| This is a very personal view of dancing, and I don't expect anyone to agree with everything I say. If some men like signals, and their partners can follow them, I'm not going to stop them. It is purely my own experience that leading is more rewarding than signalling. These are my reasons why...
My main aim in dancing it to have fun. For that to happen only takes 4 things
- a reasonable floor (something between ice and glue)
- liking the music
- feeling safe (ie someone is not going to take my head off doing an aerial)
- letting my partner enjoy herself
I can't do anything about the floor, other than not go back to that venue.
I can't do much about the music unless I start DJing (way too much hassle)
If someone starts doing lifts near me, I'll just move away. (They will grow up eventually...)
The only thing I can really change is how much my partner enjoys herself.
My impression of what ladies like in dancing is based on what they say, how they look, how they 'feel', and whether they dance with me again. And my impression is that ladies like to look good while they dance. More importantly ladies don't like being made to look bad while they dance.
Spinning a lady who doesn't like spinning looks bad. Dragging a beginner through complicated moves looks bad. And too many missed moves make a couple look bad.
Most of the ladies I dance with I've never met before. I don't know how long they have danced, how good they are, where or what they have learnt, or what signals they know. But if I stick to moves that I can lead, it doesn't matter what they know - I can dance with them.
Most normal moves that rely on signals can be led. A neck break is simply a first move with a hand change. Other moves rely on the simplest signal around - asking for the lady's other hand. Anything beyond that I can't remember the signals! If I could guarantee that every lady knew every signal that I could learn, I wouldn't mind learning a few more, but I don't think I can guarantee that. However virtually every lady I've danced with has been able to follow a lead, and I know I should be able to lead every move I can do. (That doesn't mean to say I always lead everything properly!)
Yes Ceroc is standardised, but not everyone learns Ceroc. There are a lot of different organisations that teach Modern Jive, and I would doubt that they all use the same names or signals. There are also many other styles of dancing that follow the basics of leading and following. I would like to be able to dance with anyone, not just Ceroc dancers.
(As a leader I have the option of not using signals. Unfortunately a follower doesn't.)
David |