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Hold: Introduction

This is to give a brief idea. Here the bending backwards is seems excessive, as it is part of a dynamic movement. This is an illusion created since the picture is static. Instead an effort is needed continuously to remain together, as the excessive backwards bending will give the effect of "pulling away", and will create hindrance even in a plain in walk. The bending backwards is just as much as what we do normally if required to stand straight. It is very crucial to bear in mind that no part of the body should experience any pain.

Here there are mainly three types of hold. One is holding each other by the hands only, the second is the closed hold, and the third is the close hold. Each of these holds has advantages and disadvantages. So when dancing one can change from one type of hold to another to suit the requirements of a particular movement or for a particular expression. For the Ballroom dances such changes are not as often as in the case of Latin American dances. However when one is newly introduced to the Dance-Sport any of one of three holds can be used for the initial practice and learning the movement pattern, after which one can venture into the other types of holds for the enhancement of their dance.

Hold by the hands
The lady would stretch both the hands forward; the forearm and the hand should remain straight with the fingers pointing down. The thumb is kept relaxed. This is similar to holding a horizontal bar, when the fingers curl from the top and around the bar. Thus the back of the palm of both the hands remains facing upwards.

The pull is from the fingers, with equal pressure on the four. The push is from the knuckles, the part between the base of the fingers and the first joint.

The man would stretch both hands forward as when about to grip a pair of vertical bars when boarding a bus or a train, keeping the fingers and thumb relaxed.

This way both the dancing partners would hold each other with the relaxed thrum. Both the partners should keep a steady push against each other without disturbing one's posture. Also a small effort is needed to keep both the hand in the same position with respect to one's self through out the dance.

The thumb should be relaxed initially at least, to avoid unnecessarily strong grips. Later after considerable practice and confidence the thumb can be curled around the grip so that the hold at the fingers looks compact. The height from the ground and width between the two hands is to ones choice, as it should be primarily convenient and the next part is that it should feel elegant, to one's self.

The advantage of this hold is that considerable gap can be maintained between the partners. Also quite a few of the figures in Latin American dances require such a hold from time to time. At the same time the disadvantages are that it doesn't cater entirely to two dancers moving as one unit, and when requiring giving slight pressures against each other could lead to slight pain in the arms.

Close Hold
The following is common for a man and a lady.
Stand against a wall with the feet together and the big toes are an inch from the wall. Now keeping the legs straight but the knees and the ankles are relaxed rest against the wall. Exert some pressure against the wall so that the contact is felt consciously from the hip to the lower part of the ribcage. The thighs would be just off the wall. Keeping this position steady rest the two palms of the hand on the wall with the fingers, hand and forearm vertical and in line with the elbow. The longest finger touching an imaginary horizontal line at the eye level. Now in this position move the hands further away by palm width on either side. Nest is to exert a slight but steady push-pressure without disturbing the contact with the wall. This will result in the shoulders moving slightly back. The back too would move slightly backwards, however this should be bare minimum. It is very important to primarily feel comfortable and that no part of the body should pain at all.

Once this is achieved, the next part is to move away from the wall and to balance on one's own, however to take utmost care of maintaining the body posture.

Man
Keep the fingers together and thumb relaxed of both the hands; the hand and the forearm are in a straight line. From the elbow turn the hand such that it is relaxed and the palm faces you. For the right hand the additional movement is the relaxing the right elbow such that the hand moves down and thus the hand and forearm is horizontal to the floor.

This is the general posture for the man. When holding the dance-partner the left hand may be moved slightly forward and outwards. Similarly the right hand would need to move slightly forward and the hand turning in wards at the wrist so that the right hand with fingers and thumb together rests in a slightly cupped manner on the lady's left shoulder blade.

The general posture felt when against the wall should remain more or less unaltered.

Lady
The right hand fingers and the forearm should be in a straight line. Turn the hand slightly from the elbow so that more of the back of the palm is visible. One may need to slightly move the hand forward and outwards, however the height of the elbow from the floor should remain unaltered. Curl around the man's thumb with ones thumb and index finger, and the rest of the fingers curl lightly around. Similarly the man curls the fingers and the thumb resulting in a compact hold with the fingers. The left arm is moved further forward to rest the palm on man's shoulders. This would require the moving of the elbows slightly forward and the arm is lifted from the shoulders. Lady's left arm and the right arm of the man should be in contact over a maximum area possible.

This is the best possible hold for a majority of the dances and it gives the true feel of two people dancing as one. It's easier to guide and be guided in such a hold and all the competitions in Ballroom normally use the close hold. This hold also gives the true essence of the Dance-Sport.

The only disadvantage here is that more precise training is required regarding walk, posture maintenance, and having a deep understanding of natural body movements.

Closed hold
Here the dancing partners stand closer to each other, with a gap of about two to three inches between each other's toes. The body contact is not maintained here.

This is exactly similar to the above hold, close hold, and since the gap increases between the two dancers, both the partners slightly stretch both their arms to compensate for this gap.

The man exerts a slight push-force with his left arm and a slight pull-force with the right arm. The lady counters this with a slight push-force with both the arms. The force is given by very slightly flexing the arm from the elbows. This force should remain more or less steady through out the dance. It gives one a feel of a firmly encircling the space between the partners.

Note:
How much force to use?
Just as much to feel the movements of the partner from the hold. It is similar to feeling of the pulse. If the hold were too strong it would be uncomfortable, and if the hold is loose then one cannot feel the pulse at all.