Do shoulder shrug exercises to help reduce tension and relax your shoulders. Face the mirror and stand with your shoulders raised up to your ears. Hold this position for three to four counts. Exhale and drop your shoulders back to their normal position. Do this exercise two to three times.
Wear a vest instead of a jacket during ballroom dancing. Regular jackets for men typically have padded shoulders, as well as armpits cut too low for ballroom dancing. Padded jackets encourage your shoulders to hunch forward while dancing with your partner. A vest or other garment that minimizes arm constriction allows for better free-flowing movement.
Get a massage. Dancers often develop tension between their shoulder blades because of the demands of maintaining an erect position and pulling their shoulder blades together. Massages open up the rib cage and relieve tension between the shoulders, making it easier to keep your shoulders down naturally while ballroom dancing.