Technique on moving backwards in ballroom

(Found this in my documents)
Controlling back movement means that we do not move our weight back from the shoulders, but that the torso is managed in a way that we keep the weight of the head and shoulders centered over the hips. Of course, as the lady, we still want to have our head reaching up and back, but it does not mean that the lady should let the weight collapse over the heel of the foot that is receiving the weight.

One thing to think about when doing this exercise is that the receiving leg takes the full weight without rolling back onto the heel. You have to control your body weight resisting slightly forward while moving back. This we can call "resisting through the leg and foot" and it helps control the momentum backwards. That is, we stay with balance forward on the receiving leg with the whole foot flat on the floor, but the weight is concentrated over the ball of the foot of the new supporting leg and the knee pulled towards the inside so as to keep your weight slightly towards the inside edge of the foot.

Rule #1 -- Lower deeply on the supporting leg with the knee over the toe of the supporting foot. If you are lowering far enough and your weight is concentrated towards the inside of the foot, you ought not be able to see your foot when you look down at it. This is given that you are lengthening through the torso, elongating the spine (no slouching). There should be no weight on the leg that is extending back.

Rule #2 -- Keep the arms in a plane just in front of your torso. This means the elbows need to be in front of the body. Although I suggest no use of the arms in the exercise when working with a partner, keeping the elbows in front of the body will help sustain your weight forward and get you used to the position for when you are in a closed dance position.

Rule #3 -- Push off the floor with the supporting leg, not just with the heel (and especially not with the toe -- a cardinal sin of ballroom dance) but with the whole foot. If you are pushing properly the toe should pop off the floor at the moment you push off.

Rule #4 -- At this point, an important thing to remember is not to tilt back before moving. If this happens, stop, readjust your weight and restart the exercise. Make sure you are holding your abdominal muscles in to keep the hips tucked under your ribs -- this will help your balance.

Rule #5 -- Practice dragging the heel against the floor just after you push and as you are moving back. Use the floor to control your weight and to help stop uncontrolled momentum back. For this, make sure you have good shoes with good caps so as not to mark the floor.

Perfect your posture. Upright posture is a major part of proper frame.
John Cassese, the Dance Doctor, starts with one simple exercise. “Stand with your back against the wall, pressing your feet, calves, buttocks, shoulders and head against it, and then walk away and try to maintain that position—now you’re in perfect posture. The stretch in your abs should feel like an elastic band, pulling both up and down from the waist.” Cassese advises beginning ballroom dancers to do that exercise several times a day so the correct posture begins to feel more natural.