There are 3 basic holds that are used in compulsory ice dancing; these are
Kilian hold, Open or Foxtrot hold and Closed or Waltz hold. In dancing the
hold is very important as this is the only line of communication between you
and your partner, it is a bridge between two people, when it is used well it
can add tremendously to your ability to dance well together.
Firstly I will discuss Kilian Hold.
This is probably the easiest hold to skate in and most of the
beginning/basic dances are done in this hold. You and your partner should
stand side by side, both facing in the same direction and ‘hip to hip’, so
that the lady’s left hip and shoulder touch the side and front of the
man’s right hip and shoulder. Good posture should be maintained throughout
by keeping your back straight, this is easily achieved by pulling your navel
into your spine, thereby lengthening your back and tucking your pelvis under
you. The man then places his right arm around the lady’s back to form a
support for her back, he then places his right hand on the front of the
lady’s right hip and should ensure that his right elbow touches the lady’s
back by lifting it up and slightly forward in a natural curve. For the lady it
should seem that this arm makes her feel as if she is in an armchair, not on a
backless stool. Having achieved this, the lady should then place her right
hand neatly on the top of the man’s right hand that is on her hip. The
conventional way to do this is for the lady to place her thumb under and
between the man’s forefinger and thumb, with her other fingers held flat and
together, while being pressed onto the top of man’s hand. The most important
thing, however, is that the lady keeps her elbow pushed as far forward as
possible while keeping her shoulder back in its socket.
Next the lady lifts her left arm, which is locked straight, to the side and
across the man’s chest to about waist height and with the palm of her hand
facing downwards. The man then lifts his left hand to hold the lady’s left
hand, so that his elbow is also up and forward as far as possible but without
his shoulder coming forward from its socket; the lady’s left elbow should be
in constant contact with the man’s chest. Both man and lady should have
their shoulders pressed back and down into their sockets, so that their chests
are expanded and their shoulder blades are closed and pressed down together.
There should also be a relaxed resistance between the man’s left and right
arm/hands. This hold should feel strong and firm without feeling crushing. As
with all holds and movements in dancing the man should lead and the lady
follow, a good hold should really assist this to happen.
Foxtrot or Open Hold should be started from the same basic position as
for Kilian hold; this is ‘side by side’ and ‘hip to hip’. So from
Kilian hold the man should bring his left arm across himself so that his left
hand is opposite the outside of his right shoulder. The lady should then do
the same with her right hand so that it is opposite her left shoulder. Man and
Lady should then hold hands with the palms of their hands facing and the
thumbs linked. The arms should be slightly curved and you should take care to
keep your shoulders back in their sockets. After this the man should move his
right hand from the lady’s left hip and place it on the lady’s back on her
left shoulder blade, with his fingers together and facing downwards, so that
the palm of his hand rests gently on the lady’s back with a relaxed
resistance between his left and right hands. Finally the lady should lift her
left hand to place it on the front of the man’s shoulder with her fingers
together and the palm of her hand resting on his collarbone, with her
fingertips towards the man’s neck.
This is not the most uncomfortable of holds and in my estimation it is one
of the most difficult to skate in as it is important to keep your ‘hip to
hip’ position while skating. The hold itself should make a diamond shape
between the gripping hands, the outside shoulders and the man’s right hand
on the lady’s back, make sure that the front hand does not block your faces.
There should also be an axis between the man’s right and left hand that runs
directly between the two partners and in the direction that you intend to
skate. The man’s backhand is officially known as ‘the leading hand’ and
it is permissible for the other hand, man’s left and lady’s right to
release in order to do interpretive arm movements if required. The man’s
right arm should be bent with the palm of his hand flat on the lady’s back,
the lady’s left arm should rest on the top of the man’s arm so that the
elbows match and are on top of one another. Again the shoulder blades should
be pressed backs and down and kept in their sockets.
Finally, Waltz or Closed Hold. This hold is different in that you
face one another, with your shoulders and hips square, opposite and parallel
to each other, so you’re your bodies form an imaginary box or square between
you and your partner. Again you should have good upright posture, the man
should try to create a common space with his body that almost surrounds the
lady. This can be achieved by the man drawing in his stomach to such an extent
that he almost pulls himself slightly forwards occupying the common space of
both man and lady and feeling his body is surrounding the lady. The lady then
draws slightly back to pose elegantly and produce a strong back line. Having
achieved this the man then lifts his right arm with the elbow slightly higher
than the hand, and in a natural curve he places his hand onto the lady’s
left shoulder blade with his fingers pointing slightly downwards. The lady
then lifts her left arm and places her hand, palm down onto the man’s right
collarbone with her fingers together and the fingertips pointing towards the
man’s neck. This should then create a relaxed resistance and pressure
between the two hands, almost creating a buffer between the two partners.
Finally, both partners should lift their remaining arms to clasp hands at
slightly above shoulder height; the arms should have a natural curve to them
and with the elbow held slightly up by an underarm pressure. In this position
the man should feel that he can easily dominate the lady and lead her in any
direction he wishes, be increasing the pressure on either hand. However, he
should take care not to move either arm separately, but to work the whole
framework as one unit through his body. Once more the shoulder should be
pressed back and down with the shoulder blades back in their sockets and as
always the elbows should be in front of the shoulder line. There should also
be an axis, which runs between the man’s right elbow and his left hand,
which is also parallel to both partners’ shoulders. Again it should be noted
that when skating, your hips and shoulders would be offset at about 45 degrees
to you skate. However when looking at the partners from the hips up they
should still look opposite and square to one another, only the feet would be
slightly offset as a result of the hip position.
Remember a good dance hold greatly aids unison, strength of movement, and
flow and makes a couple look much more professional. Enjoy your dancing!