I don't know because I don't know what an "alternating cycle" would be.
In the sense that the follow doesn't ever stop dead and isn't every literally not following, yes.
But sometimes a follow must move themselves decisively adding energy. The get the signal: move forward and they use their own muscles to move forward . They aren't just coasting along or (hopefully) pushed.
Yes. And after you communicate move back commencing to turn, the follow ought to move back and make the turn pretty much immediately and decisively using her own energy. You don't want her to wait and move sluggishly.
But if sometimes some lead (perhaps not you) communicates "move back" and then, suddenly communicates, "Whoa, I meant forward!". This behavior on the part of leads will often result in the follow is going to learn to hesitate before moving back when they first perceive "move back". They will wait a bit until they get something that communicates "yeah, I really meant it!" That follow will seem sluggish and heavy to you and there will be difficult to have energy in the dancing.
Hesitating to wait for the "I really meant it" aspect of the lead is a hard habit to break. A follow really cannot break that habit practicing with a lead who is not confident and clear and who does not already know how to lead a pattern. If she tries to say "Well, I'll just go when I first feel the lead" and the lead does change his mind and his lead, she risks either minor pain or at worst actually getting hurt.
I think the harder thing is that even if you listen, leads sometimes contradict themselves (for various reasons.) Of course, people speaking also sometimes contradict themselves or mis-speak.
Pros teaching lessons doing steps they know very, very well don't do this "whoops, I changed my mind" lead. But Am partners in group lessons do it constantly. Beginner/intermediate leads at social dancing do it often enough that follows all experience it there.
