Help Leading A Tall Dance Partner
Question By User californiastateuni
I notice I get super confident when the follower is a little shorter mostly because I don’t have to worry about hitting them and I naturally feel like the leader. But at times, there will be taller followers, what are some things to keep in mind? Or should I mind at all? I tend to dance with a bigger space from the taller follower for example. I step back farther on a cumba.
Answers
User itspartytimeguys
Elbows, keep them purposefully up when turning by leading the lifiting of your arm by them rather than having them follow your hand up. Also keep them back on the break, back in line with your body rather than extending your arm out past your body. That will keep you closer together meaning shorter steps, and that will let you dance to faster music and be less stressed about timing as it creates the illusion of having more time available to complete your steps.
User dwkfym
One of my very favorite follows is taller than me, so I figured it out quickly.
You do have to stand a bit closer so you can expand your reach.Keep knees bent like usual, but a bit less.Shift your upper frame (where you normally keep elbows and upper core) focus higher. You don’t want to be yanking her down with every prep and stops. Match hers. Basically, do everything you can to let her maintain a good, straight frame.
Be mindful of her head during turns and spins. If I want to do something crazy like moving triples, sometimes I have to temporarily get on my tippy toes.
Be mindful of her elbows and arms so she doesn’t hit you and spend the rest of the night worrying that she’s gonna hit someone. Most tall women are self conscious about their height, and they tend to have longer limbs.
User double-you
Technically there is no difference. Dancing with a taller follow follows the same principles as dancing with a shorter follow. But sometimes people forget about the basics and principles as they can get away with messier technique when the follow is shorter and sounds like this applies to you too. If it feels like you need to change something to dance with taller follows, you’ve gotten sloppy.
The basics:
— When you lead figures, it’s about the follow’s frame. If you turn them, follow the circle around them.
— When you turn someone, lift the arm so that they can easily pass under, but no higher. Remember hair. If you cannot reach high enough, maybe choose other figures.
— Staying close helps most things.
— Know where your partner is and where their limbs are (and also your own).
