What makes a favourite lead/follow?

[salsachinita]

In your personal experience, what kind of lead/follow makes your night....?

Here's mine:

My favourite kind of leader has 'light & shade', if that makes any sense . It's like acting; some people are more expressive in the way they deliver scripts than others. This, of course, can be improved by consciously practicing (ie. quality rather than quantity, knowing what you want to achieve, instead of making patterns more permenant).

I will explain a bit more explicitly. More often than not, the guys that end up staying for the more advanced levels are the 'good' students who invest in the time to practice, thus 'drilling' whatever material learnt from classes into their systems. Competent leaders. Great start.

However, what makes a lead stand out from the aforementioned group, would be the way they deliver their leads. This is greatly assistedby a few factors, competency aside:

(1) Musicality. The ability to 'interpret' each song & deliver the appropriate moves/moods. Less is often more. You don't have to showcase everything you know into a 4-minute song!

(2) Perception. This is a bit more abstract, and can only be improved by experience. The ability to 'tune-in' with your follower & knowing what/how much she needs you to lead. Focusing on getting the most/best out of each other & don't expect instant miracles.

(3) Confidence. This makes quite a difference not only in presentation, it also reflects the way you lead. The more 'certain' you are, the more secure your partner feels. There is a fineline between confidence & being obnoxious though, and there has got to be solid knowledge/substance behind that confidence.

(4) Attitude. Have fun! Be positive & don't take things too seriously. Followers can sense the leader's tension, big time. How many times did I end up with really sore muscles by 'absorbing' my lead's (emotional) tension?!

Now, would you like to share yours?

(Please feel free to contribute too, guys! We girls would like to know what you think ;) !)

[hopelessly_addicted]

Salsachinita! Am glad that you're in the posting mood again :) You broke it down so nicely of what makes a favourtie lead so I don't have much to add..

On top of everything else you said, I love leads who's reliable (in that he wouldn't drop my head on the floor or force me into a spin frenzy) and who make me feel that I'm being taken care of while dancing with him that I can just close my eyes and immerse in the music...

Also, receiving a couple of pleasant surprises here and there is nice as well :) I guess that's kinda related to what Salsachinita said - that it makes a whole lot of difference when a lead invest his time in learning.

[salsero]

Mark, one of my fellow admins at the salsa@Afterhours.ie site, has written an excellent article on this subject (with the input of some female dancers):

A good lead is hard to find …. fact or fiction???
http://salsa.afterhours.ie/article_read.asp?id=30

[peachexploration]

That's a great article Salsero and it's pretty much on point as to what a follow doesn't like. My only thoughts and wishes are that both sides, leads and follows, come to each dance with a clean slate. Meaning, it is not a competition, you against me, us against them, don't do this, don't do that. Let's just dance. Leave out the teaching on the dancing floor, let go of your egos and just ENJOY the DANCE. Having said that, I must say because of those reasons, I prefer most times to dance with a lead who has never had classes. For them, it's about the joy of dancing and socializing. Not about moves and spins. Just the enjoyment of dance. :)

[salsachinita]

....I prefer most times to dance with a lead who has never had classes. :)

while I agree with your reasoning for it, PeachE, I must point out (for the benefit of those who are considering hunting down a lead who had never had classes ;) ) that sometimes these guys can be lethal :shock: !

I am generalizing, of course :oops: ; but in my experience (especially a fairly nasty one last week :x ), many guys out there do not know their own strength (some have attended classes and still have no clue :roll: ), and therefore are likely to cause dance floor incidents :shock: .........

I got one last week. Yours truly copped a substantial blow under the chin (by this "I-am-latino-of-course-I-can-dance dude :roll: ) while doing my best to follow a bunch of wild moves which did not match the music/beat. Had to run for cover mid-song :cry: ..........

[peachexploration]

....I prefer most times to dance with a lead who has never had classes. :)

while I agree with your reasoning for it, PeachE, I must point out (for the benefit of those who are considering hunting down a lead who had never had classes ;) ) that sometimes these guys can be lethal :shock: !.....

