Leads, you must be accountable for understanding your follow’s needs. Becoming a good leader involves listening to your partner. If she can’t follow, it’s because you can’t lead. Because it is the leader’s job to assess the ability of the follower and lead accordingly, you may have led her above her ability if she cannot follow.
You will want to assess your partner’s ability in the beginning of a dance and lead accordingly. The only exceptions are a follow that cannot dance on time or a follow who backleads (but there are very few of these). If the first lead goes badly, give her a second chance. Don’t discuss the move, just do it! If she does better, try it again. You might have blown the lead the first time. If she cannot do the move, don’t try to force it. Continue to assess your partner’s ability as you dance. Build up to complicated moves; develop your dance as a conversation, allowing for improvisation and creativity.
A crucial point for leads is that you must initiate your lead slightly before the follow needs to take a step. This advance notice gives the follow the opportunity to take the step you are asking her to make. Ultimately, you want to offer the lightest effective lead. This lead will vary with the partner, as a newer dancer might need a more forceful lead than an experienced dancer. As you and a partner continue to dance together, you will both become more comfortable with one another. Comfortable partners will achieve shorter lead times resulting in flawless movements.
When traffic on the dance floor moves, (such as when the dances circulate counter-clockwise around the floor as in ballroom dances or the Argentine Tango), navigation skills are important for both the lead and the follow. Both partners must use their peripheral vision to watch the couples around them, being attentive so they are able anticipate the others’ moves. Generally, the follow should not back lead, but communicating with the lead is positive in this instance. She can give signals to the leader that a traffic problem is coming up by increasing her pressure on the dance hold, preventing the leader from backing into another couple.
Incorporating the techniques and recommendations from the past seven blog entries will help make you a better follower or leader. As you are attentive to your dance hold, as you and your partner touch in a well-intentioned and educated way, and as the lead creatively adapts to his follower’s needs, you will build a strong connection with your partner which will result in enjoyable and beautiful dance movements.
