interesting thread NZM...
Indeed I too think that having a set of clear rules actually allows you more freedom in the long run - once you've past the stage where you have to learn them and feel like they are limiting you (which, let's be honest, can take a looooong time...)
Personally, I still have my best and most expressive dances in an MJ/blues context (I just don't advertise it a lot )... but ONLY with a handful of leaders. There are very, very few leads that are extremely attentive and willing to actually follow me in my digressions, and with whom I have a great connection that will allow that. And I think this could be both due to the fact that MJ doesn't teach enough lead / follow / follow (the repeat follow is intentional ) and doesn't provide a clear set of expected behaviours (i.e., rules), and a reflection of my own journey and limitations in my dancing and my ability to communicate with the lead.
However I tend to have more very good (and expressive) wcs dances than MJ ones, and this is enabled by the structure of wcs - and in particular the anchor that defines the end of a pattern. And I can only see that potential for very expressive dances growing with experience of the dance.
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