Right, with every situation, there are drawbacks. Classes or no classes. For me, I have had better experiences outside the classes. ;)

[salsachinita]

:idea: PeachE, you've just reminded me of another really important point (for the followers especially) to keep in mind: do not assume anything!

People are all different. Just because so & so took classes with well-known teachers, doesn't automatically make them better dancers from so one who had never set foot in a class situation, or those who learnt from less-known teachers.

Similarly, one's cultrual identity/ethnicity also does not automatically mean that they are good or bad to dance with. Sure it gives us a bit of clue from time to time, but it is far from reliable.

The stranger in your local scene may turn out to be a visiting salser@..... do not ever refuse a dance based on "I've never seen this person dance, maybe he/she isn't any good".......by taking the chance (in acceptance to a dance), I've opened the doors to a great numbers of amazing national/international contacts......many of whom turned out to be celebrities travelling incognito 8) .........

[peachexploration]

....People are all different. Just because so & so took classes with well-known teachers, doesn't automatically make them better dancers from so one who had never set foot in a class situation, or those who learnt from less-known teachers.......

Totally agree, SC. This is where some (not all) make the mistake of "assumptions just because" in which I've found out first hand. You are not a good dancer just because so & so said you were or taught you in their classes. Going back to your original question. What makes a favorite lead/follow? One of the attributes: Humility. Your dancing is not the sum of Eddie Torres, Jimmy's Dance Studio or a specific area of the world. I just want to dance with YOU. I don't want to know your resume or want your correction, just enjoy the dance with me. Do I sound like I'm ranting? :? I don't mean to. :)

[Guarachero]

Chinita:

You just hit the nail on the head.

Just because someone is out of town, does not mean he/she cannot dance. I experienced that type of rejection about three years ago in Bermuda in Miami. None of the girls I asked wanted to dance with me.

But I got bold and danced alone while walking across the open floor to a girl. She smiled, got up and met me half way. After that, I danced all night.

Guarachero

[vin]

Timing, my favourite follows have a good sense of timing

Styling, My favourite follows style but they never let there styling get in the way of the lead/follow connection

Flirtation, They also like to flirt a little bit, not too much and not in a trashy way as some girls do, but in a more subdued way. There are moments dancing with some of them that I want to proclaim my undying affection for them.

Humility, my favourite follows never get that dissapointed look when we make a mistake, at first they always apologize, until they realize that I am not concerned with "getting it right" and instead concerned with "getting it good".

Sense of humor, they always are ready to laugh. Dancing with them does not feel like I am being scrutinized with every cross body lead or spin. I can do something silly and they laugh rather than get embarrased.

Edit: I forgot the most important element,
Trust, when dancing with a woman I can tell when she trusts me, and when I have gained trust in a woman the dance is much better. She has to trust me to showcase her, not hurt her, and not run her into other dancers. I have to trust her to not create extra space, not try and force extra spins into a movement, and to trust me.

[Salsamakossa]

Not sure which folks you are refering to when you talk of leads that have never had classes. One needs some tuition at least, no? You need some fundamentals...

That's a great article Salsero and it's pretty much on point as to what a follow doesn't like. My only thoughts and wishes are that both sides, leads and follows, come to each dance with a clean slate. Meaning, it is not a competition, you against me, us against them, don't do this, don't do that. Let's just dance. Leave out the teaching on the dancing floor, let go of your egos and just ENJOY the DANCE. Having said that, I must say because of those reasons, I prefer most times to dance with a lead who has never had classes. For them, it's about the joy of dancing and socializing. Not about moves and spins. Just the enjoyment of dance. :)

[Salsamakossa]

Damn, across the floor is a new one for me... lol.

Chinita:

You just hit the nail on the head.

Just because someone is out of town, does not mean he/she cannot dance. I experienced that type of rejection about three years ago in Bermuda in Miami. None of the girls I asked wanted to dance with me.

But I got bold and danced alone while walking across the open floor to a girl. She smiled, got up and met me half way. After that, I danced all night.

Guarachero

[sweavo]

Chinita:

You just hit the nail on the head.

Just because someone is out of town, does not mean he/she cannot dance. I experienced that type of rejection about three years ago in Bermuda in Miami. None of the girls I asked wanted to dance with me.

