How to lead a move she does not know? (beginners)

D

Desidiosus Maximus

Changui
Hi

I am a beginner lead in Cuban style (about half a year of classes, privates and social dancing). When I dance with some beginner girls (and even with some improvers), it happens that I try to lead a move she does not know. I am pretty sure my lead is ok since I am talking only about the moves that I can lead well (have lead them fine in the class and worked on them with private teacher, and they work fine with other follows). Some moves, where she does not have much to do, I may still lead thru all right, she just follows fine (even though she does not know the move). But in some moves she is still supposed to have an idea about how the move works. It is against my nature to force the move thru, so often in such situations I simply stop leading the move and go into open break, and start with guapea again. The girl usually realizes that something went wrong, and is upset. I am not happy either since I am pretty sure we could have done the move.

So what should I do? Should I try to be a bit more physical and execute the move I am confident with? (I am not talking about something I'd just watched on youtube and want to try in the field. I am talking about moves that I can execute well when I dance with an instructor or advanced follow).

I often hear that I am a soft but clear lead, perhaps too soft for Cuban style - maybe that's the problem? (I've been a few times advised by advanced follows to take up line-style seriously because they mean I would excel at that)...
 
No dont force the move. With a little more experience you can abort any move at anytime and just improvise and do something else without anyone even noticing that this was not your initial idea...
If the move works with the people from the same studio/Class but not with strangers it might be that the studio teaches it a certain way and the follows from that school recognise it and follow. while others are lost.
Some moves are more difficult to lead that others, and some moves are not leadable at all and only work during the class. But all in all I think you do fine, dont use more force, maybe change other parameters, lead it a bit earlier... what figure didnt work?
 
Desidiosus Maximus said:
Hi

I am a beginner lead in Cuban style (about half a year of classes, privates and social dancing). When I dance with some beginner girls (and even with some improvers), it happens that I try to lead a move she does not know. I am pretty sure my lead is ok since I am talking only about the moves that I can lead well (have lead them fine in the class and worked on them with private teacher, and they work fine with other follows). Some moves, where she does not have much to do, I may still lead thru all right, she just follows fine (even though she does not know the move). But in some moves she is still supposed to have an idea about how the move works. It is against my nature to force the move thru, so often in such situations I simply stop leading the move and go into open break, and start with guapea again. The girl usually realizes that something went wrong, and is upset. I am not happy either since I am pretty sure we could have done the move.

So what should I do? Should I try to be a bit more physical and execute the move I am confident with? (I am not talking about something I'd just watched on youtube and want to try in the field. I am talking about moves that I can execute well when I dance with an instructor or advanced follow).

I often hear that I am a soft but clear lead, perhaps too soft for Cuban style - maybe that's the problem? (I've been a few times advised by advanced follows to take up line-style seriously because they mean I would excel at that)...
Click to expand...

NEVER work on the assumption that, All "follows " follow, no matter their background .
Now, IF you are leading the same sequence with all, and it does not work, then look to yourself .
 
Tomm, Thank you for your reply!
An example could be e.g. Sombrero Complicado. I am supposed to catch her right hand with my right hand, and lead her into an inside turn (and possibly a Paseala) instead of simply finishing with DQN, as in regular Sombrero. The critical moment is when she is to catch my right hand as I offer it. If she does not do so, and I try to catch her hand, I have a feeling that if I stretch may right arm too much, I will dislocate her left shoulder (actually, I am pretty sure I will - scary). So this move can only be done if she knows the move and gives me her hand very voluntarily and on time. Now if she does not know the move, this does not happen, and it's already too late to go into DQN, so I just free both arms, and we go into a break, and she understands the move went south. Not cool. Here early leading would not help. But I agree that, in some other cases, starting the lead earlier often helps to solve the problem - will try to improve on this...
 
As far as Cuban go: Leading is doing.

-Wanna lead her? - Just hold her. And walk.
It works on people. It works on children. It works on dancers...

-Now lead by escorting (and gradually altering) the momentum that she already has.
Get used to it - and you will realize it's the follow who does all the work;
They need very little instruction to "get it" - and once they get it, the less you interfere - the better.

*Heck, sometimes (too many times), it actually feels much easier and pleasant to lead a beginner girl that's only taken 1-3 lessons, than an "intermediate" (whatever that means) one that's taken a few months of lessons.
 
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Desidiosus Maximus said:
The critical moment is when she is to catch my right hand as I offer it. If she does not do so, , in some other cases, starting the lead earlier often helps to solve the problem - will try to improve on this...
Click to expand...

In the end of the day she does a DLQ with an inside turn -> Paseala.
Did she not get your right hand? Put it on her back.
Also, no one forces you to put your left hand on your shoulder. In your "original" 'Sombrero Complicado' plan you cease holding her with your left hand right before she turns anyways.
 
Dissonant Harmony, I get your point. So this is indeed what happens sometimes now - which becomes a regular Sombrero (if I manage to give her a nice solid DQN after recovering from the failure :)). Better than just going into a break, that's for sure.
 
Ok, I get your point. I call everyone who has danced less than 2-3 years a beginner :-) The girl does Sombrero, inside turn (Enchufala) and Paseala without any problem, so I would expect that, when it comes to footwork and body control, she should be able to do Sombrero Complicado. And I believe she can. The only real "complication" there (at least for me as a lead) is that hand manoeuver, and that's the complication with leading...
 
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