Front stance
Hold 10sAlso called: front position, front pose
- Set the heels close with the toes turned slightly out, standing tall through the whole spine.
- Place both hands lightly on the hips with the elbows back, which frames the shoulders and opens the waist.
- Pull the shoulders down and spread the upper back to its full width without letting the traps rise.
- Draw the stomach in and hold it, keeping the ribcage down so the taper is the line the judges read.
- Keep the knees soft and the quads engaged, so the legs are working without the stance looking braced.
Common mistakes
- Standing with the heels apart, which loses the line through the legs
- Letting the traps rise as the back opens
- Keeping the hands loose at the sides instead of framing the waist
- Locking the knees hard, which makes the stance look braced
Quarter turn right
Hold 10sAlso called: first side position
- Pivot ninety degrees on the balls of both feet, arriving with the weight already settled.
- Turn the hips a few degrees further than the shoulders, which is what creates the curve at the waist.
- Rest the near hand on the hip with the elbow held away, keeping a gap between arm and body.
- Lift the chest and lengthen the neck as you land so the profile reads tall rather than compressed.
- Cross the far foot slightly behind and rise onto its toe to finish the leg line.
Common mistakes
- Arriving with the weight still moving
- Rotating the shoulders as far as the hips, so no curve appears at the waist
- Dropping the elbow against the side and closing the frame
- Letting the neck compress as the turn lands
Back stance
Hold 10sAlso called: back position, back pose
- Turn away and place the feet close, with one heel slightly raised to lengthen that leg.
- Open the lats wide and hold the shoulders down, letting the V run into a drawn-in waist.
- Keep a small arch in the lower back without pushing the ribcage forward.
- Hold both arms slightly off the body so the outline of the back stays clear on each side.
- Look straight ahead and stay completely still — this division is judged on posture as much as shape.
Common mistakes
- Pushing the ribcage forward to make the arch bigger
- Standing with both heels flat, so neither leg lengthens
- Letting the arms rest against the torso and blur the outline
- Shifting the weight partway through the hold
Quarter turn left
Hold 10sAlso called: second side position
- Land the second side with the same hip angle and the same hand position as the first.
- Shift the weight onto the leg furthest from the panel so the near leg can extend and point.
- Hold the near shoulder back as the hips rotate away, keeping the waist open in profile.
- Keep the ribs down through the turn so the two sides read as a matched pair.
- Arrive, settle, then bring the eyes to the judges — in that order, every time.
Common mistakes
- Using a different hand position from the first side
- Carrying the weight on the leg nearest the panel, so the far leg cannot extend
- Letting the ribs push out as the hips rotate away
- Bringing the eyes round before the body has stopped