But I got bold and danced alone while walking across the open floor to a girl. She smiled, got up and met me half way. After that, I danced all night.

Guarachero

Girls can smell the fear! If you are not relaxed, she detects it, but she doesn't know if you are nervous because because you are a dancer visiting from another town or because you are a serial killer... And it doesn't help to be too brave either because then you just come across like an *******! You just have to wait to catch that break! Took me about 3 nights of clubbing before I looked familiar to the local girls when I went to santa barbara.

Congratulations Sweavo! This is Post #30000!!! :banana: :D

[peachexploration]

:D :D :D

[chr]

Last night I had a dance with a pretty girl who was a really excellent danacer, way above my lavel. When my lead was OK, her face was neutral, if something went wrong she made a face like saying "When is this song going to end?"

Later on, I danced with a worse dancer, but who was still OK. Whe was smiling all the time and had an ancouragaing look every time a glitch happened.

Guess: with whom it was nicer to dance with?

[lolita]

My fav type of leaders is the one who can change my mood each and every song we dance to !
as i always say..i am a new person every dance, my mood has to fit my charachter .
theyre so hard to find :S but i'm still searching

[Terremoto]

My fav type of leaders is the one who can change my mood each and every song we dance to !
as i always say..i am a new person every dance, my mood has to fit my charachter .
theyre so hard to find :S but i'm still searching

So how does a lead go about doing that?

[pr]

Last night I had a dance with a pretty girl who was a really excellent danacer, way above my lavel. When my lead was OK, her face was neutral, if something went wrong she made a face like saying "When is this song going to end?"

Later on, I danced with a worse dancer, but who was still OK. Whe was smiling all the time and had an ancouragaing look every time a glitch happened.

Guess: with whom it was nicer to dance with?
I have experienced this too... A smiling follower is MUCH better... :)

[Flujo]

What makes a favourite follower?
These aren't in order of preference.

1. Understanding that you are still learning
2. Encouraging you to release yourself by being playful
3. Smiling to put you at ease but more importantly because she loves to dance
4. Lets you know when she likes something
5. She is creative with her movement
6. She has affectionate eyes (cold glances and smiles aren't nice and tell you she'd rather be dancing with someone else)
7. She let's you fall for her during the dance ;)
8. She falls for you during the dance 8)
9. She let's you know off the dance floor when you are doing something wrong or if something is missing (i.e. weak lead, needs more challenging dance etc) - perhaps something that develops over time
9. You are confident that if you lead something correctly she can follow it and if she can't she'll do something to cover it up that makes you glad it didn't work :) (see no.5)
10. You can compliment her style with yours
11. She motivates you to keep improving (by being a pleasure to dance with) because you want her to continue to enjoy dancing with you and you'd like to grow with her as a dancer
12. You dance with her maybe once a month but always remember your last dance with her

That's it for now.

[salsaonline]

Last night I had a dance with a pretty girl who was a really excellent danacer, way above my lavel. When my lead was OK, her face was neutral, if something went wrong she made a face like saying "When is this song going to end?"

Later on, I danced with a worse dancer, but who was still OK. Whe was smiling all the time and had an ancouragaing look every time a glitch happened.

Guess: with whom it was nicer to dance with?

You know, I love dancing with women who know the basic steps, but are still at the beginning stages. I can just relax and have fun, without worrying about whether my moves are sufficiently entertaining.

Anyway, Peach said something that intrigued me: Essentially something along the lines of "I don't want your dance resume, I just want to dance with you."

I must be in a totally different dance environment than most of the people here, because I can't quite figure out what the guy would be doing to elicit that complaint. Are people asking you to dance and then describing their dance training on the dance floor? That's so weird and anti-social on their part.

[Jag75]

One thing I find important on leading is making sure it's light, generally using just the fingers when open or a light frame where the hands are lightly clasped whilst closed, and ensuring that moves are executed not just using the arms but using the whole body, and making the movements in the right direction at the exact right time.

It is hard to describe though it all just comes down to experience and being open to feedback. I always encourage my follower to let me know if there's anything they feel I could improve in my lead and I feel that that's important.

[Salsamakossa]

Salsaonline,

I think what Peach means is that she the guy does not need to try to lead all the moves he knows (ie his dance resume) in the period (short) they dance together.

