Which foot takes the weight in a dip?

[David Franklin]

The secure feeling results when I can keep the weight-bearing foot beneath me. I have to flex my ankle, (quite a bit if it is a drop). My thighs stay parallel, or nearly so. It feels like I am moving straight down, or even slightly to the (leader's) right.

Interesting. In my (limited) experience of being dropped, it feels like I am going backwards (which is the leader's left), rather than straight down. I think it depends on where your "sense of self" is: my center is going more or less straight down, but my head is going backwards (left to the leader). I'm pretty firmly situated in my head, I think!

To contrast, if I get the feeling I am being dragged to the left, my supporting leg gets stretched out, my ankle extends, the knee on the supporting leg points upward, rather than following the line of the extended leg, and at that point it is awkward or impossible for me to reposition my supporting foot beneath me.

As you suggested later, you really shouldn't ever feel you're being dragged to the left (exception: there are "special effect" drops where you intentionally slide the follower, but they are very unusual).

If a leader does drag you to the left, they have to be prepared to take a much greater proportion of your weight, pretty much all of it, in fact. Given the body mechanics usually aren't too favourable either, this is far more than most leads are comfortable with. So it's not surprising that it tends to feel dreadful for the follower.

[NZ Monkey]

If a leader does drag you to the left, they have to be prepared to take a much greater proportion of your weight, pretty much all of it, in fact. Given the body mechanics usually aren't too favourable either, this is far more than most leads are comfortable with. So it's not surprising that it tends to feel dreadful for the follower.

Not only that, but the follower is likely to feel like she's taking more weight as well as she'll be in a mechanically unsound position. It's pretty much a lose-lose situation for everybody.

[Martin]

As I 'descend', I have my weight on my left foot, which bends, while my right foot extends out to my right to create a nice line with the follower's body. This way, the foot closest to my partner's centre of gravity has all my weight on it throughout the dip.

Dan

Yes

So I'm not alone in thinking its better to have the leader's weight over their left foot before the dip, and presumably extending the right leg to make it look pretty. So why then have teachers taught the "get the lady into your arms, then step (lunge) to your left and hope you find your footing correctly in order catch her if she happens to throw her weight into the dip"?
Dan

Yes again,

The thing is, bring the follower into position. Ensure everything is lined up, then extend the left leg, and if all is cool, do the drop/dip.

3 stages:

1/ Set it up
2/ Position yourself
3/ Do the move

If you take full control of your follower in a dip/drop, the follower cannot dip/drop before you allow it.

So it might be more to do with the tension and firm hold of your partner before the dip/drop.