Basic dance position in Ballroom Dance

Partner Positions

Closed Dance Hold Promenade Position

Outside Partner Position Skater's Position

 Fallaway Position Right Side Wrap

Cape (Shadow) Position Lower Cape Position

 Challenge Position Hammerlock Position

Forward Open Promenade Reverse Open Promenade

One Hand Hold Open Facing Position Two Hand Hold Open Facing Position
Hold Positions
Man and lady stand in front of each other in body contact, slightly offset to the left.
The feet should be positioned slightly offset so that the right foot of either partner
Closed
can step between the other partner's feet. Most commonly used hold in ballroom
dance.

Dance position where man and lady stand at right-angles, lady on man's left side.
Fan
Man holds lady's right hand in his left.

Man and lady stand directly in front of each other, within arms' reach. Tone is
Open maintained through the arms, and body weight is held forward towards the balls of
the feet.

A V-shaped dance position where both man and lady move forward and in the
Promenade same direction, toward the open end of the "V". The man's head should be turned
to the left, the lady's to the right.

Dance position where both man and lady face the same direction, with one partner
either directly in front of the other, or slightly offset to the left or right. As the
name implies, Shadow position is usually taken with partners shadowing each
other's movement, on the same foot and in the same direction. Partners can be
closed (in body contact), semi-closed (slightly apart but within arms reach), or
completely apart.

Cape - In shadow position, the man holds the woman's left hand with his left hand
in front of her left shoulder. The man crosses his right arm behind the woman and
Shadow holds her right hand with his right hand in front of the woman's right shoulder. The
man's arm is held just above the woman's shoulder.

Cuddle or Sweetheart- In shadow position, the man wraps his right arm around the
lady’s waist; she wraps her left arm around her front to hold his right hand. She
wraps her right arm over her left arm and across her front to hold his left hand.
Hands are at waist level.

Skaters - In shadow position, when left-left hands are joined and outstretched, and
right-right hands are joined at the woman's waist.

Dance position where man and lady stand side by side. They can have a one-arm or
Side by side
one-hand hold, or stand apart without a connection.