Anyway, Peach said something that intrigued me: Essentially something along the lines of "I don't want your dance resume, I just want to dance with you."

I must be in a totally different dance environment than most of the people here, because I can't quite figure out what the guy would be doing to elicit that complaint. Are people asking you to dance and then describing their dance training on the dance floor? That's so weird and anti-social on their part.

[sweavo]

Human contact.

This means we are mutually responsive. It means I get something back, that I am dancing with that individual not her moves. It means when I throw something out there she picks it up and turns it round and throws it right back. It means she's throwing out stuff that I can pick up on and that inspires me to throw something back. It means she has picked up a shovel and we are both heaping coal into the furnace that powers the great steamship of salsa joy. Ok I got carried away at the end there.

[Flex]

A favourite follow ...

is delighted to see me
pays attention to my lead when we dance
stays on time
enjoys herself as much as I do when we're dancing, and shows it
is nice to hold and light to lead
has a naughty streak and teases a bit
laughs when I tease her a bit (not talking about verbal teasing here - but teasing within the dance: play.

Age immaterial, level anything from improver up, size and shape within a comfortable range to lead, dressed and shod for dancing

I'm happy to say that I have quite a few (see thread on salsa crushes ... 8) )

[AndrewS]

Human contact.

It means she has picked up a shovel and we are both heaping coal into the furnace that powers the great steamship of salsa joy. Ok I got carried away at the end there.

Love the metaphor :!: If only salsa had been around at the time of the Industrial Revolution :)

[Brownskin818]

I just like a guy who's good at his chosen niche.

If it's a musical guy, I loooooooove when he can not only hit the breaks himself, but lead ME into hitting the breaks. Those are the best b/c I don't have to think about hijacking to get my hit in. :lol:

If it's a pattern guy, I looooooove when I get unfamiliar moves that I can follow as if I knew them already.

If it's a smooth guy, I just love being able to feel like I'm floating through the dance.

[TheBear_CanDanceToo]

What about when it's a musically smooth guy with loads of fresh patterns that hit the breaks perfectly!?! 8)

[Brownskin818]

What about when it's a musically smooth guy with loads of fresh patterns that hit the breaks perfectly!?! 8)
I honestly can't say that I've had that. I see that perhaps my sights should be set across the pond. 8)

That would be totally interesting to experience though. My musical favorites tend to be hecka fun, high energy dancers. Hecka fun guys don't tend to be notably smooth.

[smiling28]

That's a great article Salsero and it's pretty much on point as to what a follow doesn't like. My only thoughts and wishes are that both sides, leads and follows, come to each dance with a clean slate. Meaning, it is not a competition, you against me, us against them, don't do this, don't do that. Let's just dance. Leave out the teaching on the dancing floor, let go of your egos and just ENJOY the DANCE. Having said that, I must say because of those reasons, I prefer most times to dance with a lead who has never had classes. For them, it's about the joy of dancing and socializing. Not about moves and spins. Just the enjoyment of dance. :)


great refreshing post :)

[smiling28]

Timing, my favourite follows have a good sense of timing

Styling, My favourite follows style but they never let there styling get in the way of the lead/follow connection

Flirtation, They also like to flirt a little bit, not too much and not in a trashy way as some girls do, but in a more subdued way. There are moments dancing with some of them that I want to proclaim my undying affection for them.

Humility, my favourite follows never get that dissapointed look when we make a mistake, at first they always apologize, until they realize that I am not concerned with "getting it right" and instead concerned with "getting it good".

Sense of humor, they always are ready to laugh. Dancing with them does not feel like I am being scrutinized with every cross body lead or spin. I can do something silly and they laugh rather than get embarrased.

Edit: I forgot the most important element,
Trust, when dancing with a woman I can tell when she trusts me, and when I have gained trust in a woman the dance is much better. She has to trust me to showcase her, not hurt her, and not run her into other dancers. I have to trust her to not create extra space, not try and force extra spins into a movement, and to trust me.


well said, I want to dance with your favourite dancers too :)

[smiling28]

What about when it's a musically smooth guy with loads of fresh patterns that hit the breaks perfectly!?! 8)
I honestly can't say that I've had that. I see that perhaps my sights should be set across the pond. 8)

That would be totally interesting to experience though. My musical favorites tend to be hecka fun, high energy dancers. Hecka fun guys don't tend to be notably smooth.


