I agree with that and to be explicit it totally makes sense to change direction in the moment when both partners are in balance, and their weight is lined up vertically. It's just so much easier from physics perspective and better dancers time and feel it better.
But they don't seem very connected by contemporary standards. That's when details of weight transfer matters. If these are two individual bodies connected by a rope (arms), it's a different dance, gives more individual freedom, but less common experience.
Similar issue I have with linear styles 15 years back. When leading is mostly signals and dancers are not very connected (physically), it's both easier and gives more individual freedom from one side, but makes it so much harder to make connected dance.
In short with such approaches 2 people can dance each their own basic step and not even notice. I've seen that a lot. Good dancers spend effort to align their weight transfers and how easily and rapidly that happens is a tell sign of their skill. This also deteriorates rapidly if one goes couple months without dancing, or dances with noobs or other disconnected dancers a lot.
And recent example, yesterday I danced salsa (all styles) with WCS dancer, who had a lot of experience and training in salsa both on east coast and west coast us. She danced and performed with the best. But last 10 years she dances salsa maybe yearly, half that with me, so skill is gone. I love to dance salsa with WCS dancers, they're never boring. Then she inquired is this right that swing has constant connection as opposed to salsa and I had to admit she's right. Salsa has a lot of room for improvement yet.
I'm not saying one approach is necessarily better than other or gives more satisfaction in dance in general or particular. But better dancers have both bigger their toolset and more skilled application. Leaving out musicality and connection in 2025 ain't cutting it. Same as leaving out shines.
Is this controversial enough
@bailar y tocar ?
