So, I'm about to give away the number one secret to leading in a way that flows effortlessly from one move to the other, and it's to use the momentum of your follow. However, to go deeper than that I'd like to point out that using your follow's momentum is also about how you think about the leading role. If leading leaves you feeling stagnant or bored of your own moves then it could be your approach to leading has been taking all the onus to make the dance happen,
Take the pressure off yourself
If you feel like as a lead you have to make up all the moves – every single one of them – all the time, it's time to start let the flow of the dance be a joint effort between you and your follow. You can take the pressure off yourself as a lead to make everything up, keep the dance going, or always be coming up with the ideas because it's a partner dance and keeping it moving is not your responsibility alone. This way you can open yourself up to be inspired by the movement of the follow to help you lead the next move.
Follow the energy of your follow
So the secret to flowing leading is to use the follow's momentum and direction to guide you into the next move instead of thinking you need to decide which move comes after which move. As a lead, get into the habit of noticing where and how the follow is moving. What foot is your follow on? What direction is your follow travelling?
This is what makes your moves flow from one to the next if you look at the momentum of your follow and use it to inspire the next move you lead. That way the dance becomes an endless movement from one move to the next, it makes your leading so much easier because you don't need to think about which 'move' to lead next you just continue the direction your follow is going in and continue the follow's momentum in that direction. This doesn't mean that you aren't still in the leading position, you are. You are still giving movement/energy/direction to the dance, but now you are using the momentum already created together instead of starting a new move with a new direction or different energy over and over.
When you use the energy of your follow to inform how you are going to direct the next movement, you are also opening up space for more creativity in your partnership. If you're not in charge of leading every little movement, that leaves space for you to notice how the follow is interpreting the moves you've initiated. You can really see how your follow is enjoying your leading and you can play off that, sparking your own ideas and creativity.
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