Working at it, see you soon ;)




*actually interesting to see which category if any I would fall into. Funny to see what you feel are your strengths eg shines. leading. musicality.

vs what girls feel are your strengths (may be different)

:)

[smiling28]

A favourite follow ...

is delighted to see me
pays attention to my lead when we dance
stays on time
enjoys herself as much as I do when we're dancing, and shows it
is nice to hold and light to lead
has a naughty streak and teases a bit
laughs when I tease her a bit (not talking about verbal teasing here - but teasing within the dance: play.

Age immaterial, level anything from improver up, size and shape within a comfortable range to lead, dressed and shod for dancing

I'm happy to say that I have quite a few (see thread on salsa crushes ... 8) )


Nice, may I add 'carries her own weight so well you would think that she created herself!'

[smiling28]

It means she has picked up a shovel and we are both heaping coal into the furnace that powers the great steamship of salsa joy. .

Now I am completely digging your shovel metaphor! Very nice :)

[smiling28]

What makes a favourite follower?

11. She motivates you to keep improving (by being a pleasure to dance with) because you want her to continue to enjoy dancing with you and you'd like to grow with her as a dancer
12. You dance with her maybe once a month but always remember your last dance with her

That's it for now.


love it !!!

[catarina]

Wow, my favorite leads? Not just aspects of dancers that I appreciate? Hmmmm. My favorites are
1. ones who dance to and with the music--they're on time, they are paying attention to the feeling of the song, they are also paying attention to the other dancers nearby and making sure i'm not doing a CBL with spins into another couple. I like to feel taken-care of while dancing, so that I'm not afraid for my life or the un-brokenness of my bones.
2. I love it when the lead pays attention to me as we're both shining too...it shows that he's still dancing with me, and isn't too self-absorbed/showboating/self-conscious.
3. One of my latest favorites to dance with had me doing combinations that would have made no sense, if i were to stop and think about each part of the move, but as sweavo mentioned, trusting him, i was able to really dance through a new-to-me combination. So I guess that combination of instilling trust in the follow, so I'm not second-guessing every cue, or moving fearfully through the slot. I love to realize mid-way through the dance that I'm no longer thinking, but am really attuned to the lead & the music, and am just dancing. I lose sense of whether I'm being watched or where the other couples are (see above), and just keep dancing.
4. I appreciate a healthy dose of humility in a lead, which shows up not only in how they talk to me on or off the floor, but how they ask for a dance, respond to my asking him for a dance, and also in how they lead.
5. Getting little bits of feedback in the dance is fun too--just those tiny comments, "wow!" "great" or "hey!" are so fun, and make me feel like I'm a special follow (I try to pretend they don't say those things to other follows, just me). I appreciate when they laugh or comment back to me if I make one of those comments, or point out that I got busted for mis-reading a cue, etc.
6. He's taller than me & leads spins efficiently and clearly. (i'm tall, and find it's hard enough for guys to lead spins well, let alone lead a taller girl efficiently and clearly).

That's all I can think of for now. Put it all together, and what have you got? all of my favorite leads in some combination of these 6 things. ;)

[smiling28]

