Okay, since this topic was started I decided to spend some time tonight paying close attention to follows who don't know dancing and see what techniques I used, what worked and what didn't. I chose a couple deliberately.
I found that whenever I asked someone to dance, who really didn't know, they told me right off the bat that was the case. The one statement that put them at most ease, was, "I know. Let's just have some fun." Both knew a bit of the slot style of dancing salsa but were uncomfortable doing it. I immediately switched to what I consider my blend of Cumbia/forro/Cuban dancing. (Don't ask!!) All the follows immediately relaxed and got it. When they started looking down I told them not to worry about it and just look up and let their feet do their thing. They got into it and started trusting me. While dancing I told them if you feel that I'm pushing too fast/hard you let me know and I'll slow down. Both followers told me that they wanted to learn whatever I could teach. I did give both a taste of what several turns Cuban style was, for instance, but of course they got a little off, as they started worrying a bit of getting back, so I did stick to simple stuff, with plenty of basics inbetween. We did cross-body lead, right turn, two handed turns, back breaks, and just some basics. Many ways to dance the basic, I've discovered. Open position with hands moving in different ways to the music....
Oh yes, I danced two songs with each I think. I could have danced 6-10 songs with each easily, but I like dancing with a variety of poeple, so only two songs.
On contraire to your experience dessaix both beginners had a blast. They had grins on their face and you could tell they were thrilled to be up and dancing. They loved the moves and doing what they had seen people do, but they also loved the basic as I mixed it up.
Let em see if I can sort of describe the sort of thing I do to put in variety. Do the hand thing in open, go into closed then go to the left with feet going left, right, left (not salsa side basic, but more cumbia/forro style), then go right, (one basic)go forward...sneak in a real slot-like salsa basic, and then two and they don't even realize it...left, right left in a clockwise turn while holding follow tight and right left right (one basic) then back and forward for one basic, lead into back breaks using hand to move follow from side to side, right hand, left hand, right hand, and use last half of second basic to get into closed, then move left and right (one basic)forward and back basic to slide into open position (two at least), and do back breaks (definitely cuban style what I did there) and instead of doing turns at the end of a basic, grab both hands and just do a back break straight back sliding into closed...Alternatively one turn, followers back caught by right hand and so we are in closed where she immediately feels that we have changed and what we are doing. I don't think any dance went like that, but gives an idea of the variety of things I did without any turns as such, though I did throw in a few turns. Difficult to explain really.
Both followers could follow multiple turns but I could tell that here it got a little confusing so I did not do them. Anyway both ladies connected with me, and I connected with them. I couldn't do fancy moves, such as a CBL with inside turn guided with hand on the waist (first half of basic) and leg(second half of basic) , but you know for me dancing isn't about fancy moves.
Just that a bouncy person gives a really rough ride for the slot style of dancing and other styles are better used to disguise and channel that roughness into proper dancing. And, yes, you can add Columbian to Cuban / Brazillian.
