Active Following

[dchester]

I would say that dead weight is almost the opposite of surrender because it creates so much resistance to the leader's attempt to move.

I guess that's the advantage of me being a large guy. Most followers really don't give so much resistance that it would ever cause a problem for me.

 

[Zoopsia59]

I guess that's the advantage of me being a large guy. Most followers really don't give so much resistance that it would ever cause a problem for me.

Well as long as my clinical approach, lack of personality, and insistence on doing what you led don't bother you, I won't mind you being a large guy.

 

[Peaches]

My understanding of an active follower is one that wants to bring her interpretation of the music into the partnership.

At one level she may feel that the leader requires some help with finding the best rhythm in the music they are dancing to.

At another it may mean she dances to the rhythm of one instrument and the leader to another and both are skilled enough to accomodate each other.

Or she may feel a certain mood in the music that she feels the leader has not found.

There are many reasons which have nothing to do with Show Tango or looking flash to the rest of the floor.

and generally takes the form of a slight stiffening of the followers body as an invitation to allow her to bring these things in. A sensitive leader will feel this and he can choose whether to accept or reject this invitation, just as the follower does when the leader invites her into a move.

I understand that some followers just want to surrender to the embrace and that is fine but some followers want to bring their musical ear to the partnership and if done in a way that allows the leader to accommdate this and he wants to I think that is fine to.

+1

I just had a wonderful AT experience in another city. (Cincinnati, FYI. If you end up going there, look up their Wednesday night practica in Northside. A really wonderful group of dancers who are just so friendly and engaging. Anyway.) I don't think it's necessarily a surrender or follow actively decision; they're not mutually exclusive; it's a false dichotomy.

I strive...not that strive is the right word, but I can't think of another offhand...to follow actively and actively surrender. Every time I dance. It could be a terminology thing, since they're both fuzzy concepts. By actively surrender I guess i mean to be in the moment,, and wholly immersed in the dance and the music and my partner and to forget the whole world. By following actively I mean that I'm listening to and engaging with the music. I can surrender to my leader's leading...and still assert myself. Lapiz, hooks, taps...how I hold my body...how I take a step... Becoming a 3-D representation of the music. All while surrendering.

Anyway. This past week I got surrendering experience where I didn't assert myself anymore than what I mentioned above. and then one leader took that bit and responded to it, and I felt I was able to, if not hijack, then at least assert and suggest. And it was wonderful, for both of us (unless he was lying). Just simple things, like making drawing out the timing of a step that was suggested but not forced (marked versus led?). Stiffening a bit to suggest holding for another beat. Softening to suggest a more lyrical approach. Really playing with something to show that I like a particular move, and hoping he gets the point and plays with it some more. This leader took the suggestions and ran with them. So wonderful.

 

[dchester]

Well as long as my clinical approach, lack of personality, and insistence on doing what you led don't bother you, I won't mind you being a large guy.

You seem to have lots of personality.

:friend:

 

[Captain Jep]

+1

I strive...not that strive is the right word, but I can't think of another offhand...to follow actively and actively surrender. Every time I dance. It could be a terminology thing, since they're both fuzzy concepts. By actively surrender I guess i mean to be in the moment,, and wholly immersed in the dance and the music and my partner and to forget the whole world. By following actively I mean that I'm listening to and engaging with the music. I can surrender to my leader's leading...and still assert myself. Lapiz, hooks, taps...how I hold my body...how I take a step... Becoming a 3-D representation of the music. All while surrendering.

Anyway. This past week I got surrendering experience where I didn't assert myself anymore than what I mentioned above. and then one leader took that bit and responded to it, and I felt I was able to, if not hijack, then at least assert and suggest. And it was wonderful, for both of us (unless he was lying). Just simple things, like making drawing out the timing of a step that was suggested but not forced (marked versus led?). Stiffening a bit to suggest holding for another beat. Softening to suggest a more lyrical approach. Really playing with something to show that I like a particular move, and hoping he gets the point and plays with it some more. This leader took the suggestions and ran with them. So wonderful.

Sheer poetry. And I like the fact it's not either/or : its and.

Isnt it wonderful when you know the other person is really listening? Hehe