Both parts take a lot of practice, but I’ve been told by several people (men and women, including one instructor) that it’s probably more important for the lead to continue on with more advanced salsa courses than it is for the follow. I think the reasoning is that if the follow is at some base level of competency, she can respond to new techniques and still get through it, if she’s being led well. She may not have super advanced styling, her shines may not be as super cool, but the dance will be fine.
However, if the lead doesn’t fully understand the moves he’s trying, it’s far more likely to crash and burn, even with a follow who’s really experienced. It’s simply not the follow’s job to guide the lead through it, so it’s quite rare for her to be able to save both parts, whereas a really good lead can lead a basically competent follow through it, even if she’s not quite sure what’s going on. In addition, the lead is essentially choreographing everything, which means more of the burden of the artistic success of the dance lies on his shoulders.
It makes sense to me, though I guess there could be some flaw in this reasoning. But from what I’ve seen, good lead + mediocre follow = fun to watch. Mediocre lead + good follow = not as fun to watch.
If we’re talking about competitive dancing, however, I think the requirements are equally high for both partners.
I just had a really weird experience last night. I asked a girl to dance and she agreed readily enough. However, when we started dancing, she kept looking at someone or something across the dance floor. The entire time we were dancing! She wasn’t very good to begin with, but she wasn’t even trying to keep up with the beat. A couple of times I would do a lead and she kinda woke up and seemed surprised that I was there. I was like a forgotten little prop.
My theory is that she was probably jealous of her boyfriend dancing with someone else or something, but she just guaranteed that I’ll never dance with her again for the rest of my dancing career.
Sounds like it on the surface, or maybe she just wasn’t sure of what she was doing and wasn’t confident in her abilities? Could be anything. Either way, she was pretty rude. If she’s not very good, she should just say so, or else refuse the dance.
I don’t mind dancing with rank beginners; hell, on Friday night, a lot of guys and gals are doing salsa for the first time. But usually they’re trying, smiling, and having fun, and that’s really all I ask.
This girl, I actually saw her dancing with a guy later and she was actively trying to keep the beat and follow his leads, and she was looking at the guy. I’m pretty sure she was either dating him or pining after him, and everyone else (including me) could go to hell. Maybe the only reason she’d accepted was because he was dancing with someone else, and I would be a useful tool in whatever she was playing at.
OK, yes, in that case, she was being rude and using you to “get” at him. Why, I have no clue, since at least around here, a dance is just a dance, and nothing more.
I’ve had that experience in dance class, too, where I switched to a partner who couldn’t even be bothered to look at me. It is rude. No, I’m not the hottest girl in this class, but you can pretend that I’m a human being for three minutes.
My salsa teacher is attempting to teach me dance moves on the dance floor. I so need to be able to pick up better on his leads and learn more rhythm!
On the plus side, we danced our first public rueda yesterday – it rocked and although we had a few flubs and people missed the styling, it was still fun, and we may have a video of it soon!
Do you have a 1-on-1 private teacher? I almost never get a chance to dance with the female teacher in my class!
Nice! So you guys have just been dancing in private until now? Or are there special rueda studios where different circles all practice in the same place?
Not quite. But our classes are very small, and we’re rather close too, so even though I don’t have 1-on-1 lessons with him, we end up dancing a lot socially anyway, and he teaches me a lot that way.
We’ve been practicing in private until now – my teacher basically rents out a studio, we turn up there for a practice and to learn new moves.
OK, here it is. Its a bit dark because the studio was really dark and no one thought to turn the lights up when they videoed this, but should still be viewable. We flubbed a bit of the styling in some moves, and someone got a lead wrong towards the end, but this is the first one we’ve danced in front of an audience!
