Inspired by discussion on another thread
Personally I believe a successful pretzel requires as much lead and follow as most moves in MJ. I also do not see how you are 'pulling your follower around in a circle'. The leader and follower simply change places on the slot a couple of times and this requires the leader to lead the follower in those changes of direction. I admit that the need to lose the tension/tone in the frame (assuming there is any there to begin with
) for parts of the move in order to avoid that shoulder dislocation adds a degree of awkwardness to the move but no less so than many other common moves e.g comb, half-nelson. A decent lead should be able to transmit through their own arm tension and shape what they require of the follower (and through the same mechanism sense when a follower is not 'loosening up' and abort the move if necessary)
As for the offering of the spare hand behind the back that tends to initiate the move - is this a signal upon which the move is reliant? Yes, it's a signal but so is any move involving offering a hand for the follower to take - I'd say it was more of a convention of the dance. If the lead offers a hand, followers take it.
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