Once in awhile, very religious about their steps. Usually they are on1 and are very used to very strict linear on1 LA style. It's fun to lead if you want to do a lot of showcase type of salsa, the posing types, then dips, and then dips hence LA style.
I have a few follows who are like this, we started at the same time, four years now. Can't help feel a little down, feels like they just want to stay in this type of style. Some always come but for years now, & it's not like they've added anything new or evolved. They still feel pretty stiff and constricted. We have a few in our scene who just come to just look pretty, I'm not saying it's bad but to each of their own, but why dance when after all these years, there's not even a sense of musicality?
Ever danced with these types? My close friend is one and I love her to death. I understand that salsa social dance is the last in her list and she just comes to so and so dance. But for me, it feels like I need to bring in triple the effort to lighten up some energy in them, cheering them up, there are the beats, there's are the trombones listen, the congas are doing their own thing!!
I'm sure you've encountered and know this. Coming back to the very stiff, very KEEN, too KEEN on the step follows (and leads) is there anything we can do? Technically wise? To make it more fun?
I'm close with a few, one friend roasted me a bit because she finds it confusing when I don't finish the 2 whole measures of the 4x4 step. I would do, 1-2-3 (OH WAIT the song's doing their instrumentals!) I'd disconnect there and do some shines or stand in place to express some musicality. I'll also say that she's the type who very much dislikes doing shines. I think I'll just say that they are too keen on the "rules" of the steps which is not bad but they get more confused if I start doing in place or off the rails combos or self shines. Which then makes it an overall constricting or "stiff" type of dance. Is it just me? What technical approaches can one do with these types?
Also want to add that they are most certainly studio based, performance based dancers, most especially LA style on1 practicers.
Sort by:
Best
Open comment sort options
Best
Top
New
Controversial
Old
Q&A
Maybe just don't dance with them... based on your attitude I'm pretty sure they would be happy not to dance with you
Meh you can't force musicality if they don't want to. If it's a new follow I tend to feel it out by putting in some shines. If they go along with it then I know it's gonna be extra fun, but if not I'll just do more technical stuff and find other ways to have fun.
There's a few follows in my scene who always go along with the music, and they're by far my favorite to dance with. But you can't expect everyone to have the same level of musicality. Some might enjoy different aspects of dancing more, which is perfectly fine by me.
Musicality comes after being comfortable with the fundamentals. It’s part of salsa and if your friend does not like it then salsa isn’t for her. But as you mentioned they never improved so they couldn’t care less. They would be people I’d hate to dance with.
Some people get into dance classes just for the sake of doing something, not because they actually enjoy salsa so they won’t improve at all after certain point.
But does it matter if they improve or not ? They are having fun and that’s what matters, let them do what they want. Not everybody wants to become the best dancer in the social, some people reach a certain level and are fine with it. I personally find LA advanced salsa boring with tons of spins here and there that it gets boring to the follow and lead too.
Follows that are way too strict aren’t fun to dance either, they are solely focused on their steps and not on enjoying the song.
Did you lead them to stop stepping? If not then it's not surprising that they keep sleeping.
Usually when I am dancing with followers who aren't experienced enough to have much of their own musicality or who don't seem comfortable with shines, I avoid disconnecting too much. I will lead them to stop and do some isolations for 4 counts but I still keep one hand connected at least, to tell them to stay in place and give them freedom to style if they do want to.
That way I get to express my musicality without just throwing them into solo dance
Quote from another dancer: "the most snobby dancers I danced with back when I was a beginner, tended to be the ones I later realized actually weren't good follows when I got better."
You have to then ask, what's the point, why go out and dance??? It's 5 years that we always see you now and there's also no improvement or anything?