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Contrary Body Movement

Ballroom dancing is all parts of out natural movements, which we normally perform, subconsciously in our daily lives. These same movements must appear just as naturally in a dance and also especially when holding a partner.

This happens most naturally when moving, irrespective of whether it is running, jogging, walking or jumping. Foot, as an individual part of the body is quite heavy. And when required to move it, then it has to be balanced by something on the opposite side of the body's centre of gravity. Thus during the walk, run and such other activity the body, mainly the shoulders and the hip moves a little and the arms move much more and which is distinctly noticeable. Thus this body movement counter balances the foot movement.

This is almost similar to a pair of scissors. The handle at one end and the other end of the lever move in opposite directions with respect to the pivot point.

This action is the turning of the opposite hip and shoulders towards the direction of the moving foot, and is used for all normal movements and especially for the turns it is most convenient.

Thus when stepping with the right foot forward the left hip and shoulders swing forward; when stepping with the left foot forward the right hip and shoulders swing forward. And similarly when stepping with the right foot backward the left hip and shoulder swing backward, and when stepping with the left foot backward the right hip and the shoulder swings backward.

To confirm that this is part of the natural body movements and to understand as how smoothly this should occur in a dance, one simply needs to go for a brisk walk for a few miles. Keeping in mind to test the contrary body movements, one will be very conscious initially and so wrong movement would definitely be produced. However when one continues on and on the natural movements set in automatically to ease out such that the walking speed remains more or less the same. Remember to test by walking backwards too.

We normally move forward, so the testing when moving forward will come more easily, but is the backward movement where one has to be a bit more careful.

In the chicken walk if the feet are held steady and not aloud to turn when moving either forward or backward and letting the upper body to twist as usual then it becomes the contrary body movement. Thus the exercise chicken walk will help one tremendously to bring in the natural-movements more naturally into these dances. Also practising the walk holding some article with both hands in the front will assist better in dancing with a partner.

Lastly there is also Contrary Body Movement Position, in which the moving foot is placed forward or backward and across the stationary foot with slight turning of the body as for the Contrary Body Movement. This is especially required when stepping outside the partner and simultaneously being able to maintain the close body contact between the dancing partners.