Height and partner dancing - how does it affect you?

[elisedance]

This came up on Tanithe's newbie topic - I mentioned that I had difficulty finding a partner because I'm tall - and she mentioned she has the same issue but for the opposite reason! 

How has height affected your dancing?

[Tanithe]

Being only 5'0 its been difficult to dance standard because of the lack of leg space for my partner and my frame being very stretched and awkward, I have found dancing new vogue a little easier due to being separated for parts of the dances or in shadow positioning and with Latin it just looks out of place because in a lot of the finishing poses you try to hit it looks a bit weird or unbalanced visually.

Its the infinite search to find the perfect height and skill level lol   

[elisedance]

Being only 5'0 its been difficult to dance standard because of the lack of leg space for my partner and my frame being very stretched and awkward, I have found dancing new vogue a little easier due to being separated for parts of the dances or in shadow positioning and with Latin it just looks out of place because in a lot of the finishing poses you try to hit it looks a bit weird or unbalanced visually.

Its the infinite search to find the perfect height and skill level lol   

Interestingly, there have been great dance partnerships with large height differences, even in standard.  I think we even had a discussion on PDO about a ballroom style that was developed specifically for such a case... if I can remember where ... round school was it???

[QPO]

Being only 5'0 its been difficult to dance standard because of the lack of leg space for my partner and my frame being very stretched and awkward, I have found dancing new vogue a little easier due to being separated for parts of the dances or in shadow positioning and with Latin it just looks out of place because in a lot of the finishing poses you try to hit it looks a bit weird or unbalanced visually.

Its the infinite search to find the perfect height and skill level lol   

well we had a a lesson with lecia putland yesterday and she is shorter than me and my partner is 6'3-4?( not sure) and she could stride it out with him know problem at all. I beleive it is all about using the legs properly the extension and flex..... you would be surprised what you could do with a taller partner if required.  Jacob Grech and Zadie do a great job and there is a significant height difference.

[ttd]

I danced with a considerably shorter guy the other day at a party (he is 5'2" at most, I stand almost a full head taller than he is in heels, and I am only 5'4" without them). He did international style. Standard was very, very awkward. Latin was easier, but still not ideal. It did not help that he wasn't a very good lead. But even if he was, I am not used to having to compensate for the gentleman's lack of height, it's usually the opposite.

[elisedance]

My first teacher here (I had to start virtually from scratch when I moved to Canada) was at least 6 inches shorter than me.  It worked OK as long as I pushed my butt out!  When eventually I switched to my second one (about 3 inches taller than me) it felt very odd initially, standing up and dancing - but I soon took to it!! Then dancing with Anton who is 6'5" or so was a positive luxury!!  I wonder sometimes how high I could go ...

[QPO]

I danced with a considerably shorter guy the other day at a party (he is 5'2" at most, I stand almost a full head taller than he is in heels, and I am only 5'4" without them). He did international style. Standard was very, very awkward. Latin was easier, but still not ideal. It did not help that he wasn't a very good lead. But even if he was, I am not used to having to compensate for the gentleman's lack of height, it's usually the opposite.

we have a couple that is that situation...she is much taller than he is...and in standard she looks very awkward  but I am sure that those that are quite proficient at dancing would make it look good, it is just repositioning yourself. but as you say you need to be confident in what you do.

[elisedance]

we have a couple that is that situation...she is much taller than he is...and in standard she looks very awkward  but I am sure that those that are quite proficient at dancing would make it look good, it is just repositioning yourself. but as you say you need to be confident in what you do.

I think its more than that - no amount of repositioning makes it look comfortable (personal experience).  As mentioned above, my (much shorter) pro told me to stick my butt out... I'm not sure what shape I would be in now if I had kept that up...

[ttd]

I think there is a difference in each direction beyond which some things cannot be adjusted. I think if a guy is more than 10" taller than the girl, closed hold will be awkward. I have a friend who is 5'2" and she used to dance with same teacher as I did some years ago, and he is 6'2". She switched to dance with a shorter pro and she said closed hold felt a lot easier with him. I am 5'4", my teacher is 6'2", I think it's OK but kinda borderline. His pro partner is also 5'4", so he is used to dancing with someone this height. And I am used to dancing with guys 10" taller than I am, because my previous teacher also was 6'2". From watching smooth, though, I think there are some moves outside closed hold which just look better, when a couple is more evenly matched in height. Rhythm and Latin have same issue, even though on higher levels there's not much closed hold work, but still, aesthetically, couples which don't have a huge height difference, look better, imv.