Achieving Comfortable Arm and Hand Position in Close Embrace

In close embrace, the man's left elbow and the woman's right elbow are bent at approximately 75 degrees, allowing their hands to meet at shoulder height. The natural position of their hands has the palms facing their own body centers, with thumbs on top and little fingers on the bottom. However, this positioning prevents their hands from clasping properly - they need to face each other to interlock. Initially, both partners may adjust their hand positions to accommodate one another, but during dancing, men often unconsciously revert to facing their palms inward, causing the woman's hand to twist outward uncomfortably.

To prevent this issue, the man has to keep his palm facing the woman instead of toward his body center. He can also extend his left arm outward to the left rather than keeping it raised directly in front of his left shoulder - this naturally orients his palm toward the woman. Alternatively, the partners can avoid clasping hands altogether. The woman can instead rest her four fingers lightly between his thumb and index finger, or place the lower part of her palm on his upturned palm, or let him hold the back of her hand. This eliminates any twisting or discomfort in her right hand.

The man should lead with his torso rather than relying on his arms and hands. He must keep his arms and hands completely relaxed to avoid unconsciously using them to guide movements. If the woman feels that her hand is being held too tightly, she should signal the man to adjust his grip rather than waiting until the dance is over to mention it. It’s normal for both partners to have some habits that the other finds uncomfortable. Communication is essential, and both partners should work together to adapt and accommodate each other during the dance.

Novice women often wrap their left arm around the man’s right side, which restricts his right arm, making him feel heavy and uncomfortable. This positioning also shifts the woman's body to the right side of the man, reducing her sensitivity to subtle changes in his body position, which is one of the reasons women fail to do cruzada.

The right embrace is symmetrical, with the two partners face each other chest against chest, his left hand holds her right hand at shoulder height, his right arm wraps around her body from her left, and her left arm is hooked around his right shoulder or neck, so the two are perfectly aligned. This correct embrace is not only the most comfortable, it also allows the woman to feel any subtle changes in the position of the man's body, so when he walks on her right, she will naturally reposition her body with the cruzada to put her body back in alignment with him (see Why Women Fail to Do Cruzada).