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Every Man’s Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing

CHAPTER 15

Styling

A degenerated  and demoralizing musical system is given a disgusting christening as 'swing' and turned loose to gnaw away the moral fiber of young people... Jam sessions, jitterbugs and cannibalistic rhythmic orgies are wooing our youth along the primrose path to Hell!

The Archbishop of Dublique, 1938

Styling adds coolness to your dance. I’m always on the lookout to steal a good styling move.

Styling is the thing you add that gives the look, feel and essence to a dance. Styling generally refers to the dance style, something common to that dance that all dancers do. But there’s also personal style, the creative influence only you do that changes the look and feel of a dance.

Styling, both dance and personal, spans a broad range: footwork, hand positioning, posture and frame, body lines, body isolations, body shaping, patterns, syncopations, improvisation, the energy exuded, eye contact, facial expression, a rock or a sway or a bounce, the grace or charm, and sex appeal. It could be anything that makes the dance look different—or like you own it. You can pick up dance styling tips in classes that focus on step patterns but occasionally it’s possible to find dedicated styling classes for more popular dances. Of course, you can also learn styling by watching other dancers. Where’s that Fred Astaire DVD?

Advanced Info Alert For fun, let’s look at a specific styling choice, the free hand, which is a hand (or hands) that’s not connected to your partner. It’s a hand that floats free. For example, if your were executing an under arm turn, for the several beats it takes to turn your partner, your right hand would be free (your left hand is turning her). I pick on the free hand as it’s easy to see, easy to adjust, it contributes a lot to making nice body lines and it can add both personal and dance style to a move. Also, I pick on the free hand because a free hand that’s lifeless and dead screams “beginner” at me.

Try This: Style the free hand. As discussed in the Adanced Info Alert above, watch the dance floor for free hands. What do most people do with their free hands? Do they extend it to create nice lines? Do they exude energy? Do their hands contribute to the dance style? Look at the detail: Is the palm up or down and are the fingers open or closed? Watch an old Fred Astaire movie—what does he do with his free hand? As you dance, be conscious of what you do with your free hand; if it’s “dead”—if it’s hanging down by your side, lifeless—try keeping it above your waist as if it were floating on top of waist-deep water (see also the discussion of frame in Chapter 10). Give your free hand energy and attitude. Watch the dance floor, pick someone you like and mimic something cool they do with their free hand.

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