I am part of several conversation groups and chat rooms that have there material centered around West Coast Swing. A topic that came out recently is “Who holds the power in a swing partnership…The Leader or The Follower?” This is one for the ages and has been debated for years. The person asking the question is more than likely on the destructive path of attempting to find fault in their partner’s dancing by rolling the dice on the outcome. As much as I would love to take a side in the argument I can’t because without one there can’t be the other.
As a beginner I thought of lead and follow dancing as a circle with a line drawn down the middle with my half being blue and her’s red. She does her job and I do mine. Then when I started taking private lessons it was drilled into my head that all outcomes are the leader’s responsibility. So the Circle of responsibility shifted to 75% Blue and 25% Red. This shift never felt right though because how can you call something a partnership when you are not sharing the responsibility? You can’t!
To nail down the responsibility chain for swing we must think about the Asian symbol for all things balanced: The Yin Yang. Although 50% is Blue and the other half is Red there is no line of separation. At its deepest point as the red side is pushing its way into the blue it carries with it a little circle at its core of blue for balance. The Yin Yang is as close as those two colors can come to being mixed while still maintaining their identity. Imagine if our dancing took on the feel of a Yin Yang?
This week’s lesson plan is going to explore how to be the Leader or the Follower and blend with your partner without losing who you are.
Sunday Night
$10
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, Ma
6:00 2-Step Lesson
6:45 WCS Lesson
(Lesson and Dance are included)
Friday Night
$10
DNE
78 Princeton St
N. Chelmsford, Ma
7:30-?
(Pizza Party, Water, Lesson, and Dance are all included)