Author - Lisa King Return to SalsaCrazy.Com Editorial note: This is a fantastic article on following (and one on leading) that every dancer, student and teacher should read.There are great truths revealed in this little piece. “Dancing,” he said, “is a partnership. This bears repeating. I often see women flying around the dance floor and the man working hard just to execute a simple cross-body lead. Since you’re leading the dance, rest your right hand lightly on your partner’s left shoulder blade, which allows you to guide your partner gently without being too forceful. “I know you don’t like to follow,” he said. Rock and roll dance is usually done competitively is an acrobatic dance which requires a lot of skill and stamina. Note also that in Latin dancing, connection is not made at the diaphragm. Tuck your right elbow beneath your dance partner’s armpit so you’re both close together. In traditional ballroom dancing, there is a lead role and a follow role. Tips on Following: Tips on Leading & Following in Salsa Dance, How to Lead and Follow . In fact it is the man's duty to move enough that both partners end up right after the woman turns. Leading and following is a question of harnessing your body’s own movement to create momentum that you can use to dance. It's not as hard to learn as most people think. Letting a man lead isn’t about being coy and running away in the hopes that he will follow (this is just confusing); it’s about providing him the clues he needs to put two and two together. Waltz is an elegant, nearly universal dance, perfect for weddings, or almost any social occasion. “But if you want to dance well together, you are going to have to do it.” You can imagine the look on my face when he said that. Useful for men and women both! By that we mean that whether or not you have a thrilling time dancing and look professional depends on how good your male partner is, since he's the lead. In short, show him you are interested by actinginterested—then it’s his move. But it’s a partnership where the man leads and the woman follows.” He looked at K. She was glaring at him. The best way for the man to check his posture is by standing with his back to a wall and then carrying this straight alignment onto the dance floor. Also, it really helps if the man moves a little so the woman has to turn less than a full 360 degrees. Dance teachers … This style of dance is very similar to swing, Jive and jitter bug. However there are also non-acrobatic forms of Rock’ n ‘roll which are easy to learn and fun to do. The Two Step. I'm a lead and a follow (and female!) Let's face it, ladies: Salsa dancing is a guy's dance. Basic steps; Instructions & Diagrams; Video; Recommended Video Lessons » Quick intro. Lead the dance by curving your right elbow beneath their left armpit. This is an example of one of the most basic principles of good leading: Lead her, then follow what she does. This video shows aspiring Fred Astaires how to assume the lead role for a dance like the waltz or fox trot. These are the basic steps in your repertoire of country dance moves you need to master first. and I lead men whenever they offer themselves up to be led. Tip #2: Maintain Posture. Waltz dates back to the late 17th century Europe, but has never really been out of fashion and clearly stood the test of time. 8) Respect.