walk this way

These are just some random thoughts that I’ve had in observations of “Good Leaders” vs. “Challengeing Leaders”. I’ve noticed a lot of followers don’t actually check out a lead before they dance with a lead, and there really are no tell tale signs except the follower’s grapevine, eg: word of mouth about who’s good who to stay away from. Continuing on, there are some leaders who exhibit all of the signs below and still create a good experience, and there are still others who exhibit all of what’s below and create a challenging experience. From what I have observed Its about taste more often than naught, and what ‘feels’ good. I am by no means the soul of all wisdom, I’m just not. I have traveled further and farther than a lot, and far more than those just starting out. So pay attention or don’t. One thing is clear though, its better to err on the side of caution than naught at all. These are guidelines and observations and nothing more than that. Not rules.

1.) Right Arm/Left Hand. Pay close attention to the leaders right arm around the follower in close embrace, if you see wrinkles in the follower”s fabric from where the leader’s arm is, and an indentation of the follower’s clothing from his right arm…this is a good indicator that the leader is compressing the embrace, meaning pulling the follower into the leader. There is such a thing as having a ‘firm’ embrace, but that’s not what’s going on here. The difference between a firm embrace and this affect, is that the firm embrace is nearly always acting as a corral or container. Whereas in this case, its clear and simple compression, to hold the follower close to the leader, because the leader believes that that is how you tell the follower where to go. Be very careful. At the same time watch the leader’s left hand. Pay attention to the leader’s left hand hold. If that hand hold looks tight, like its a grip, it probably is! At the same time, pay very close attention to whether or not the leader uses the left arm as a metronome, as a way to keep time, because that left arm is connected to his left hand, which is connected to the follower’s right hand and right arm, and that means that the leader is literally jerking the follower around. Some people like this, I am not one of them. There is an exception here, and its a stylistic exception in my opinion. And its only in my opinion but when the leader is using the embrace or architecture of the dance to emphasize a musical point!

2.) Body Placement. Be cognisent of where the leader places the follower on the leader’s body in close embrace! If its off to the side…this could be a sign of trouble. This is my opinion here: The leader should be placing the follower just the left of the leader’s gigline (buttons on the shirt) and keeping the follower there. If the leader places the follower under the leader’s right arm, then the leader is literally asking the follower to change the geometry of the follower’s basic vocabulary, and not in a good way, but a challenging one. For example, if its ochos, then the ocho becomes flattened and linear. If its an argentine cross, then the result is an elongated forward crossing step where the cross is not clean and can’t be (feet together as they cross behind one another) because its physically impossible. There is such a thing as using what’s referred to as a “V” embrace, and that’s not what I’m on about. In the “V” embrace there is space between the bodies to allow for movement and the change in bio-geometry.

3.) Hips. Watch the leader’s hips, if they open in opposition of the follower in anything except for a back sacada or a reverse molenete…boy are you in for trouble. The leader’s hips should be parellel to his followers and in line with them…even in the cross, even in an ocho cortado. Hips to hips.

4.) Feet. Feet, feet, feet, feet. Clean feet. If the leader’s feet are pointing anywhere else except at his follower you have a problem child. What is meant by “Clean feet” is that you pay attention to ‘when’ the leader collects and ‘how’ the leader collects. The ‘when’ should be as the leader moves his center of gravity to closure or completion. The ‘how’ should be on a square, meaning the leader’s pads of the feet should be touching, the heels touch each other. There should be NO misalignment whatsoever. Period. If the leader can’t bring the leader’s feet together, then the leader will expect the follower to do a lot more work than the follower needs to, such as guess work as to where the leader wanted a weight change. To be fair, there are some leaders, even the best in the world who break this unwritten guide of ‘clean feet’ based on several factors, not the least of which is musicality, style, and last but not least, comfort. However, in all of those cases it is a choice, and not about being sloppy. And again to be fair, some leaders are just sloppy, forgetful, and unclean, including this author.

5.) Walking. The leader’s walk, if its gaping, loping, or just looks like its not anything but walking out for a stroll…its going to be rough dancing with this leader. You want a leader who literally ‘strolls’ with you. You want THIS

6.) Musicality! This should be at the top of this list. However, here it is at number 6. What is musicality ? In its simplest form, the ability for a leader (and a follower) to hear the primary beat of the music and to follow it religiously. Above and beyond that is the real meaning behind musicality, and that’s the ability to take the musical beat and interpret it to do something else. This is an excellent example of a leader who uses the primary beat, to step on, and uses several accent beats in her boleos, as well as creating several terciary beats on top of what’s in the music.

7.) Clean. Clean Shirt, Clean Pants, Clean Shoes. Just Clean. Recently Shaven. If it looks nice, chances are it smells nice. Not always the case if it’s a busy lead, but hopefully this leader brings a change of shirt or jacket!

8.) Roughness. You are looking for jerky moves, and even in milonga. In my opinion, I believe that a leader’s movement should be smooth, clean, clear, almost like the leader is skating on glass. Nothing about what the leader does should disrupt the follower’s walk. Period. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. If it does, you’re in for a rocky ride.

9.) Posture. It should be relaxed and comfortable looking, not slouched, and at the same time, not stiff. What you should not see is ram rod straight, like the leader’s got a shaft up …. or slouched over. If the leader is hunched over, this means that the leader is literally taking away the chest from the followers, and that means in close embrace you literally have nothing to listen to (which is bad for the follower that hasn’t studied open embrace!). At the same time if the leader is ramrod then that means he’s stiff and moves like a board and that also means you’re going to get jerked around, staccato movements, jerky, shaky movements that are based on force and not gentility and balance. Side note: The leader’s head (this one is a deal breaker for me) should be upright, not into his followers necks – head over shoulders, Shoulder’s Over Hips, Hips over Feet! There are very few leaders that can actually pull off head into followers neck because it sends the energy of the lead outward and into the floor instead where it should be center of gravity!

10.) Navigation & Floorcraft. This one is key. If the leader can’t drive, then the license to drive should be revoked! Which is to say that you’re going to get bumped and chaffed all night long. If a leader is running figures all through out the tanda dance, you’re in it deep. Period. Pay attention here. Ask yourself this: Is this leader doing the same pattern over and over and over again with NO variation ? This is not about vocabulary but rather the vocabulary that the leader choses to show off the follower, and how the leader places that in the music, with the follower!

And now for the kicker, how much space the leader takes up to do that, whether its small and leaves no trace or when the leader’s driving other leaders just make a hole! One more thing…excessive ganchos or boleos into the lane, line and progression of dance is that the leader’s not aware of what the affect is on the space around the dance. Anything where the follower’s legs leave a standing position, should be pointed away from anyone else.

Again these are ideas, thoughts, and observations…NOT rules. They are guidelines. The language may depict “Do’s” and “Don’ts”, but its not to be taken as such, but rather a very strongly worded guideline for what to pay attention to while a follower is watching a room full of leaders.