Sorry Frodo but can't really agree. I spend hours every week with male and female dancers that have been dancing for relatively short periods of time - some only a few weeks! They get the same messages that have been delivered in this thread.
Male or female, lead or follow it is about being switched on to each other when you're dancing. It is certainly not about controlling the dance but is about developing the skill to get yourself so clued into your partner of the moment so that you can see how they react to what you do. And we all get that wrong - some more than others. Ask my wife how many times we've danced where she's felt I've been clued into her!!! Perhaps that's a topic for a whole other thread.....................................
Dance is a social thing, so I'd expect to see some kind of alignment. The comments in the thread are not about ostracizing different views, they are intended to point out that if you take a selfish and judgemental view then others will more than likely do the same back.
What is an advanced and experienced male anyway? I've got slightly under 2 years dancing experience so I can easily see DD's point in wanting to improve because my memory of being a beginner is still fresh. More to the point I've got 3 weeks of Salsa behind me and know exactly what it feels like to look at the ease that others dance when I'm still wondering if I should be stepping off on my left foot or right. Goodness knows what it will be like when I eventually get round to WCS. There is no 'advanced male club' I know of (although the girls may like to start one) and no-one is trying to keep 'new' dancers down.
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