DANCE RULES ARE DISCOVERED

MOST dancers can observe other dancers, and tell a good one from a bad one. 
MANY can distinguish a good dancer from a better dancer. FEW can distinguish the difference between two good dancers. Only a SELECT FEW can actually tell the better of the two, but cannot tell why.
     Knowing how to distinguish one dance from the other and explain the difference is crucial to being a good judge -- as well as in the discovery of the RULES OF DANCE.

Rules of Movement
     Dance competitions are covered by man-made rules to which organizers, competitors and adjudicators abide by. These are basically rules of expediency which may or may not change with leadership or the competition body. Such rules cover those that govern “music selection”, “costume”, “time slot”, “eligibility”, “prizes”, “number of and specific figures to execute”, etc.
     We are not here to judge or compete, but to understand dance, which makes it much more important for us to realize the Rules of Movement discovered by thousands of other dancers ahead of us. Rules of Movement are not decisions. Rules of Movement are not subject to the whim and biases of people (as Rules of Expediency are). They are discoveries because they already exist. They are laws of physics that apply to moving objects interacting to produce a balanced and visually appealing form. Some of these rules are:

Action and Reaction refer to the driving force and receiving force between the partners to achieve a unified and smooth movement. The Man acts through a logical lead for the woman to react to and logically perform the movement the Man intended.
Center Point of Balance (CPB) refers to that specific point in a dancer's body where all the Action and movement emanates. It is also known as the solar plexus or the diaphragm. Before any step (or change of weight), the CPB first moves in the direction of the step.
Force Points are the equivalent of the CPB, setting the direction of the arm movements for styling and overall balance. Force points are also used specifically for directing the movement of the legs as in a kick or a tap, and in some dance techniques as the Cuban Hip Movement.
Degrees of Resistance indicate the amount of counter-force which the Follower uses on the Leader to help them connect during the dance. Various degrees of resistance are necessary for different dance holds and figures. The main purpose is the resistance is to keep the partners continuously sensitive to each others moves and signals, so that no verbal communication on the dance would be necessary.

     Details  on the various rules of movement are discussed further in succeeding chapters. 
     Dancers are moving objects, and for them to appear and feel symmetrical, balanced, and coordinated, dancers have to discover the Rules of Movement that apply to each of their body movements. 
     With discovery, understanding, and strict adherence to these rules, diligent practice and development, we can all prevent dance-related injuries and become confident and good dancers. And with the added dimension of musical interpretation, we can enter the realm of dance artistry. 

Rules of Music
     Just like the Rules of Movement, Rules of Music are also discovered. We do not make up the rules of tempo, phrasing, up-beats and down-beats, accent, pulsing, musical breaks, tags and introductions. These are given, and meant to be discovered, felt and applied. Let's define a few.

Tempo -- the speed of the music, normally  measured in bars per minute.
Count -- The actual beats of music in a specific dance pattern. In dance, it is best to count the actual beats of music, instead of the foot placements.
Phrase -- Many dance music pieces are phrased at 8 beats each, often seen as one line of the lyrics. Major phrases comprise the whole stanza, normally totaling 32 or 48 beats. Newer pieces though also include 2- or 4 beat phrases distributed at the beginner and between major phrases of the piece. It is important to start a new pattern at the start of the major phrase, repeating shorter patterns if necessary, to be able to dance to the music.
Down-Beat and Up-Beat  -- Every two consecutive beats of music has an down-beat and an up-beat. The down-beats at the 1st and 3rd beats of a 4/4 time measure; the up-beats are the 2nd and 4th beats of the same measure. In Waltz (3/4 time measure), the 1st beat is a down-beat, while the 2nd and 3rd beats are up-beats.

     All these are further discussed in the chapter on "Hear and Feel the Music".

     A good knowledge and understanding of the Rules of Music is necessary for each dancer to know and understand rhythms and counting of musical beats, both of which are basic in dance. 

     The Rules of Movement and Rules of Music do not change. They exist. We merely have to discover what they are and how to apply them to our dancing. 
     Styling, character, attitude, essence, form, step patterns and variations are mere elements of the dance which change with the music and dance environment. 
     Dances come and go, but the rules are still the same. 
     The following chapters will discuss the most basic Rules of Movement and Rules of Music as they apply to the ballroom dances. 
      Included in the discussion of the rules are special exercises and techniques to help each dancer discover and understand the rules better. 
     Diligent practice and an open critical mind will allow each dancer to discover these on their own. Stand up and practice, and analyze how each rule works for you and your body. 
     Understand too that each dance has its own set of rules, which again are discovered. These rules differentiate one dance from the other. We have tried to make it easier for the reader to determine these rules by providing as much information  on each dance as possible in  succeeding sections on individual dances.