Essential dancing abilities - the man

[dlgodud]

4. Leadership                         This applies only to the man:  he must always move with decision, if his mind hesitates the slightest fraction  as
                                              to what movement he is going to make, his partner's responding movement will be confused


     

I think I have this even if I am a woman. Seriously, it's kind of problem. 

[dlgodud]

2. Lightness                           This involves lightness of the feel, lightness in the touch, perfect balancing, and perfect timing with one another

This is very interesting quality indeed. My first teacher used to say I am very heavy on my upper body. I think you legs and lower body should be very grounded like Sam mentioned, but your upper body should be very light. What do you think guys?

[ZPomeroy]

That does sound like good description DG, from what i have experienced that light upper feeling you speak of comes from two different actions and places. The first is created in the actual posture of a dancer, as dancers prepare for their art proper position must be taken which includes standing up straight and extending both sides on the upper half of the body, but it also includes, in my opinion, pulling the spine up from the hips and straighting right up to the top of the head. The second is created in the arms and frame, as a man the arms and frame should be secure, but does not mean that the arms have to be tight, anything past the elbows should not have tension in what so ever. The feeling and looking of lightness is created in this second way by thinking of extending the end of the elbows without tension in any part of the line created, trying to extend the elbows to as far as they can possibly go without tension should hopefully create the illusive lightness.

Just my opinion

Zac