What are the controlling and free partnered Dances?

Sagitta

Sagitta

Well-Known Member
I started having this really interesting conversation today afternoon with the person who taught me to dance swing...(I had popped into his class as I had a really bad dance workshop with one of those national dance champs...)... Anyway we started thinking about what dances are follows given freedom to improvise and express themselves freely.

We thought that for the ballroom dances of waltz and foxtrot the leader was very much in control. I would also add balboa to the list. On the other end of the scale we came up with latin and lindy for those where the follow is freer to improvise. For latin we have shines or periods of solo dancing. In lindy there are those times the leader lets the follow do her own thing.

What do think?
 
i think it has more to do with the leader than the dance itself, although latin and swing do of course lend themselves more to individual freedom since you get to let go of each other. but i've definitely done some swing, chacha, and salsa with some leaders who just don't let you do ANYTHING! some leaders, though, even in tango or foxtrot, are flexible enough to let me improv a bit.
 
That's why I like salsa so much! It gives you so much freedom, you can make up your own steps(shines) and you're not being controlled all the time by your partner.
 
:) cocodrilo, I've run into partners who wouldn't let me improvise... but I think salsa gives one enough freedom usually.... don't know about lindy, since I don't dance it
 
squirrel said:
:) cocodrilo, I've run into partners who wouldn't let me improvise... but I think salsa gives one enough freedom usually.... don't know about lindy, since I don't dance it
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That can be a personality or cultural trait. Latin dance is usually considered macho? Isn't it? Then there are very controlling people... I don't dance lindy too, but I learnt enough a while back to get an idea and also have observed it too.
 
Sagitta said:
squirrel said:
:) cocodrilo, I've run into partners who wouldn't let me improvise... but I think salsa gives one enough freedom usually.... don't know about lindy, since I don't dance it
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That can be a personality or cultural trait. Latin dance is usually considered macho? Isn't it? Then there are very controlling people... I don't dance lindy too, but I learnt enough a while back to get an idea and also have observed it too.
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The latinos I dance with know I LOVE shines and like to see what I can do, (and they like to do their stuff, too!!!) so they are not that controlling. It's the people who only know patterns who are reluctant to let go and dance solo- most likely due to a minimal shine repertorie... :?
 
Interesting. My perspective is a bit different. To me, a lead is a suggestion of what to do next, in terms of pattern, speed, direction. But how she does any of these things is up to the follow, regardless of the dance, I think. Any control is strictly in the minds of the lead and follow involved, if you ask me. A truly self-directed follow can dance whatever she wants, within the framework that a lead provides. Her obligations are to respect the music, respect the pattern, tempo and direction of movement chosen by the lead. And, oh yeah, if it's a choreographed routine, she should work within the musical cues and not throw off her partner. Anything over and above that (a lot of stuff! LOL) is up to her. :wink:
 
pygmalion said:
Interesting. My perspective is a bit different. To me, a lead is a suggestion of what to do next, in terms of pattern, speed, direction. But how she does any of these things is up to the follow, regardless of the dance, I think. Any control is strictly in the minds of the lead and follow involved, if you ask me. A truly self-directed follow can dance whatever she wants, within the framework that a lead provides. Her obligations are to respect the music, respect the pattern, tempo and direction of movement chosen by the lead. And, oh yeah, if it's a choreographed routine, she should work within the musical cues and not throw off her partner. Anything over and above that (a lot of stuff! LOL) is up to her. :wink:
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True, true...
 
cocodrilo said:
tj said:
Not to mention that in salsa nowadays, hijacking is becoming more and more common.
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Please elaborate.
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Maybe this is just a (USA) West Coast thing?

Edie was talking about the concept of salsa hijacking at her workshop(s) in Vancouver last fall.

The idea is that 2-3x per song, the follow can refuse to follow the pattern/move that is being led, so that she can do her own styling/moves for a couple of 8 counts.
 
pygmalion said:
Yup, tj. I've done that in both WCS and salsa. 8)
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Here's a little gossip for you - heard secondhand that when a follow did that in NYC with a "famous" salsero, that he walked off the dancefloor. :shock:
 
I've been on a salsa floor and had the leader walk off on me before. I survived. Much later, I came to the conclusion that the guy involved was a total jerk, but either way, I survived and kept dancing. So there! :twisted: :lol:
 
pygmalion said:
I've been on a salsa floor and had the leader walk off on me before. I survived. Much later, I came to the conclusion that the guy involved was a total jerk, but either way, I survived and kept dancing. So there! :twisted: :lol:
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:wink: 8)
 
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