As a seasoned ballroom dance instructor, I’ve seen it all. One of the most frequent (and endearing) questions I get is about leading and following. It’s a vital part of partnership dancing, but it’s often the first thing students want to conquer. Imagine trying to run before you can walk – that’s pretty much what’s happening here.

Think back to your first time playing catch. Did you immediately know how to snag that ball flying your way? Probably not. First, you learned to catch when you saw it coming. Only after lots of practice did you start catching balls on instinct, even if they came out of nowhere. This same principle applies to dancing: foundation first, fancy stuff later.

When I introduce a new move, my role is to lead, guiding you through the steps. Yet, almost immediately, hands shoot up with questions about leading and following. “Hold your horses!” I think. “Let’s nail the steps before we worry about who’s doing the leading.”

Here’s a fun analogy: imagine baking a cake but worrying about the frosting before the batter is even mixed. You wouldn’t do that, right? In dance, the steps are your batter. Get them right, and the leading and following – your frosting – will come naturally and make everything sweeter.

Now, for a bit of humor. Picture this: You’re learning to dance, and suddenly you’re more focused on leading like Fred Astaire or following like Ginger Rogers than simply getting the steps right. Spoiler alert: even Fred and Ginger had to learn their basic steps first!

So here’s my tip: relax, enjoy the process, and focus on mastering the moves. Once you can dance the steps without overthinking, leading and following will fall into place effortlessly. Trust me, your dance partner will thank you.

One more tip from the vault of dance wisdom: practice makes perfect. Whether it’s a quickstep or a slow waltz, repetition is your friend. The more you practice, the more natural the moves become, and soon enough, you’ll find yourself leading and following like a pro without even realizing it.

Remember, dancing is supposed to be fun! Laugh at your missteps, celebrate your progress, and let the music move you. After all, it’s not just about the destination but the joy of the journey. So, dance first, lead later, and watch your ballroom bliss unfold.

Happy dancing!