4. HOW TO LEAD AND HOW TO FOLLOW

The boy LEADS and the girl follows. The boy must know exactly what he is doing, otherwise he cannot possibly expect the girl to follow him. So the first rule for the boy is:

KNOW YOUR STEPS SO WELL THAT YOU CAN DO THEM WITHOUT THINKING.

Plan ahead what step you are going to do next.

The first rule for the girl is:

KNOW YOUR STEPS SO WELL YOU CAN DO THEM WITHOUT THINKING.

DON'T EVER PLAN AHEAD OR TRY TO GUESS WHAT YOUR PARTNER IS GOING TO DO NEXT.

When the girl tries to read her partner's mind, it is called ANTICIPATING, and many girls who are otherwise good dancers are guilty of this. As a remedy, the girl should relax mentally, knowing that her partner will give her the proper lead at the proper time. RELAX, girls—RELAX.

The boy leads primarily with his right hand which is around the girl's waist, and with the lower part of his chest. Actually, in most cases he does not actually LEAD, he PUSHES. When the couple is in closed position, the girl usually travels backward, while the boy travels forward. The girl can easily follow the shift of body weight in this position for as the boy steps forward on his left foot the lower part of his chest pushes her backward and she steps backward on her right foot.

The boy should not sway his shoulders from side to side, as such swaying may confuse his partner into thinking that he is going to make a side step.

THE GIRL SHOULD OFFER RESISTANCE. She should push forward against him very slightly, as he pushes her backward. Her body weight should be LEANING slightly in a forward direction, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS STEPPING BACKWARD. If she does not follow this principle of offering resistance she will tend to pull him off balance in a forward direction.

The BOY SHOULD NOT LEAD ANY MORE THAN IS NECESSARY. There is no need to lead at all, except in the following instances:

1. When there is a change of direction.
2. Change of body positions.
3. Change of rhythmic pattern.   (The rhythmic pattern does not change in any of the dances except the Fox Trot and the Tango.)
4. When going into or out of pivot turns.

LEADING THE CHANGE OF DIRECTION

When the boy is dancing forward and wishes to take a side step, he should push slightly with the heel of his right hand. This leads his partner into the side step to his left.

When leading her to a side step to the right, he holds her a little more firmly and pulls her to his right. He lifts his right shoulder very slightly and leans in the opposite direction. However, when he leads her to his right while in an open position, he pushes her with his left hand. His left hand is holding her right hand. The girl must offer resistance with her right hand. (In most cases side steps are to the boy's left and the girl's right, but the versatile dancer should be able to take them in both directions.)   

When the boy steps forward, then immediately steps backward, he should move his right hand from the center of his partner's back to a position toward her left side so that his arm may reach out farther. Then he allows her to sway backward into his outstretched arm, and he begins to lean backward away from her. His right arm acts as a cushion or spring to absorb her backward momentum. When her momentum is under control, he pulls her, forward, toward him. This pulls her body weight forward, and she steps forward toward him as he steps back.

Actually, the boy's right hand and arm around the girl's waist, acts as a shock absorber to help her change her momentum from a backward to a forward direction.

CHANGE OF BODY POSITION

Since the boy's right arm is not long enough to reach comfortably around the girl's waist when she is in a parallel position to his side, or in an open position, he should first move his right hand from a position in the center of her back to a position on the left side of her waist. Then he pushes her slightly away from him as he shortens his forward step. This short step by the boy will cause the girl to move slightly further away from him, thus we have this rule: WHEN GOING FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO A POSITION APART, THE BOY SHORTENS HIS STEP AND PUSHES THE GIRL AWAY FROM HIM.

From an open position to a parallel position, the boy pushes the left side of the girl's waist with his right hand. At the same time, he pulls her right hand slightly with his left hand in a direction toward him. Then he steps diagonally Cross Front with his right foot, as she steps diagonally Cross Back with her left foot. This brings the girl into a position to the right of the boy and parallel with him. She then travels diagonally backward while he travels diagonally  forward.

When leading the girl from an open position to a reverse parallel position on his left side, the boy pulls with his right and pushes with his left hand as he steps diagonally Cross Front with his left foot. This automatically moves her into a position on his left, as she steps diagonally back on her right foot.

GIRLS: Remember—when your partner pushes your right hand, you must give resistance by pushing back against his hand. To follow properly you must adopt a basic law of physics: FOR EVERY ACTION THERE IS AN EQUAL OPPOSITE REACTION, so when a boy pushes your right hand, you should push back against his hand. This pushing back, on your part, enables the pressure that he puts against your hand to turn your entire body. If you allow your arm to become limber—that is, if you do not offer resistance, he will merely push your arm, and not your body. This principle is one of the most important things for you to learn in order to follow well.

CHANGE OF RHYTHMIC PATTERN

When moving in the same line of direction, the extra pressure on the boy's part can mean only to take quick steps—that is, to double your rhythm.

For example, if the boy is taking slow steps forward in a closed position, while the girl is taking slow steps backward, and the boy wishes to change the rhythmic pattern by interspersing quick steps in the same direction, he merely increases his pressure from the chest, pushing a little harder against the girl. She then, auto­matically, does quick steps until he ceases this extra forward pressure.

All side steps are taken double time in the Fox Trot, so whenever the boy leads the girl into a side step, she should know that her corresponding steps should be short and quick.

The boy should make no change in rhythmic pattern while leading the girl through complicated changes of position. By following one rhythmic pattern, as described in> the Fox Trot section of this book, the girl can use this rhythmic pattern to help guide her through the intricate changes.

GIRL'S SOLO PIVOT TURNS

To lead the girl into a solo pivot turn to the right, the boy starts when his weight is on his right foot, then as his weight shifts to his left foot he lifts the girl's right hand and pushes her under his uplifted arm.

To lead the girl into a solo pivot turn to the left, the boy starts when she is in an open position apart from him. He lifts her right hand and pulls her across to his right leading her into a leftward turn as he holds her right hand over her head.

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