2614  followers progress faster

Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 17:24:46 -0700
From: Phil Seyer <weddingdj@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: followers progress faster

I keep hearing it said that followers progress faster. "Following is
easier than leading," say many. Hmmm. Some really disagree with that.
The ability to follow a wide range of leaders, in my opinion, can be
daunting. When you dance with a leader, you never know what that
cookie is going to do.

It's not true for me that I make fast progress as a follower. The
reason: I just don't have the opportunity to follow, much. The men
usually flatly refuse to lead me and the women *usually * say, "Oh, I
don't know how to lead." Once in a while I find a woman who can lead
and, wow, is it fun to follow!

When women ask me why I like to follow, I usually explain, "Well, I'm
from San Francisco, and my regular partner is not here. Usually *he*
likes to lead." They usually nod in understanding, Somehow, it seems
they are very relaxed when I dance with them later as a leader.

:) ;)

=======
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Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 00:04:41 -0500
From: Lois Donnay <donnay@DONNAY.NET>
Subject: Re: followers progress faster

I have a good friend here, and we love to tease each other. He's forever
chiding me about "spoiling all of the followers for the men" because I lead
so much. Often after he and I dance, I turn the tables on him and try to
lead him. He always pushes me back to the followers position and tells me to
"cut that out!" Recently he said "OK, fine, lead me!" He spent most of the
dance giggling, and after the dance he said "Do it again!!"

I think it's not true to say that followers can learn tango so much faster.
It's hard to follow well. There's a lot to it.

I see many more women who are good leaders than men who are good followers.

Lois Donnay, looking forward to leading Phil someday, but still in...
Minneapolis, MN

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phil Seyer [mailto:weddingdj@GMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 7:25 PM
> To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: [TANGO-L] followers progress faster
>
>
> I keep hearing it said that followers progress faster.
> "Following is easier than leading," say many. Hmmm. Some
> really disagree with that. The ability to follow a wide
> range of leaders, in my opinion, can be daunting. When you
> dance with a leader, you never know what that cookie is going to do.
>
> It's not true for me that I make fast progress as a follower. The
> reason: I just don't have the opportunity to follow, much.
> The men usually flatly refuse to lead me and the women
> *usually * say, "Oh, I don't know how to lead." Once in a
> while I find a woman who can lead and, wow, is it fun to follow!
>
> When women ask me why I like to follow, I usually explain,
> "Well, I'm from San Francisco, and my regular partner is not
> here. Usually *he* likes to lead." They usually nod in
> understanding, Somehow, it seems they are very relaxed when
> I dance with them later as a leader.
>
> :) ;)
>