Front stance
Hold 10sAlso called: front position, front pose
- Stand with one leg forward and the weight settled back, keeping the hips square to the panel.
- Let the arms fall clear of the body so the shoulder-to-hip shape is unbroken on both sides.
- Lift the ribcage and pull the stomach in without narrowing the stance — the balance this division wants runs upper to lower.
- Keep the quads engaged and the glutes set, so the lower body reads as the developed half it is scored for.
- Hold the chin level and the expression easy for the whole count rather than only at the start.
Common mistakes
- Turning the hips off square, which hides the development being scored
- Tucking the arms in so the torso outline disappears
- Narrowing the stance until the legs stop reading as the developed half
- Holding the expression only for the first second of the count
Quarter turn right
Hold 10sAlso called: first side position
- Pivot ninety degrees on the balls of both feet and arrive with the hips already set.
- Push the near hip slightly toward the judges, which is what shows the lower-body development in profile.
- Keep the near arm away from the thigh so the hip line is not covered by the hand.
- Hold the waist drawn and the shoulders down so the profile keeps its shape from ribcage to knee.
- Settle the weight before the count starts rather than adjusting once the judges are reading.
Common mistakes
- Landing with the hips still square, so nothing projects in profile
- Resting the hand on the thigh and covering the hip line
- Letting the waist go as the lower body works
- Adjusting the feet after the judges have started reading
Back stance
Hold 10sAlso called: back position, back pose
- Turn away and set the feet slightly apart, weight through the front leg with the back heel raised.
- Tilt the pelvis to lift the glutes while keeping the lower back long rather than sharply arched.
- Hold the upper back quiet and narrow so the contrast with the lower body stays clear.
- Bring the head round over the shoulder toward the panel, leaving the torso where it is.
- Squeeze the standing glute and hamstring throughout, not just as you arrive.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back sharply instead of tilting the pelvis
- Opening the upper back wide, which flattens the contrast this division wants
- Bringing the torso round with the head
- Letting the standing glute release once the pose is set
Quarter turn left
Hold 10sAlso called: second side position
- Land the second turn with the same hip projection and the same arm placement as the first.
- Take the weight onto the leg furthest from the panel so the near hip stays the highest point of the line.
- Keep the far shoulder from rolling forward as you arrive, which would shorten that side.
- Hold both profiles to the same width through the waist so the pair reads as matched.
- Bring the eyes back to the judges only once the body has stopped moving.
Common mistakes
- Projecting the hip less on this side than the first
- Taking the weight onto the near leg, which drops the hip line
- Rolling the far shoulder forward on arrival
- Finishing with the eyes moving before the body has settled