Moving like a dancer

This is an excerpt from Social Dance by Judy Wright.

Carry yourself like a dancer. Learn more in Social Dance.

Simply being aware of your posture while standing is only part of the image that you present to others. Dancers are movers. Thus, how you carry yourself while moving, which you do when you are walking or taking a series of dance steps, also says volumes about your self-confidence. The topics in the following sections are discussed separately, but you need to put all of them in action when you do the drills at the end of this learning step and later when you step on the dance floor.

Posture

People often think of correct posture as they think of the weather: Everyone talks about it, but what can they do about it? If you aren’t aware of your posture, then now is the time to check it and correct it. Visualization techniques are particularly effective ways to learn how to align your body. Try both of the following images. Which one helps you visualize proper vertical alignment? Perhaps other images come to mind.

Stand with your hands at your sides, your feet no more than shoulder-width apart, and your knees slightly flexed. As if you are balancing large blocks on top of one another, position your hips, shoulders, and head directly above your feet. Look forward with your head erect. It is helpful to look at an object that is at eye level. Think of expanding your shoulder blades, contracting your abdominals, and lengthening (rather than arching) your lower back. You are now in proper standing alignment.
Imagine a plumb line (a string suspended from the ceiling with a weight on it to keep it vertical) hanging along one side of your body. Adjust your posture so that the outside of your ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle aligns parallel to the string. Check that your weight is evenly placed over both feet, your eyes are level, your spine is straight (especially your neck vertebrae), your shoulders are relaxed and down (not raised or lifted), your abdominals are firmly engaged, your hips are level, and your lower back is slightly and naturally curved (not hyperextended).