I think that when leads get better at leading, they discover how little is needed to actually lead a good follower: they become very light of touch and ease followers through moves... bliss for a good follower.
However in becoming such a light follower, they become similar to the 'noodle arm' followers and resistance from back-leading or folk who 'think' they know what you are doing forces the lead's arms & joints in ways that they didn't expect... painful ways.
Learning how to deal with followers like this seems like a huge step backwards for these leads. And why subject yourself to 'bad' following when it is painful?
How I lead is by knowing the precise path that my hands travel to lead a movement. I lead the same movement for every partner of every level. I can feel my partner's resistance in every direction and can therefore apply an opposite force to re-direct them onto the path I should be travelling. The further from this 'perfect' path I am forced, then the more force I use to push and pull my partner back on track.
If my partner is constantly following with the minimum resistance and I feel them applying more resistance, then I know they want to play or are about to hi-jack me (or I've just screwed up). The key to this is consistency.
Hand bounce I try to apply the resistance thing to... If that doesn't work, I increase the amount of wrist, arm, shoulder and body contact leads. And free-spins.I have tried this a few times. I have had followers that bounce either their hands up and down or even their whole bodies.
Body bounce is much easier to syncopate since it is normally a result of too big steps and bendy knees. Here I drop my centre, bend my knees more and never step away from my partner - stepping in as they step back. Lots of wraps and basket type moves.
Nope: I'm saying I try to be smooth with smooth followers and bouncy with bouncy followers - you can try and be smooth with everyone and avoid hurting yourself; rule zero of MJ: self-preservation. (Rule one being partner preservation. Everything else is debatable )Anyway I get what you are saying. I should be smooth with smooth followers and bouncy with bouncy followers.
Ahhh, the partner who's body follows about a beat behind the lead and limbs flail wildly with the music... they are funI have the feeling that I am unable to lead much because they reason they are able to flail themselves is that they have disconnected their arms from their body and their legs and feet from their torso.
It's similar to syncopating the bounce thing, but much harder because they are trying to follow your lead and you are trying to follow their wild movements and lead at the same time... but if you get it right, they can be some of the best dances!
My approach is to treat it like blues gone through micro-blues, out the other side and grown into a wild parody of it's self Leading moves becomes immaterial - it's about musicality and moving with your partner & the music. Never mind arm leads or the usual hand leads - the focus has to be on their 'core' (although they may seem to have replaced it with jelly) and matching yours to it. It may seem that the subtly of blues is at polar opposites to this type of dancer, but I have found it works really well.
When these dancers learn a bit more self control and learn how to follow better, they become some of the most expressive and joyful to dance with.
Wouldn't be the first or last time.If we ever on a weekender together and I come across one of these people I will be sure to point them in your direction, partly for your enjoyment and partly for my own education.
What I don't like is 'picking up' followers who have been torn down by leads because the lead had a bad dance with them - Many, many, many times I have had followers comment that I make them feel like they can dance. Nice to hear {} but it's when they say the last lead told them they were doing everything wrong and telling them how they should respond to his 'lead'... Most of the time, it's the lead expecting the follower to compensate for their failings. (which good followers tend to do 'automatically' - it's part of what makes them "good")
Because we all tend to see ourselves from the inside rather than the outside; it's a unique perspective. They are not 'ignoring' the instructions - they are completing them exactly how they think they should be completed. It's how they have completed the same set of instructions every month. It looks right from in here. Specific pointers can't be aimed at me - I've been doing this movement for months, I know how it goes.When you see the same people spending month after month or year after year being instructed to do something in a certain way or not to do something and yet they carry on ignoring that instructions what can I conclude? Are they unable to comprehend their instructor? Thinks that it will never apply to them? Can't be bothered to put in the effort? Why bother going to lesson if you have no desire or intention to learn?
:shrug: we are all guilty of it. It takes a huge effort to look at yourself honestly - it's why people go to one-on-one lessons: to get a view from outside.
Some of the fun is being able to dance with anyone. Some of it is about giving everyone the best dance I can. Some is the 'thank you', grins, and floaty walk you leave with people. Some is the weeks/months to come when you feel the people grow in confidence and ability. Some of the fun comes from that first squeeking crunch of a boot in new snow: taking off a preconception blindfold and showing folk a glimpse of what a dance could be.But with so many able dancers and a constant supply of beginners in venues I am not able to see where the fun comes in developing these skills.
I have no worries about what my partner will/won't do, how the connection will be (if it's there), how musical they will/won't be, how responsive/unresponsive they are, ... I have confidence in my own abilities to handle whatever and recover from any mistakes without hurting anyone or being hurt. I am relaxed, enjoying the music and my partner.
It's fun because it's dancing.
I dance because it's fun.
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