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The first stage is to understand how the move is broken down, e.g. which way the follower should rotate, etc. In particular, try and use muscle memory to “remember” the move even for motions out of sight, by feeling limb and joint positions, as you walk through the move slowly — making sure that both partners' arms move the correct way68. Once both partners understand how a particular move (or piece of arm origami) works — then the leader can start to lead the move slowly — rather than walking through it. Once the leader can lead the move (and the follower can follow the move) then both partners can building up speed, style, etc. Obviously, be ready to release grip if there is any suggestion that there is a problem, and make sure that you the handholds can rotate easily — so that both partners can easily swivel into and out of hammerlocks, etc.
The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Gary Player.
Practise the steps! It's obvious, but still — the more that you practise moves, the more time that you'll have to concentrate on your partner — and on the lead and follow. Eventually, your feet will take care of themselves.
Stating the obvious again: smaller, simpler moves will give more time for practise at leading and following. Simpler steps that work well, will look much better than complicated failures.
Practise makes permanent, not perfect.
Be positive — success comes in cans — not can'ts.
Take time out occasionally to check that you are practising “correctly” — rather than just reinforcing any bad habits. A video camera can be used to check moves after dancing, whereas private lessons can provide more immediate feedback to review progress and pick up any (potential) problems.
Mirroring. In general, the follower will mirror the leader when facing, and copy them when side by side — which will help both partners look coordinated. It is often easier for the leader to switch footwork to meet the follower, rather than trying to lead the follower into a complicated series of steps to swap their feet.
Mime.
Humour. Pushing / kicking your partner — slapstick. Kicking during a walking yo-yo, etc.
It's useful to move around and change partner(s) in a class and learn with someone who may have a better view, more experience, or has learnt it before. Dancing with multiple partners means that you will have to lead and follow more and this may help you from developing “bad” habits — you may not even realise that you have them until you eventually find that you can only dance with a single partner. Leaders can get lazy dancing exclusively with a single partner because they know their repertoire, and followers can get lazy dancing exclusively with a single partner because they “know” which move is coming next.
Great artists steal, lesser artists copy.
Watch other dancers (and different dance styles) — this is a great way to find new moves and pick up style tips to use in your own dancing.
I recommend you try any classes that you can attend — your regular (closest) class may not necessarily be the “best”.
Chose a teacher / class that suits you — variety of styles from more regimented to the flippant.
Simple mechanisms include
multiple turns.
multiple turns with double handholds.
spins.
modify speed of moves.
Develop a culture where leading and following is expected, be flexible in your leads; don't always lead move X after move Y — try mixing in Travelling Returns instead of normal returns — avoid leading the same move for the majority of the dance, e.g. only lead a few First Moves.
Try leading your partner lightly without a handhold, e.g. leading by lightly pushing, or pulling on shoulder, arm, hip, etc. to gauge the smallest amount of lead needed.
Start simple, add in extra walks forwards or backwards, e.g. after a Return. Keep the handhold extremely light, reduce or remove signals, or hand beating or circling hand motions.
Leader should use a “quiet” lead — follower should keep her hand in front of and perpendicular to their centre of gravity, etc.
Relax your partner — smile, light lead, look at them.
Today's beginners are tomorrow's experts.
Are you “too good” to dance with a future Modern Jive expert?
Dancing with beginners is a real opportunity for leaders to practise their leading and floor-craft, etc. — it is much clearer to a leader dancing with a beginner that his lead is incorrect, unclear, or lazy — since more experienced followers may have learnt to cope with any idiosyncrasies, etc. A less philanthropic reason is that dancing with beginners can help to improve your skills and technique for competitions, such as “dance with a stranger”.
Dancing with absolute beginners, i.e. with little or no Modern Jive experience, can be challenging. Obviously, absolute beginners will have little, or no, experience of floor craft — so the more experienced dancer must take much more responsibility for safety even if they are a follower.
When leading absolute beginners, it is easiest to constrain moves to those that can be danced in a closed dance hold, or in an uncrossed double-handed open hold — since this kind of move restricts the absolute beginner dancer “escaping”, while making it easier to sense their orientation, etc. Suitable moves include: the arm jive, baskets, walking moves, Manhattans, etc.
Moves to avoid include: wurlitzer type moves, as an absolute beginner will probably “break their shoulder” and combs, as absolute beginners tend to confuse them as the lead for a turn. Obviously, all acrobatic moves should be avoided, as a (absolute) beginner will have no training in how to follow them.
68Sometimes, it can be difficult to learn (lead) moves until your partner adjusts so that they can rotate, etc. to help the move
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