Do leaders follow?

[pygmalion]

I know we've discussed the concept of good leading in other threads, but never quite this way. So here goes. Do leaders follow? We all know that the leader's job is to decide what to do on the dancefloor, then clearly indicate that decision to his follower. But does he also follow? For example, what happens if the follow doesn't execute the proper pattern, or if she turns to quickly, too slowly, or the wrong amount of turn? Does the lead also have a responsibility to follow?

[HothouseSalsero]

Leaders have to respond. I wouldn't necessarily say "follow," but if a follower does something you weren't trying to lead, you as a leader have to be able to adapt to that. Stopping then and making them do it over isn't exactly an option.

In some cases it is very important not to follow when a follower messes up. Take your example of someone turning too quickly: the leader has to keep dancing in time to the music, which hopefully will also help the follower get back in time.

It depends on the situation really. In some cases I might try to bring a partner back from doing something she wasn't supposed to do, but not if it's going to throw our time off (which in most cases it would).

[youngsta]

I'd say we improvise in cases like that. Just like if we are in the middle of executing something and another couple is all of a sudden in what was your space. Have to abort the move and improvise to avoid a collison.

[Danish Guy]

I like the word adapting to, better than follow. You have to tune in on your follower, and see how she react to your lead, and the level of moves you can lead.

Like Youngsta says, you sometime have to abort the ting you are leading. I got several “emergency exits” I use if the follow do something I didn’t expect, or the dance space suddenly requires something different. The main issue is to keep the beat and make it look good. 8)

Sometimes I get the “Where did you learn that move” response, and the answer is I didn’t, it just felt right. Other times I get the “you’re not supposed to stop me here” and the answer is, that if I have allowed you to take that step back, we wouldn’t have avoided a full force collision with that wild salsero and your backside. :shock:

The cool thing it when you lead something new on pure instinct and it just works.