Lead & Follow ~ Essential to Good Dancing
Lead and Follow steps have evolved because quite early on many dancers would start to add a variation to a figure that starts out as one thing, but changes in mid stream to finish out as something else. An example might be a female underarm turn that becomes a revolving door or revolving pivot pattern. The clue is how the lead continues. In going to a revolving door the male will keep his arm overhead and at the same time start to rotate around the female. Because the arm is still high the female knows that continued rotation is called for and the fact that the male is rotating indicates a step – step is required moving it to an 8 count.
Lead and follow can be seen in a chase position where the male moves into a side step which is then picked up by the female for another two counts to complete a Follow Me. Many of the lead follow steps are travelling along the slot as in Travelling Tuck, Walking Pivot and others. Some basic variations can start with the male changing a mirror step, having the female pick it up and then both doing it together as the third part. Lead and follow brings another dimensions to your dancing which adds both interest and the ability to communicate with subsequent leads within the pattern.