Smiles - none, fake, real? Which should it be?

[QPO]

I don't think that works - it starts as a grimace and in the end it looks like a grimace

Try thinking about the pleasure of dancing - and the smile will come if it is intended to.  DP was told to smile by an earlier coach - when he does he looks like a vampire about to consume me.  I've told him to dance and leave the smiling to me....

Yes I understand that. but I am lucky (so I am told) that it looks ok.....you have to visualise that you are enjoying yourself and then a natural smile will develop, but you have to start somewhere.

[Lioness]

I got told the other day that I have a fake smile, but at least it's a nice one.

[SwingWaltz]

A lot of the times I look like I'm smirking when I dance. What am I smirking at?

[QPO]

well, if you think happy thoughts you have to smile....smiling makes you look younger.. and I like that 

[standarddancer]

Faking smile in V waltz especially good, if you smile big open your mouth help you breath better;)

[QPO]

I am told that my smile looks genuine. but I make myself smile....otherwise I have a small pouty mouth and that is not a good look

[elisedance]

Faking smile in V waltz especially good, if you smile big open your mouth help you breath better;)

Just be careful to not overdo it and look like the marshmallow man

[Bordertangoman]

Faking smile in V waltz especially good, if you smile big open your mouth help you breath better;)

Just be careful to not overdo it and look like the marshmallow man

JUST put a Viennese whirl in your mouth

[ttd]

I got an interesting comment the other day. Another dancer (and much better one than myself) saw a picture of me and made a comment that here was my american smooth face I forget to take with me on the floor (something like that). Now that was meant to be a funny photo to begin with, and I did look like I was having fun and enjoying myself in it, but I certainly didn't expect anyone to make a connection between my expression there and dancing. But when I do smooth, whenever we break the hold, I have a small background thought running "when can I get back into my comfort zone aka closed hold?" and it probably shows in my expression.

[elisedance]

I got an interesting comment the other day. Another dancer (and much better one than myself) saw a picture of me and made a comment that here was my american smooth face I forget to take with me on the floor (something like that). Now that was meant to be a funny photo to begin with, and I did look like I was having fun and enjoying myself in it, but I certainly didn't expect anyone to make a connection between my expression there and dancing. But when I do smooth, whenever we break the hold, I have a small background thought running "when can I get back into my comfort zone aka closed hold?" and it probably shows in my expression.

I wonder what you look like as you are opening out of closed?  Perhaps a little panic expression?  Perhaps something to practise a bit.

OTOH I bet you look very happy indeed when back and secure

[dlgodud]

Real!!! Definitely. I cannot fake.

[elisedance]

I agree - but does that mean that open-mouthed amazement is OK too (cause I do that too )

[dlgodud]

Hey!

Recently, I saw my friend did that in a competition and she got a nice photo of doing it.

haha.....

I really liked it. 

[samina]

We are all told to smile when we compete.  But I'm sure we've all seen cases where the smiles look as sincere as a snow man's and it really detracts from the presentation.  So do you smile?  And how do you smile?

I never heard any of my teachers tell me to smile and I will never tell my students to smile. 
 
I have on occasion told students not to smile. 

my 2 cents worth

did your teachers tell you just to be natural and not worry about smiling?

i know that i don't care for fake smiling... and that i've been guilty of doing it while reaching thru exhaustion or struggling on the dance floor during a comp.

[elisedance]

the 'norm' seems to be that you have to smile, whether you feel it or not.  Perhaps its hard for the judges to tell the real from the fake a few meters off?