Beyond height: body shape match for a partnership

[elisedance]

Yes, height is the obvious and perhaps most important parameter for a partner but oddly we rarely talk about any other dimension!

There are three important ones that come to mind:

Weight - a big difference could make one partner look like an appendage of the other.

Leg length - if you have a much longer leg than your partner you will likely find yourself kicking them between legs.  This is not particularly condusive to good dancing on either partners side....

Arm length - a sorely overlooked stat.  I could not understand why I felt so much more comfortable in DP's arms than in a past partner's.  My current pro's partner identified it (she had also danced with my previous partner): it was arm length.  I have long arms and so does DP and that means I can stretch out sidewise. 

Any other parts I've missed?

[Rugby]

My DP and I have been told we are the perfect match in body and height.  We both have long arms, legs and bodies and are about the same in substance as in we both played sports all of our lives and I guess it gives us the same general body type.

[cornutt]

Arm length - a sorely overlooked stat.  I could not understand why I felt so much more comfortable in DP's arms than in a past partner's.  My current pro's partner identified it (she had also danced with my previous partner): it was arm length.  I have long arms and so does DP and that means I can stretch out sidewise. 

Arm length is a good point.  My DW's arms are the same length as mine.  That means that when we're in closed frame, with her hand on my upper arm, she can reach farther than I can.  Sometimes when we do Latin, she wants to extend that arm.  Then, even with my elbow straight, I can't reach far enough to keep my right hand around her back. 

[QPO]

yes...arm length is important to feeling comfortable on the floor. I often look at couples and say they look good and why do i feel that, it is often they compliment each other, similar in height and shape, leg length. they are all important IMO

[ttd]

OK, as I recall from that famous DaVinci drawing, an average person's arm span is supposed to be same as his height. So if you're a good match height-wise, wouldn't arm length automatically take care of itself?

[elisedance]

OK, as I recall from that famous DaVinci drawing, an average person's arm span is supposed to be same as his height. So if you're a good match height-wise, wouldn't arm length automatically take care of itself?

Yup.

If you are leonardo at least (or his model).
But maybe we need some stats - perhaps we should all measure our wingspan and our height and see if they are the same?

[standarddancer]

Excellent thread, ee!!!

Weight, built, leg lengths & arm lengths are definitely important. I’m slim with long arm, long legs, usually prefer only slim or slender or athletic type, a few extra pounds or heavy set usually won’t work for me; someone with shorter arms & legs would be a bit difficult for me in movement but might still be ok in still position.

Some coaches in standard emphasize the horizontal axis (frame, arms) in addition to vertical axis (body posture, lengthening), I think someone with longer arms with relative stable frames / posture could have some advantage on the floor than someone with shorter arms/smaller frames. I’ve seen gentlemen with long arms/long legs paired with shorter lady of shorter arms, it always seem like she’s blocking his movement.

Back in ’06, I bought a new partner from Czech Republic to Manhattan studio, when first time Katusha saw us swing together, she commented that we were perfect match height wise, arm length and leg lengths are perfect matching as well, I was quite amazed with what she noticed of our arm/leg length match, ever since that, I’ve always paid attention of how well arm/leg length match in a partnership.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

If all that was really that important then I should never have danced with my partner and we should never have made it out of first round. I am sorry to tell you that we were a totally mismatched and yet our teacher managed to make it work and help us become fairly successful. I would say it is easier when everything is matching but that doesn't stop somebody from being successful. It is actually sometimes the challenge of making it match that makes a couple successful. There are so many, many ways of making the illusion so that it appears that you match. I actually think the personality match is more important then the physical match.

[elisedance]

I think most of us would agree DSV - and yet if you are looking for a partner and have choices then surely body match would have to be a factor.  Definitely not the most important, but yet still there..

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I think most of us would agree DSV - and yet if you are looking for a partner and have choices then surely body match would have to be a factor.  Definitely not the most important, but yet still there..

I just think that keeping an open mind would be good when looking for a partner. One never knows if there is a "Bill Irvine", "Peter Eggleton", "Richard Gleave" or "Michael Barr" (for the ladies) or a "Bobbie Irvine", Brenda Wislade", "Janet Gleave" or "Vicky Barr" (for the gents) amongst the people one is trying out with or looking to try-out with. I would keep all options open and not discount anybody just because they are not totally perfect. 

[elisedance]

Great advice.

OTOH in this neck of the woods you take anything that can stand on two feet, can tell the first beat from the second and that is within a 200 mile radius

Yup, arm length is not so high on that list....

[QPO]

I am sure, that if you both have the same goals and sesires, it must count for something....and the other issues can be overcome.

[pruthe]

OTOH in this neck of the woods you take anything that can stand on two feet, can tell the first beat from the second and that is within a 200 mile radius

LOL!!!

[elisedance]

OTOH in this neck of the woods you take anything that can stand on two feet, can tell the first beat from the second and that is within a 200 mile radius

I hasten to add that some of us luck out totally

LOL!!!

[standarddancer]

OTOH in this neck of the woods you take anything that can stand on two feet, can tell the first beat from the second and that is within a 200 mile radius

I love this;)