Why “Relax Your Shoulders” Doesn’t Work — Rethinking Shoulder Tension in Dancing

harmanjitsinghap
Jul 16
3 min read

Body Mechanics for Dancers | Part 5

Why “relax” might be the wrong cue

We’ve all heard it in class-

“Relax your shoulders.”

And I know it comes from a good place, it's meant to help. But I've witnessed over the years that for many dancers, that cue is misinterpreted and leads to collapse — not ease.

The truth is, most shoulders aren’t actually holding “too tight” — they’re just holding too much on their own.

What looks like tension is often your body doing its best to stay upright without enough support from the base or core. So instead of asking your shoulders to let go entirely, what they really need is permission to let up a little — to stop overworking for the rest of your body.

So let’s reframe the goal to this instead :

Not relaxed - Ready.
Not limp - Available.
Not dropped - Connected.

Mobility + Stability = Fluid Shoulders

Real freedom in the shoulders doesn’t come from slouching, softening everything, or simply “letting go.”

It comes from building enough support through your base — your legs, pelvis, and deep core — so your shoulders don’t have to do the heavy lifting.

When the foundation below is solid, your upper body can stay available and expressive — without gripping or collapsing.

You want shoulders that can:

Float with your frame in partnerwork
Reach cleanly for a cross-body lead or arm styling
Respond to momentum, rotation, or musical accents

…because they’re anchored, not bracing for balance or overcorrecting posture.

In salsa, this might look like:

Feeling the connection to your partner come from your back and lats, rather than just your hands or arms
Keeping your sternum lifted and your collarbones wide as you prep for a spin — instead of rounding forward or “tensing” to stay in control
Letting your shoulders follow the movement, rather than lead it

When you build from below, the shoulders can do what they’re meant to: express, respond, and flow.

The Chain Reaction of Collapsed Shoulders

If your shoulders collapse — whether it's from trying too hard to “relax” or from lack of awareness — a chain reaction starts:

The neck starts gripping to keep your head upright
The chest caves in, limiting your breathing and presence
The arms feel disconnected or heavy
Your movement becomes smaller, more hesitant — even when the music calls for expression

Ironically, chasing that “relaxed look” can actually create more tension than it solves.

As you dance this start to show up in various way :

Frame that feels “mushy” in partnerwork
Lagging or extraneous arm styling
A sense of shrinking when you're supposed to project and shine

What you need instead is connected ease — not passive softness.

Try This Alignment Check-In

Here’s a quick way to feel what “supported, available shoulders” actually feel like:

✨ Gently lift through your sternum — feel the front of the chest rise without arching the low back

✨ Widen your collarbones — imagine broadening across your upper chest

✨ Connect your arms to your mid-back — feel like the movement is initiated from the space below your shoulder blades, not just the shoulder joint

Now move — walk, do a basic, or prep a turn.

Notice how much more control and range you have.

This upright, supported alignment gives your shoulders space to respond — instead of carrying the weight of imbalance from elsewhere in the body.

Don’t Chase Relaxed — Chase Ready

Instead of trying to “relax,” try to feel:

✔ Grounded in your base — your legs and feet pressing into the floor

✔ Open across your chest — with gentle tone, not tightness

✔ Connected through your back — especially around the shoulder blades and spine

Bonus: Feeling Tension? Try This Mid-Dance Reset

If you catch yourself gripping or shrinking through the shoulders mid-dance:

Inhale and gently lift your chest
Exhale, feel your feet ground into the floor
Roll your shoulders once or twice — not to “relax” them, but to reset the connection to your back
Keep dancing — feel how much more available your movement becomes