Wow, my favorite leads? Not just aspects of dancers that I appreciate? Hmmmm. My favorites are
1. ones who dance to and with the music--they're on time, they are paying attention to the feeling of the song, they are also paying attention to the other dancers nearby and making sure i'm not doing a CBL with spins into another couple. I like to feel taken-care of while dancing, so that I'm not afraid for my life or the un-brokenness of my bones.
2. I love it when the lead pays attention to me as we're both shining too...it shows that he's still dancing with me, and isn't too self-absorbed/showboating/self-conscious.
3. One of my latest favorites to dance with had me doing combinations that would have made no sense, if i were to stop and think about each part of the move, but as sweavo mentioned, trusting him, i was able to really dance through a new-to-me combination. So I guess that combination of instilling trust in the follow, so I'm not second-guessing every cue, or moving fearfully through the slot. I love to realize mid-way through the dance that I'm no longer thinking, but am really attuned to the lead & the music, and am just dancing. I lose sense of whether I'm being watched or where the other couples are (see above), and just keep dancing.
4. I appreciate a healthy dose of humility in a lead, which shows up not only in how they talk to me on or off the floor, but how they ask for a dance, respond to my asking him for a dance, and also in how they lead.
5. Getting little bits of feedback in the dance is fun too--just those tiny comments, "wow!" "great" or "hey!" are so fun, and make me feel like I'm a special follow (I try to pretend they don't say those things to other follows, just me). I appreciate when they laugh or comment back to me if I make one of those comments, or point out that I got busted for mis-reading a cue, etc.
6. He's taller than me & leads spins efficiently and clearly. (i'm tall, and find it's hard enough for guys to lead spins well, let alone lead a taller girl efficiently and clearly).

That's all I can think of for now. Put it all together, and what have you got? all of my favorite leads in some combination of these 6 things. ;)


nice

2 and 5 I like especially.

2 because a friend told me last week. Are you dancing with me (in a shine where I pulled off a triple spin yay ha ha). This week we danced and I shined with her and she thanked me after saying SOOO much better for her and with connection (even though no triple spin, probably only a single if that ha ha)

5. ABSOLUTELY!!! Cannot help myself sometimes I am just WOW, that was cool he he

[Flujo]

^^^^^
An entire page of your own replies! You are something else Rod but I love you still...in a SF sort of way. :)

What makes a favourite follow is a woman that...
...is a great listener - no matter how loud the music is, you never have to shout. (with your lead).
...makes you feel so comfortable with being yourself that she is the only person that exists when you dance and you want to please her with every movement.
...you don't need to dance with more than once or twice in the same night because you can ride the high until the next no matter how far off it is - you also want to bring something new the next time because she IS why you dance! (i.e. followers like her)

[sagitta]

^^^^^
An entire page of your own replies! You are something else Rod but I love you still...in a SF sort of way. :)

What makes a favourite follow is a woman that...
...is a great listener - no matter how loud the music is, you never have to shout. (with your lead).
...makes you feel so comfortable with being yourself that she is the only person that exists when you dance and you want to please her with every movement.
...you don't need to dance with more than once or twice in the same night because you can ride the high until the next no matter how far off it is - you also want to bring something new the next time because she IS why you dance! (i.e. followers like her)
Very nice. Applies to me too.

[smiling28]

^^^^^
An entire page of your own replies! You are something else Rod but I love you still...in a SF sort of way. :)

What makes a favourite follow is a woman that...
...is a great listener - no matter how loud the music is, you never have to shout. (with your lead).
...makes you feel so comfortable with being yourself that she is the only person that exists when you dance and you want to please her with every movement.
...you don't need to dance with more than once or twice in the same night because you can ride the high until the next no matter how far off it is - you also want to bring something new the next time because she IS why you dance! (i.e. followers like her)


Very nice!!!

[MacMoto]

I've been thinking about this question for a while, and I think what makes my favourite leaders is down to something quite simple: I like guys I feel I can follow well. The guys on my "favourite leaders" list are ones that make me feel I've had a good dance almost every time I dance with them. I'm not sure if these are guys who are good at adjusting to the way I follow, or if their lead simply matches my following habit - maybe a bit of both? If the leader is also playful and has a similar feel for music to mine, that's a bonus. But there are many great leaders who have a nice personality, a sense of fun and wonderful musicality but not on my fave list simply because I personally can't follow them well enough to feel good at the end of the song.

[Another AndrewS]

What makes a favourite follower for me?

Simple, one I'm comfortable dancing with and she seems comfortable dancing with me, and we both enjoy ourselves.

This is often not the best dancer in the room.

[smiling28]

I've been thinking about this question for a while, and I think what makes my favourite leaders is down to something quite simple: I like guys I feel I can follow well. The guys on my "favourite leaders" list are ones that make me feel I've had a good dance almost every time I dance with them. I'm not sure if these are guys who are good at adjusting to the way I follow, or if their lead simply matches my following habit - maybe a bit of both? If the leader is also playful and has a similar feel for music to mine, that's a bonus. But there are many great leaders who have a nice personality, a sense of fun and wonderful musicality but not on my fave list simply because I personally can't follow them well enough to feel good at the end of the song.


