85  To lead or not to lead

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 10:19:13 -0700
From: Mark Sussex <doktordogg@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: To lead or not to lead

--- JC Dill <tango@VO.CNCHOST.COM> wrote:

> How do you keep the follower from changing weight at
> the end of the second
> step when you step together and change weight? Do
> you give some special
> lead that indicates "I'm taking a step, but you
> shouldn't step with
> me"? Or do you just take your step (changing your
> weight) without
> transmitting a lead to your follower?

From the viewpoint of the leader, you have it
backwards. When the leader shifts his weight without
actively doing anything else, the follower can feel
it. This transmits a lead. Just taking a step does,
in fact, transmit a lead.

If the leader wants to take a step without
transmitting a lead, he must do something active to
prevent that spontaneous lead from being transmitted.
He must take measures to conceal the feeling of weight
shift, or he must send a message to "stay put". In
the cases of a carrousel and bridge it's even better,
in my opinion, to lead the woman's left foot into a
position (locked behind) that ensures she won't go
where the leader doesn't want her to. Leading a cross
basic similarly presents a challenge of preventing the
follower from mirroring the leader's syncopated step.

One way of concealing the weight shift is simply to
disconnect. Another is to "lift" on the right side
when putting the right foot down. Disconnecting works
when the leader wants to do some kind of footwork
around his partner. Lifting on the right side works
in the cross basic. Disconnecting isn't an option
with something like a carrousel or bridge, which
require a close connection.

Again, your recommendation that the leader simply step
without transmitting a lead implies that he took
special measures to conceal a lead! If he has a
connection and does nothing but simply step... he has
led!

Mark