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yeah- there's always going to be exceptions. As always, you gotta use your best judgement of a floor situation when following or choosing who your leader wisely for the situation.

Yes- exactly. The boleo is not the lift. The lift is an adornment, if you will. The boleo is the rebound in the lower part of the body. Floor conditions dictate whether I'll lift my leg and if the leader is like in your paragraph 2, I just don't dance with them on a crowded floor or with a lead...

Hey Zoopsia! Stepping out of my infinite lurkdom to hi 5 these posts. It's not possible for me to like them enough....

The way I interpret active following, and have for many years, is based on some lessons I had in that direction about 5 years ago. In the class, I had to lead the leader to make the body motions that would lead my steps. In other words, I had to lead the leader to lead me a cross, or ocho, or...

hello- Sorry to be away for so long. I am in the middle of buying and renovating one house while simultaneously selling another. I have read through your replies and sad to say, my opinion does not change much from what I originally posted. But Gssh, your commentary is always welcome. Your...

The reasons seem pretty well covered. I come here now and then and mostly lurk. As a follower, most of the discussions seem leader focused and so why bother? At home, I am less active because the level of dancing is mediocre at best with the better dancers either moving away (not an option)...

Hmm. I can't say anything about recently, but I do have a pair of Darcos from last year or end of 2011 and they are still fine. Sockliners (that inner white sole with the rick rack border that is peeling up on your shoes) can come up pretty quickly if it's not glued down properly. I don't...

You are very welcome. It seems you have already made a start! I'm glad CiF will work for you. They are pretty! SInce I can't collect CiF, I collect interesting handbags instead. :) Once you get used to your CIF size, check eBay for deals or something cheap in a higher heel you won't mind...

Wait- just so y'all don't think I have a serious tango shoe problem (!) most of these brands that I don't wear are ones I tried and sold in the first few years of dancing as I desperately tried to find something that would fit the requirements of my wide feet that were pretty but not too high...

Everyone has their preferences that develop over time. I have tried many many shoes in the last 8-9 years. This is a list of shoes I have owned at one time or at least tried on repeatedly. Tara- absolutely not for me. I don't like the chunky look and the shoes are painfully narrow. I was not...

You can add me to the list of those who like your comfortable and cuddly embrace dchester. :) There are also other ways to add dynamics to music other than taking huge steps and doing large movements. I think the space you are dancing in (and the relative level of crowdedness) needs to dictate...

I guess some people did because last I saw it was over 80% to their goal...

In classes, I've been taught both. In practice, I've had both types led. My own preference is no lift necessary, but if it's done well without being hurtful, it doesn't bother me if someone does use what I'd call upward torso motion to do something. It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me unless...

Y'all are both right! :) There's only so much one can do based on a video. I think quite a lot of very contructive progress was made and I think if anything, this topic should give them plenty of direction as for what to ask their instructors. I didn't say anything about the follower since...

I can only give you a followers perspective on this idea of holding tightly as I interpret it. Unfortunately, we don't know what your posture is like compared to the video (it may be fantastic!) and my comments were based on the posture I see in the video. People vary, but generally I do not...

It wasn't exactly clear to me from the suggestion if that was the case. Also, just moving closer until your chests are touching doesn't necessarily make for good close embrace and to me is beyond the scope of forum feedback and in to the realm of lessons. Dancing with the kind of connection...

This has been a really nice, constructively given discussion! (Really, it has...some of the stuff I've seen in the past on other tango lists were absolutely brutal.) And for someone who's only been dancing a year all I can say is man, keep it up! You're going to be fab! OP- so many people hit...

Sub- you're a leader most of the time though, right? (Tell me I haven't got it all backwards all this time!) I have taught leaders to follow (and think it's important for them to learn) and know what you mean. I've been teaching hubs to follow this past year and he does pretty well, but...

I guess the strife I am referring to and what I thought of when I read Opendoor's comment has more to do with the amount of interpersonal struggle I have seen develop between partners. Often it seems to stem from a disparity of learning ability/experience between the partners and/or different...

I would disagree that learning with your SO makes you more likely to anticipate with people. You may anticipate more with your SO because of the familiarity with dancing with him, but that's not likely to affect your anticipation with other leaders. If you find yoursealf anticipating with others...