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tattie
4th-October-2006, 12:39 PM
I'm trying, very badly, to learn how to lead, so last night turned up to my regular venue and lined up with the men in the beginner class. For some odd reason it seemed like all the men of Edinburgh had decided this was the night for them to come along so there were men left over. The teacher asked if I would mind dancing as a follower. I didn't mind at all, well much, but it did make me think about whether we should be allowed to choose which role we dance in, or whether it should be determined by the make up of each class?

When there are more ladies, there is often a call for anyone who can lead to do so, yet when there are more men, they are not asked to follow - and we know some of them can :wink:

So should we be allowed to dance as a leader or a follower as we choose, or should we fit into our gender assigned roles?

azande
4th-October-2006, 12:42 PM
I wouldn't have problems in doing a class as a follow, but I imagine every other man would (ok Gary, 99.9%), while it seems the majority of women are quite happy to be lead by another woman.

Blueshoes
4th-October-2006, 12:45 PM
Personally I think you should be able to choose for yourself. If the class is very mismatched it is natural for the teacher to try and facilitate things and if you're asked to change from a leader to a follower (all very politically correct here) or vice versa and you don't mind, fine, but you shouldn't feel pressurised into doing so if you're deliberately taking a role for your own reasons.

My personal opinion, that's all. :)

TheTramp
4th-October-2006, 12:47 PM
So should we be allowed to dance as a leader or a follower as we choose, or should we fit into our gender assigned roles?

You pay your money, you take your choice. I don't see why you shouldn't do the class as a lead or follow.

However, as azande says, at the moment, it probably wouldn't be the best thing in most classes for a guy to go around the class as a follow. Although, I have done it once or twice :innocent:

TheTramp
4th-October-2006, 12:48 PM
Personally I think you should be able to choose for yourself. If the class is very mismatched it is natural for the teacher to try and facilitate things and if you're asked to change from a leader to a follower (all very politically correct here) or vice versa and you don't mind, fine, but you shouldn't feel pressurised into doing so if you're deliberately taking a role for your own reasons.

My personal opinion, that's all. :)

:yeah:

After all, it probably wouldn't have hurt for the men to move around once in a blue moon!!

Msfab
4th-October-2006, 12:53 PM
I wouldn't have problems in doing a class as a follow, but I imagine every other man would (ok Gary, 99.9%), while it seems the majority of women are quite happy to be lead by another woman.
Actually I had this problem come up at a Tango class I went to. I offered to show the lady what we had covered in the class but she siad she doesnt dance with ladies!:sick: This is the first time ive encountered this. I know of guys (very few thankfully) that dont like swapping roles, even if we have a fun taster class of role reversal. I find it all rather odd - its only dancing afterall, isnt it?

Whenever there are 2 or more extra men over I fall back into a follow mode. Do I like this? no not really especially when they go and teach a routine/move/pattern id like to learn to lead! but if i were to continue being a lead i get looks that make me feel guilty :sad:.

MartinHarper
4th-October-2006, 01:14 PM
I wouldn't have problems in doing a class as a follow, but I imagine every other man would (ok Gary, 99.9%)

I've never had anyone refuse to lead me in a class setting with rotation. That includes a lot of men who will definately not lead me in a freestyle setting.

TheTramp
4th-October-2006, 01:15 PM
I've never had anyone refuse to lead me in a class setting with rotation. That includes a lot of men who will definately not lead me in a freestyle setting.

True. But they might feel uncomfortable about it...

David Bailey
4th-October-2006, 01:46 PM
Actually I had this problem come up at a Tango class I went to. I offered to show the lady what we had covered in the class but she siad she doesnt dance with ladies!:sick:
Unusual - funnily enough, I was about to mention AT.

I've danced (in AT classes) loads of times with men - similarly women dance with women in the class a lot. It's either that or sit it out - and if there are (for example), 4 men and 2 women, it makes sense to pair a couple of the guys up.

MJ's more like salsa in that way - i.e. sexist. It's more common now than a decade ago to see male-male dancing in classes, but it's still pretty rare.

MartinHarper
4th-October-2006, 03:30 PM
True. But they might feel uncomfortable about it...

Mmm, maybe. Much less so than in freestyle, in my limited experience.

TheTramp
4th-October-2006, 03:32 PM
Mmm, maybe. Much less so than in freestyle, in my limited experience.

Indeed, I quite agree with you.

However, if they feel 100% uncomfortable in freestyle, and only 50% uncomfortable in the class, then I still think that it's not a good thing to be doing....

Lynn
4th-October-2006, 08:05 PM
I wouldn't have problems in doing a class as a follow, but I imagine every other man would (ok Gary, 99.9%), while it seems the majority of women are quite happy to be lead by another woman.Girls don't mind dancing with other girls - but a new man in the class suddenly having to dance with another guy might not come back the next week! I guess it might be a bit different in the intermediate class, or at a venue where men dance together in freestyle.

I'll be whatever helps the numbers - I really don't mind.

Anyway, I'm being an elitist snobby hotshot tonight and only going down for the freestyle. :devil:


Actually I'm doing my ironing for Breeze...

MartinHarper
4th-October-2006, 11:25 PM
If they feel 100% uncomfortable in freestyle, and only 50% uncomfortable in the class, then I still think that it's not a good thing to be doing....

I'm sure there are plenty of women who aren't 100% comfortable dancing with me, but if they're comfortable enough to say "yes", they're comfortable enough to dance with.

Freya
5th-October-2006, 05:19 PM
I'm happy to do either. Although I Would like to have a choice. Luckily up here we're not presurised into being either lead or follow although if there are alot of women over there will be a general call for female leads.

I don't think the men mind moving round once in a while - Apparently it gives them a bit of a rest :whistle:

I have done the class out of rotation on occasion because myself and a friend have both wanted to lead and follow so we switched about! Also with a male friend who wanted to learn to follow! He doesn't feel comfortable forcing the male leads to lead him either!

I like learning to lead and to follow! it gives insight into both roles so if you want to Lead and there are men over tghen I would go ahead and lead! they wouldn't have asked you had you been a male! Then they still would have had to move round.

I find that often there is someone in the class that I don't feel 100% comfortable with! But that doesn't mean I'll refuse to dance with them in the class! it should be the same if a male wants to follow or a female to lead. We're all there to learn...Well most of us!

As Trampy said, you paid your money you should get to decide what you learn.

Twirly
5th-October-2006, 05:35 PM
I don't think the men mind moving round once in a while - Apparently it gives them a bit of a rest :whistle:

:rofl: and us a rest as they sort the chaos out because it's a foreign concept to them! :rofl:


I find that often there is someone in the class that I don't feel 100% comfortable with! But that doesn't mean I'll refuse to dance with them in the class! it should be the same if a male wants to follow or a female to lead. We're all there to learn...Well most of us!

:yeah: