Advice for a leader learning to follow

Forgot you were in London! That definitely makes things easier.

As a fellow office worker you need to build strength in your core and glutes. Quad dominance and lazy glutes will inhibit your boleos. Those glute exercises with resistance bands are very good. Don’t have a link right now but the likes of Sweaty Betty on Instagram would have a selection (barre workouts are also very good).

You may find that you get more fatigued in the follower role. It might be worth doing your home practice in thick sports socks to help with building foot and ankle strength.

Your tango shoes may not be slick enough for following. I’ve used Toms and cheap plastic-soled trainers in the past. If it feels like you can skate on your kitchen tiles you’ve reached the right level of slick!

Kitchen tiles are great for practicing giros. Place an object (a chair is good) in the centre of a group of tiles and giro around following the lines. Many leaders don’t lead the steps of a giro so you may as well commit them to memory. Forward, side, backwards, side all the same size! (Backwards is a doozy)
 
Great advice, thanks! I have a swivel-chair in my home office which is perfect for giro practice. Shoes-wise, I have some plastic-soled dance sneakers I use for outdoor milongas, and those swivel very well.
 
If you feel overwhelmed in your new role you are probably maintaining the leader mindset of 3-fold responsibilities (own steps, partner steps, navigation). Relax! The followers have also the option of leaving it all to the leader. :) It is a quite common strategy at an ordinary pista!

So stay calm in front of the leader and if there are some problems with a step just think that he is not yet a good leader, stay patience, and give him time so he can improve. After several tandas your patience will be rewarded and there can/may be signs of tiny development in his lead. When this happens do not forget to give him a good amount of compliments!
 
LadyLeader said:
If you feel overwhelmed in your new role you are probably maintaining the leader mindset of 3-fold responsibilities (own steps, partner steps, navigation). Relax! The followers have also the option of leaving it all to the leader. :)
Click to expand...
Yes, the little following I've done, it is wonderfully liberating!
 
I feel no real need to follow, at least not something I would pay lessons for.

And so I just wait until my SO wants to learn to lead. Or until significant social pressure builds to dance both roles.

However, I hope this won't be too difficult. The specific theory should be known by YT clips.
 
Tangogal said:
It might be difficult! It’s hard to go back to the beginning when you’re already proficient. I generally like to think of leading and following as two separate dances.
Click to expand...
Might be. It would also fit quite well, as I have no intention of learning a new dance at the moment, at least not if it requires significant resources. And if necessary, I'll still learn to follow faster than my SO to lead, I hope.
 
TTanguero said:
Second, I suspect I'm going to find it very difficult to switch off my interpretation of the music. I think for collaborative dance it's easy because the follower is already tuned into my dance, so she does something which builds on that, rather than contradicts it. But to simply stand and wait to hear how someone else interprets it from the start is, I think, going to be tough!
Click to expand...

How about wake up your curiosity?
When you honestly get interested in what your partner is doing, how is he solving the puzzle your frustration will be mitigated, Most of the time you will learn a lot and develop a broader musical hearing and movement choices.

(this was a late comment, someone maybe wrote about this. . .)
 
Rabbit said:
This is something that can also be done while dancing as a leader
Click to expand...
I think I'm hitting that now and struggling with it. Before I was simple in the sense that I "needed" what was led to be followed exactly, I had trouble if the follower went off my script. I have continued to improve, and now ladies are starting to throw in some complicated and extended embellishments -- this sometimes picks out a neat thing in the music I simply missed, or they dance to a different instrument than I am. It is great stuff when it happens, but I'll admit I'm struggling to make it seamless and it seems to be something that wasn't really taught in any of the many classes I've had. Classes did teach how ladies could make a choice (like quattro vs. gancho), or sneak in an extra step (like a quick toe tap), but not really how to throw in four quick steps that weren't really led but fit the lead and the music well.
 
I have been wondering the same thing! So far I have heard only about one instructor teaching the extra steps and I was quite upset about it. The young popular teacher told the other followers to squeeze the leader's hand to stop him and give space for her extra steps. For my taste this has too strong impact on the dance flow and navigation.

We have hardly any extra step followers here but last weekend I danced with an experienced follower (Italians are just lovely!) and she could do 50 extras when the music inspired her! I felt that when she got inspired she created an extra solid presence without stopping me. This presence was alternating between us or shared during our tanda. She made it so clear and effortless!

It is not only about leader hearing but also the follower saying something!
 
Last edited:
LadyLeader said:
The young popular teacher told the other followers to squeeze the leader's hand to stop him and give space for her extra steps. For my taste this has too strong impact on the dance flow and navigation.
Click to expand...
For me, truly collaborative dance is a delight. I think if the leader is listening to the follower, no specific signals are needed. Perhaps that's a good strategy for leaders who aren't good listeners?
 
TTanguero said:
For me, truly collaborative dance is a delight. I think if the leader is listening to the follower, no specific signals are needed. Perhaps that's a good strategy for leaders who aren't good listeners?
Click to expand...
When you were writing this I added the last sentence. :)

The follower needs to SAY something then I can listen. There always needs to be some kind of signals for us to know what our partner would like to do, like to happen.

When squeezing the signals were too rough at physical level but the Italian follower communicated more subtle.
 
Last edited:
LadyLeader said:
The follower needs to SAY something then I can listen. There always needs to be some kind of signals for us to know what our partner would like to do, like to happen.
Click to expand...
I think I could probably analyse how collaborative followers signal, but I'm not consciously aware of a signal which says 'Hold up, I want to do something.'

I was introduced to the concept of collaborative dance very early, literally six months in, when it seemed ridiculous at the time. The analogy my teacher used was that dance is a conversation. You don't wait until you feel you're good at talking before you begin listening.

What I found was that when I made space for my follower's dance, and actively listened, then they would do amazing things I couldn't possibly lead. Over time, I then got to understand how those movements worked, so it was a massive help to my lead.

So I think now it's just very natural for me, as it was there pretty much from the start.

In terms of understanding what they want to say, I think that's basically the same as following – which is why the idea of actually learning to follow doesn't feel so daunting as it once did.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Dance Ads

Advertise on Dance Forums Reach dancers, teachers, studios, event organizers, and dance-friendly brands. View ad options
Back
Top