Great point!

[smiling28]

What makes a favourite follower for me?

Simple, one I'm comfortable dancing with and she seems comfortable dancing with me, and we both enjoy ourselves.

This is often not the best dancer in the room.

agree :)

[Brownskin818]

I just like a guy who's good at his chosen niche.

If it's a musical guy, I loooooooove when he can not only hit the breaks himself, but lead ME into hitting the breaks. Those are the best b/c I don't have to think about hijacking to get my hit in. :lol:

If it's a pattern guy, I looooooove when I get unfamiliar moves that I can follow as if I knew them already.

If it's a smooth guy, I just love being able to feel like I'm floating through the dance.
HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING

[smiling28]

I just like a guy who's good at his chosen niche.

If it's a musical guy, I loooooooove when he can not only hit the breaks himself, but lead ME into hitting the breaks. Those are the best b/c I don't have to think about hijacking to get my hit in. :lol:

If it's a pattern guy, I looooooove when I get unfamiliar moves that I can follow as if I knew them already.

If it's a smooth guy, I just love being able to feel like I'm floating through the dance.
HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING


Nice, guess that is why a good restaurant has key options to be able to cater to a both a variety of customers and each customer's given moods/craving.

*as a dancer, I see myself more as the fun, flirty, make you giggle lead but one key strength is that if I do not have it on the menu, I can refer you to the best place in town to get what you want (from knowing a lot of the good leads in town, I can introduce people :) :) :) )


This makes me feel incredibly good as I see two people having a great time!

[Brownskin818]

I just like a guy who's good at his chosen niche.

If it's a musical guy, I loooooooove when he can not only hit the breaks himself, but lead ME into hitting the breaks. Those are the best b/c I don't have to think about hijacking to get my hit in. :lol:

If it's a pattern guy, I looooooove when I get unfamiliar moves that I can follow as if I knew them already.

If it's a smooth guy, I just love being able to feel like I'm floating through the dance.
HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING


Nice, guess that is why a good restaurant has key options to be able to cater to a both a variety of customers and each customer's given moods/craving.

*as a dancer, I see myself more as the fun, flirty, make you giggle lead but one key strength is that if I do not have it on the menu, I can refer you to the best place in town to get what you want (from knowing a lot of the good leads in town, I can introduce people :) :) :) )


This makes me feel incredibly good as I see two people having a great time!
funny how it took me going a whiiiiiiiile without this sort of dance fix, then getting it again, to remember how much i needed it. te he. and woo hoo to having a dance card already lined up for whenever i visit down under!! same courtesy back atcha should u make it out to LA. :mrgreen:

[cutesalsadoll]

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING

I love feeling like I have just been on a ride.
I love it when I get to laugh.
I love when I feel like I'm gliding or floating.
I love it when I am challenged but also can keep up and I feel the lead is creative.

If any one of these things happens even if it is not in the same dance then I'm happy.

[smiling28]

I just like a guy who's good at his chosen niche.

If it's a musical guy, I loooooooove when he can not only hit the breaks himself, but lead ME into hitting the breaks. Those are the best b/c I don't have to think about hijacking to get my hit in. :lol:

If it's a pattern guy, I looooooove when I get unfamiliar moves that I can follow as if I knew them already.

If it's a smooth guy, I just love being able to feel like I'm floating through the dance.
HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING


Nice, guess that is why a good restaurant has key options to be able to cater to a both a variety of customers and each customer's given moods/craving.

*as a dancer, I see myself more as the fun, flirty, make you giggle lead but one key strength is that if I do not have it on the menu, I can refer you to the best place in town to get what you want (from knowing a lot of the good leads in town, I can introduce people :) :) :) )


This makes me feel incredibly good as I see two people having a great time!
funny how it took me going a whiiiiiiiile without this sort of dance fix, then getting it again, to remember how much i needed it. te he. and woo hoo to having a dance card already lined up for whenever i visit down under!! same courtesy back atcha should u make it out to LA. :mrgreen:


Brilliant and honoured to dance with you whenever and whereever :) :) :)

[noobster]

HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING

I love those too, but the real fix for me comes from a slooowww salsa with a butter-smooth musical leader. Haven't had one in a long time and gosh do I miss it. Something like "Cuando Hablan Las Miradas" or "Por Que Adore" with a certain few leaders can give me sweet dreams for weeks.

