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Many leads I’ve met are frustrated by a paradox they see in the dance world. It can often seem that follows say “I want a guy who leads solid, connected basics – not advanced patterns”. Yet, the same follow is…
Every lead has encountered the Backleader. Very much the follow version of a Pinball Lead, the Backleader goes where he or she wants – without regard to the partner. It doesn’t matter if the lead has another idea or if…
Pinball Lead: a lead who does not let the follow finish a movement before launching into the next one. I have come across many Pinball Leads in my time. They can be a newer or older dancer, outgoing or shy, kind…
In dance, we have very often heard the analogy about driving a car. Usually, it’s in reference to leads ‘driving’ their follows. I’ve used the same metaphor for both leads and follows in respect to ‘test-driving’, and I’ve made allegories…
Everyone has their favourite social dance partners – which is awesome. Sometimes we just get those oh-so-sweet, buttery smooth dances that make us feel amazing all over. However, it is important to remember that (almost) every partner you encounter has…
A Note from Laura Riva: I don’t normally post guest articles on my blog, but for Trevor Copp I make an exception. For those who don’t know, Trevor is one of the people behind the Liquid Lead Dancing Tedx Talk…
Probably every person on this planet has, at one time or another, reacted a little too strongly to something. Usually, it stems from a perfect storm of stress and other factors which just happen to hit that spot where it’s…
I wrote an article a few days ago on being a generous dancer, and there was a question that came out of that post from several people: does being a generous dancer mean I have to dance with everyone? No,…
A generous dancer is one who shares their love of dancing with the world – whatever that world may be. The Performer does this through tireless dedication to their craft, resulting in breathtaking performances of (near) perfection. The Teacher does…
Floorcraft: being aware of your surroundings while dancing to maintain safety and comfort for you, your partner, and couples around you. It can include watching for potential collisions, respecting the flow, direction, or slot on the floor, and troubleshooting out…
We know how awesome it feels to dance with a great lead or follow. We know that it’s important to be able to assess your partner during the dance to maximize your positive experience. We know that attitude plays an…
At around 4 a.m. after a Saturday full of dancing, I had quite a memorable conversation with a dancer who had experienced a dance that they were hoping would go very right, but ended up leaving a negatively-tinged aftertaste because…
I love social dancing. I love the variety, I love the musicality, I love the connection. I love being challenged by new movements. Usually. Every once in a while, it seems there arises some sort of new move that has…
A few days ago, I published an article about how a leader I danced with managed to turn a really rough and scary dance into an amazing one. It was meant to show how respecting and communicating with your partner…
