How to Improve Your Balance in Ballroom and Latin Dancing

balance posture & frame technique

The short answer: better balance comes from one fundamental: how you control your weight, and that control starts in your pelvis. Find a neutral pelvis, engage the centre point of your pelvic floor and lengthen up from there in every movement, including when you bend your knees. Don't puff up your chest. It sends your weight backwards.

Why do dancers lose their balance?

If you struggle with balance, control, speed or keeping up with the music, most of the time it comes down to weight: how you control all that energy as you move from foot to foot. Technique tells you how to move foot to foot, where to go in the room, what turn to do and what timing to use. Mechanics is how you use your body to do it. Weight control sits underneath all of it, in every style of dance, because every style uses the same human body.

Where is your centre of balance?

In the video I show you a bird's-eye view of the pelvis. The small circle in the middle (the levator hiatus) is the centre of your pelvis, and it's exactly where I want you to focus. Think of a tent with one big pole in the middle holding everything up. That's how your weight needs to be balanced. The muscle at that point is your pelvic floor, the one you squeeze when you need the bathroom. Most dance teachers never talk about it, but you can feel it and you can tighten it.

How do you find a neutral pelvis and keep your balance?

Tilt and settle: tilt your pelvis forward and back, moving only the pelvis and keeping your upper body out of it. Then let it settle into a neutral, natural alignment in the middle.
Find your centre point: be aware of the centre of your pelvis and gently engage your pelvic floor.
Bend with a neutral pelvis: put your hands on your glutes and bend your knees. Don't let your pelvis push out. Your hip joints stay in place and your upper body stays straight as you lower.
Lengthen up: lengthen from that centre point any time you bend, rise or step. The more you do it, the stronger it gets.
Check it: bring your belly button towards your spine. Your back straightens and your abs engage naturally.
Then add your shape: hold this position first, then create your frame for Ballroom or your turnout for Latin.

Common mistakes

Filling your chest with air when you stand up tall. It doesn't improve your posture, it makes it worse, because your weight goes backwards.
Tipping the pelvis, which sends your weight too far forward or too far back.
Letting the pelvis push out when you bend your knees. In Ballroom hold, losing this alignment is a common reason partners push and bash into each other instead of moving in harmony.
Holding your body up artificially with tension. When your centre is holding you up, your arms can relax and move freely.

Try this in your next practice

Before you dance, tilt your pelvis forward and back a few times and settle into neutral. Bring your belly button to your spine, then bend your knees slowly without letting your pelvis move out. Hold that feeling while you take your frame or turnout, and keep coming back to it throughout your practice.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I lose my balance when I dance?

Most often it's weight control. If your pelvis tilts or your chest lifts, your weight goes too far forward or back, and no amount of technique will fix that on its own.

What is a neutral pelvis?

It's the position between tipping your pelvis forward and tucking it under. Find it by tilting forward and back from the pelvis only, then settling in the middle.

How can I check my posture quickly?

Bring your belly button towards your spine. It straightens your back and engages your abs naturally. I check this every day.

Is perfect balance possible in dancing?

I don't think dancing itself can ever be perfect, because it's so subjective. But I do think you can get 99.9% of the way to perfect balance.

Does this work for both Ballroom and Latin?

Yes. Set your pelvis and centre first, then create your frame for Ballroom or your turnout for Latin on top of it.

Related lessons

Vaughan Liddicoat is a 4 time World Professional 10 Dance representative for Australia, an accredited coach and the founder of Ballroom Mastery. He has a passion for dance and wants to help you become the best dancer you can be and have an amazing time doing it.

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