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Leading
and Following versus Choreography Part II |
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Leading
and Following versus Choreography
Part II How are They Different? |
| by: Shawn Trautman |
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| Although both choreography and lead-and-follow dancing involve tremendous amounts of practice and commitment, there are definite differences between the two. The main difference between leading and following and choreography is that one is for dancing with others in social situations (leading and following) and the other is for dancing a routine with a specific individual, either for a special event, such as a wedding, or in a competition. Typically, a choreographed routine is useable only with a specific partner and only really looks good with the song for which the dance was choreographed. Understanding the fundamentals of social dancing, including footwork and floor position, as well as the basics of partner dancing is critical in both types of dancing. |
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| Lead-and-follow dancing combines a number of
skills that are tested on every dance outing and in every dance. The
skills that must be mastered include the dance floor basics, a clear
understanding of both the leaders and the followers responsibilities,
the basics of whatever dance you're dancing, and a great deal of common
courtesy and respect toward others. Though leading and following might
appear a bit overwhelming, the pieces that make up the whole are not
overly complicated by themselves and can be picked up with just a
little practice. |
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| Although good choreography and seamless lead-and-follow
dancing are indistinguishable to the untrained observer, choreography
often deviates from the basics of social dance because it is a learned
pattern in which both parties know the entire sequence of movements
in advance rather than depending on interpersonal communication on
the dance floor to create the dance on the spot. In a choreographed
dance, both partners are taught the exact steps and the order in which
they'll dance them. |
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| The advantages of this type of dancing are that
both partners know what's coming up and know exactly where they need
to be. Some people need and like this kind of structure, and it works
great for them. People who are getting married often want a short
choreographed routine to do to their first dance because neither partner
wants to take a chance leading or following in front of others. The
disadvantage of a choreographed dance is that it's usually a dance
that can only be done with the partner you learned it with, and oftentimes
it's to a specific song. There are typically very few lead-and-follow
elements to a choreographed dance, yet they are made to look the part. |
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