FROM VAUGHAN
You Don't Have An Arm Problem
When we asked dancers what they wanted help with, over a hundred questions came in. A huge number were about the same thing: arms. How do I hold my frame? How do I keep it while I'm dancing?
Here's what my coach drilled into me, and what I'll tell you: you don't have an arm problem. You have a hip problem.
Your arms sit on top of your hips. When the pelvis tips or drops, the arms drop with it. No amount of holding them up will fix that. It just adds tension.
So we start lower. I think of four Ps: pelvis, posture, poise and practice.
Find a neutral pelvis, lift gently up through the centre of it, and your core engages on its own. That's your posture. From there the arms can sit light and balanced, with tone rather than tension.
One of my favourite sayings is that you can learn any Ballroom step in fifteen minutes, but it takes a lifetime to master. Posture is the clearest example of that I know.
So tell me: where do you feel tension when you dance? Shoulders, neck, arms, lower back? Hit reply. I read every one.
Vaughan
P.S. Members get the full four-Ps practice method below, including how to train posture without destroying your routine. Join here to unlock it.
"You don't have an arm problem.
You have a hip problem."
This Edition's Tutorial
Ballroom Masterclass: Arms, Posture & Movement
Problem: Your frame feels heavy, your arms tire quickly, or your position collapses the moment you start moving.
Promise: Build posture from the pelvis up, so your arms feel light and your movement has somewhere solid to come from.
MASTERY MEMBERSHIP
Ask Vaughan's Genie Anything
When your frame feels heavy, don't wait for your next lesson. Open the Mastery Genie and type:
"Why do my arms get tired in hold?"
In seconds you're watching my answer, pinpointed to the exact second, with lessons like Waltz Next Level: Running Spin Turn & Running Finish to fix it today.
$97 a month. Cancel anytime.
Dave spent a month working only on posture. His turns improved, he was less tired, his stamina went up, and his partner noticed before he said a word.
Mastery Member Insight.
