Any leaders that have learned to follow ?

[David Bailey]

There's also an interesting follower who I've danced with quite a few times. She doesn't always follow what I've led, and other leads would probably think she's not a good follower.

Depends - do you think she deliberately chooses not to follow your lead, or is she not aware of where she should be going?

(If the latter, then it may be your lead that needs development.)

However, the connection is great, which means I'll feel like I'm constantly re-evaluating my lead and it leading to a mutation (a good one) of my inititial intention (shout if that doesn't make sense).

Sounds like she's taking a few liberties on the "playing" side of things, verging on the "hijacking".

The point here being, if I pre-lead significantly, and make it more obvious what I'm doing, then I would imagine that the dance would become more stagnant ?

I don't think that clarity of lead makes the dance stagnant, no.

Firstly, pre-leading is not like you plan everything out in the Nth detail, 4 minutes in advance or anything - it not choreography. You simply decide what the next movement will be, a couple of seconds "early", and make your intentions clear to the follower in advance, so that it's not a shock for her - she doesn't get wrenched around or surprised, and she doesn't have to try to guess what you're leading.

Secondly, you may - and probably should - decide to give the follower some space and time to play / interpret; pre-leading doesn't interfere with that at all. It simply gives the follower more warning as to what's coming next.

If my lead is perfectly accurate, and the follow is perfectly accurate also, then it feels like a formula, rather than a dance. I get this with some of the "better" dancers.

Perfect clarity of lead should have no impact on the quality of dance itself - it's simply good technique. You can still do all the improvisation, interpretation, and connection - in fact, all these things should be easier with good technique.

Some of my most stimulating dances, are when I don't know whats quite going to happen (but with a pure connection).

Mmmm. Not sure your followers would agree that "not knowing what's going to happen" is a fun experience.

Do some vary their lead, so if you pre-lead a lot normally, do sometimes you switch it off or reduce it iyswim given a different person ? (I know most of us adapt to an extent depending on partner).

I always try to pre-lead; as I said, in my view it's simply good dance technique to do this.

All that said, I admit that I'm not big on the hijacking / partnership side of dancing, and that I rarely get sabotaged (my feeling is that it's much easier to sabotage a move which is "signalled", rather than a movement which is led). But I can live with that.

[Prian]

I spin a lot, and wiggle too and have had ladies saying in mock annoyance that I'm showing them up by being too good at both...

[Sheepman]

I've heard an analogy with chess - the more moves ahead you think and plan, the better

Quite a nice analogy I think, though I'm not sure how far ahead I'm thinking about moves. It can be extended, - you have to be adaptable so that if your partner makes an unexpected move, then you can come up with an appropriate response, (e.g. if she moves to a position you hadn't expected, you adjust your move to allow for a smooth transition). You also need to be adaptable for unexpected things happening in the music.

Greg

[Sheepman]

I'd be interested to hear anything else that followers don't find appealing

Take a look here Which moves do you hate
Greg

[cederic]

Pre-leading doesn't force a dance down a formulaic route any more than a clear or strong lead does. If anything, by giving advanced notice to the follower of where the lead will be taking them next, it gives them more time and opportunity to subvert the lead - through deliberate misinterpretation, changing the pace, adding additional spins or other forms of sabotage.

When the follower has no idea what's about to happen they are too busy following the actuality to do anything different..

[wigglebum]

I haven't learnt to follow but I do try sometimes with a few buddies.

It concreted in my head how subjective the opinion towards good dancers really is. I would never want to dance with a follower some of the ways that I have been led. (Possibly a slightly ignorant view as I'm not a good follower)

So I definitely think learning to follow has its benefits. If you don't like the way you are led why should anyone else, and so you can make your own leading more enjoyable.