| Becoming a great leader on the dance floor is a lofty | | | | fingertip connection). |
| goal with many rewards. It's also within the reach of | | | | Start moving from one leg to the other making sure |
| anyone willing to pursue this elusive skill. | | | | that you are communicating the weight transfer - not |
| There are two key ingredients to becoming a great | | | | merely moving your hands from side to side, but |
| leader: | | | | keeping your body connected and transferring your |
| | | | weight with your entire body columns. |
| 1. Connection | | | | As you practice the above exercise you will feel a |
| 2. Clarity | | | | connection with your partner as you move from one |
| On this issue will be concentrating on the first Key | | | | leg to the other. Since the hands are moving you |
| ingredient - "Connection". | | | | might think the hands are doing the leading - try now |
| CONNECTION | | | | disconnecting the core and lead only with the hands |
| In order to lead someone you first need to establish | | | | and you will notice that only her hands will follow your |
| a connection with that person. Without connection | | | | hands and not her entire body. |
| any attempt to lead will feel abrupt and unsettling. | | | | The above exercise will do wonders for your |
| In order to establish connection with another person, | | | | connection within yourself and with your partner. |
| you first need to be connected within yourself. The | | | | At the beginning you will feel a bit stiff as you move |
| best way to develop your inner connection is by | | | | with your partner from one leg to the other; this, |
| consciously focusing on your core area (one inch | | | | however, is okay. Soon you will establish a solid |
| above your waist line to one inch below). | | | | connection that will make this action as natural as |
| Your core area connects your entire body and | | | | breathing. |
| provides it with a dynamic tension that adjust to the | | | | Connection is an elusive quality; and like a pilot before |
| speed and power of your movements. As you | | | | take off, it's usually a good practice to have a |
| practice concentrating on your core area you will feel | | | | check-list of steps to help make sure we dance |
| your inner connection increase. | | | | connected. |
| Establish connection within yourself before asking a | | | | - Concentrate on your core area to develop your |
| partner to dance and when you touch their hands | | | | inner connection. |
| they will feel that connection and respond to it. They | | | | - Establish a fingertip connection with your partner as |
| won't know why, they'll just know that for some | | | | soon as you touch their hand by providing a little lift |
| reason they dance better when they dance with you. | | | | upwards with your arms. You are aiming to connect |
| You will be aiming to connect from your core area to | | | | from your core to their core. |
| theirs; the hands and arms just help transmit that | | | | - Make sure you are connected with your partner as |
| intention. | | | | you get in dance position by maintaining the upward |
| A good exercise is to concentrate on your core area | | | | lift. |
| until you feel your arms and body connected. Put | | | | - Both of you should lean slightly forward towards |
| your hands in front of you (as if you are holding a | | | | each other in order to maintain connection while |
| tray). Now, with your feet side by side (about | | | | moving. |
| shoulder width apart), start transferring your weight | | | | - Once you start dancing, you will be alternating |
| from one leg to the other - make sure as you | | | | between leading and following your partner's |
| transfer weight that your arms and columns are | | | | movement to insure you maintain a continuous |
| connected and are part of the weight transfer. | | | | connection. |
| Now try this exercise with your partner in front of | | | | Becoming a good leader is not something you learn - |
| you; the palms of your hands are up and your | | | | it's something you continually improve. Work on your |
| partner's are down; connect the hands at the | | | | connection and you will be on your way to becoming |
| fingertips (your arms will provide a little tension | | | | a great leader and a very popular dance partner. |
| upward and when done properly she will provide a | | | | Next issue "Clarity" the second key ingredient you |
| reciprocal tension downward that will maintain your | | | | need to Become a Great Leader on the Dance Floor. |