Length, too. I can lead a lot of pivoting movements by stepping very far around, almost behind a follower. Or, I can step that way but leave my upper body calm (using significant dissociation, of course), and then let my body spiral "snap" the movement. All of this works largely because my legs and torso are longer than my partner's, and also because my arms are longer and don't have to shift around as I do it. It'd work even if I were lighter than my partner, because it's about each partner wanting to stay oriented toward the other wherever they may be, not about conveying force.
My coach, who is tiny next to me, cannot do this as easily. I am too broad and tall compared to her. Getting around me that way would involve letting go, even despite her superior technique and dissociation, and in fact she tends to lead these things to me as near-soltadas in many cases, with a lot of arm-sliding.
But bulk is a big part of it. I can drive turns standing in place, simply by twisting and spiraling to create massive angular momentum. My coach has to use sacadas to develop the same energy, so she's walking, not standing in place. Likewise, I can lead very deep volcadas without going visibly off my own axis, because I'm a wall next to her, but she really has to go off axis to lead me in a deep volcada, because if she were to play wall, my bulk would upend her regardless of her great technique.
Colgadas have all of the above considerations. Between my long arms and weight, I can send her out as far as I like without really having to lean more than marginally off axis. She pretty much has to let her hands slip along my arms quite far, and really open up the colgada, to support me in the same movement. Even boleos, planeos, and other high-leg-extension movements feel this effect. . . legs are heavy, and a big male leg is a lot harder to counterbalance and control.
And not that lifts are social steps, but I can lift her one-handed with my weak arm. She wouldn't even try to lift me. "It's technique, not strength!" goes only so far. Tell that to your hernia.
There are lots of little things too, including stuff like relative leg length in ganchos and other high invasions. She can throw that stuff my way with abandon because her legs end below mine, and even her highest shots are comfortably within the open space I'm leaving. I have to use a lot of knee bend to achieve the same thing with her.
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