[smiling28]

HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING

I love those too, but the real fix for me comes from a slooowww salsa with a butter-smooth musical leader. Haven't had one in a long time and gosh do I miss it. Something like "Cuando Hablan Las Miradas" or "Por Que Adore" with a certain few leaders can give me sweet dreams for weeks.


mmmmm, thank you for describing my dream :)

[Brownskin818]

HAVE to add... not sure if I just realized this or if my dancing has progressed to now needing this... but I NEED high impact dances. I need to race through a dance. I need to fall out on the nearby carpet after the dance from having been worked out THAT much. Automatic fix.

I.LOVE.THAT.FEELING

I love those too, but the real fix for me comes from a slooowww salsa with a butter-smooth musical leader. Haven't had one in a long time and gosh do I miss it. Something like "Cuando Hablan Las Miradas" or "Por Que Adore" with a certain few leaders can give me sweet dreams for weeks.
i love those toooooooo. but those are some of my rarest dances! MANY salseros just cant dance slow. i totally understand though, b/c as i leader i cant either. but i do appreciate the opp when i get it as a follower.

inspiration for another thread i think...

[pedro]

As long as the girl has a good attitude, I'm good. If she smiles/laughs even when we (I) mess up, she's a "keeper". Also, I really really like girl styling, no matter how simple it is. It just makes dancing that much more satisfying. =)

I personally don't care about a girl's level (not that I'm all that, anyway) as long as she has a good attitude. I could do basic, single turns and cross body leads all day as long as she's still smiling, haha.

[Jambo]

Hello and welcome Pedro :D

[pedro]

Hello, and thanks! :)

[smiling28]

As long as the girl has a good attitude, I'm good. If she smiles/laughs even when we (I) mess up, she's a "keeper". Also, I really really like girl styling, no matter how simple it is. It just makes dancing that much more satisfying. =)

I personally don't care about a girl's level (not that I'm all that, anyway) as long as she has a good attitude. I could do basic, single turns and cross body leads all day as long as she's still smiling, haha.

nice post and welcome!

Completely agree :)

[Jose Vaquero]

My favorite follow?

It is a woman that I want to take into my arms and dance and make love a little bit on the dance floor and the reason, it don't matter. There are some women I do not want to take into my arms and maybe there can be many reason why not. But I like to try first!

[SalsaDanceUnderground]

My favorite follower is a lady who knows how to have fun, doesn't take things too seriously, knows how to move on their own, likes to play off what I am doing and can add a lot of style while still following what it is I am leading. There is a fine line between someone who styles gracefully and someone who is just showing off dancing with themselves.

Really I have different moods that require different kinds of followers but that is my favorite.

[MacMoto]

As long as the girl has a good attitude, I'm good. If she smiles/laughs even when we (I) mess up, she's a "keeper". Also, I really really like girl styling, no matter how simple it is. It just makes dancing that much more satisfying. =)

I personally don't care about a girl's level (not that I'm all that, anyway) as long as she has a good attitude. I could do basic, single turns and cross body leads all day as long as she's still smiling, haha.
Now that I'm dancing as a leader more, I'm beginning to appreciate this point greatly. The follower's attitude really makes a HUGE difference - much bigger than her skills, connection, etc. Yes it's lovely to dance with a follower who is skilled and has just the right tension, but the followers who look HAPPY when dancing with me are the ones I enjoy leading.

Before I started leading, I assumed that this applied to both leaders and followers equally. Now I feel there's a difference. When I'm following, I'm okay with leaders who look serious as long as their lead feels good; when leading, I find good followers who don't smile or make eye contact quite intimidating. Maybe it's because I'm not (yet :P) a competent leader, but I need to feel reassured that followers are happy to be dancing with me.