in order to create a push or pull connection.
The majority of weight connections in the American Smooth Style are on a pull connection, which allows the dancer to achieve fuller volume (in movements, shape, space, etc.) and facilitates efficient movement of body weights. In certain circumstances, push connections may be more appropriate (Please refer to Exercise II.) The exercises below are designed to help you better understand and feel where your spine is in relation to your foot/feet.
Exercise I
Establishing the Standing Side Through Spine Placement
1) Shift your weight on to one foot. Move your spine to the back of your foot (so that the spine is over the heel of your foot). You will notice that in order to maintain your balance (and not fall or step backwards), your arm (and possibly other body parts) that is on the same side as the foot you are standing on will be engaged and projected slightly forward to compensate for the spine’s backward movement.
2) From a neutral spine position (spine is directly in the center of your standing foot), place a stretch band around your lower back with one end of the band in each hand. As you begin to move your spine as one unit to the back of your foot, use your hands to lightly pull the stretch band forward in the opposite the direction of the spine. This will create a feeling of light resistance in your body.
3) Finally, lift the free leg off the floor, and see if you can maintain your balance for 5-10 seconds without losing balance. You now have a standing side ready to be connected to your partner. (Refer to the above image) You now have a standing side ready to be connected to your partner. (Refer to the above image) Please refer to the video in Chapter I as we demonstrate the above exercise
Exercise II
Establishing Weight Connections through Spine Placement
1) Place the spine to the back of your foot using a stretch band as outlined in Exercise I. Then, hang the stretch band over your neck as we will not need to any longer. After releasing the band, face your partner and take a physical hand to hand hold. At this moment each partner should feel a light pull within the connection (aka the common center).
2) After establishing the light pull connection, you are now ready to maneuver the weight to the middle or the front of your foot. As each partner moves their own spine from the back through the middle and to the front of the foot, you will go from experiencing a light pull connection (spine at back of the foot) to zero weight connection (spine in the middle of the foot) to an increased push connection (spine at the front of the foot).
3) After you feel comfortable with the ranges described in Step 2, move more smoothly and quickly from one extreme to another, making sure your pass through the middle (zero weight connection) before you go the opposite extreme.
Please refer to the video guide of this manual for a visual demonstration of the above exercises
Partner Relation
Now that both of your spines have been organized to move together, we are ready to discuss partner relation. In our personal experience, we found that the best way to sense and learn partner communication skills is through doing exercises like the ones outlined above and slow-motion movements rather than trying to find the perfect amount of weight or timing directly in our competitive choreography.
Partnering involves constantly making adjustments in yourself in order to adapt to changes in rhythm, choreography, or timing and direction. Great dancers can do this based on instinct, experience, as well as skill. Partnering requires both dancers to learn what keeps your partner on balance and what takes your partner off balance. The two extremes need to be known and felt by both individuals. The exercises below are designed to help you develop the skills needed to partner and to be related to your partner in time, space, weight, and energy.
Basic Exercise I
Clear Lead and Follow through Weight Connection
Initially this exercise should be done with both partners facing the mirror. An advanced version of this exercise can be done without the use of mirrors as well as having the follower close their eyes in order so that timing and weight connection can be sensed without the use of visual cues.
1) With both partners facing the mirror in shadow position, the leader will create one point of connection by placing his/her hand anywhere on the upper body of the follower.
2) In turn the follower connects to the leader’s touch via a push or pull connection which signifies where the follower’s weight is.
4) The timing of all movements should be slow and sustained. The goal of this exercise is to clearly execute movements that are led and followed without loss of balance or weight connection.
3) Once the connection is achieved, the leader begins to suggest where he/she would like to partner to move, and no particular choreography is designed.
Advanced Exercise II
Improving Leads and Follows to Music
This exercise is for a more advanced dancer or couple and requires that you understand Exercise I and have the technical skill to lead and follow. The primary goal of this exercise is to awaken the leader’s focus and to have them make decisions in real time. Also is it trains the follower to tune in mentally and physically to the leads and changes in timing and direction. We also suggest that the theme or dance is switched every 20-30 seconds so that the follower stays tuned in and does not fall into a pattern of thinking and responding.
Improvise movement with your partner to any piece of music (do not limit yourself to only ballroom music). You can move around your partner or with your partner. Also be aware that the leader and follower roles may be switched within a couple, so do not confine yourself to only leading or following, and feel free to switch roles between who leads and follows. Approach this exercise as an opportunity for you and your partner to play with movement within a piece of music. Anything goes in this boundary-free environment. In the beginning you may find it challenging to improvise, but with practice we believe the skills you develop will be solid and concrete.
Please refer to the video guide of this manual for a visual demonstration of the above exercise
Partner Relation
We are now ready to move forward and discuss partner relation since both of your spines have been organized to function together. We found the best way to sense and learn partner communication skills is only through physically doing exercises and slow motion movements rather than trying to find the perfect amount of weight or timing directly in our competitive choreography.
Partnering is a complicated subject but we will try to explain it in a simple way. To partner someone is to constantly make adjustments in yourself in order to adapt to a change in rhythm or a change in choreography or a change in timing and direction. All great dancers do this on instinct, experience and skill. Each of you must learn what keeps your partner on balance and also know what takes your partner off balance. The two extremes need to be known and felt by both individuals. Below are exercises designed in order for you to develop all the skills needed to partner and to be related to your partner in time, space, weight and energy.
Basic Exercise I
Finding communication in free for of movement
The first time a couple attempts this exercise it should be done with both partners facing the mirror. An advanced form of this exercise can be done not facing any mirrors as well as having the follower closer their eyes in order to only sense the timing and weight connection rather than reply to a visual.
A) With both partners facing the mirror in shadow position, the leading partner will create one point of connection by placing his/her hand anywhere on the upper body of the follower.
B) In turn the follower must connect to the leader via push or pull, letting the leading partner know where their weight is.
D) Timing of all movement should be slow and sustained and no particular choreography is designed. There should be no preprogrammed steps for either partners. What is important is that all movement is lead and followed without deviation or loss of balance
C) Once a connection is achieved the leading partner begins to suggest where he/she would like to partner to move.
Please refer to the video guide of this manual for a visual demonstration of the above exercises
Advanced Exercise II
Improving improvisation as well as parenting skills
The following exercise is for a more advanced dancer or couple. It requires that you understand Exercise I and have the technical skill to lead and follow. The exercise begins by choosing a piece of music that is ballroom or not ballroom. You begin to improvise with movement by starting to move around or with your partner. Consider please the idea that the man does not always lead and the lady does not always follow so you can experiment with switching the roles between who leads and follows. There are no errors or mistakes in this vacuum. Anything goes and it is basically play with two people to a piece of music. In the beginning it will be difficult and challenging to think on the spot but with time we believe the skills you develop will be solid and concrete.
Please refer to the video guide of this manual for a visual demonstration of the above exercise
Chapter 2
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