The man may be able to put the lady into a line but she is the one that has to time the extention and coming out even though he may indicate with his hand or frame that it's time to come out,he can't just pull her out. There are also many places where the couple wait for each other to move first,how can the lady do this if she does not help with the timing. How can she dance with feeling if she is not constantly aware of and keeping time.

The lady's action in a line is an amplification of smaller actions in the man's body (which an untrained observer will not see) - hence he's still responsable for the timing.

Of course he can't lead an exit if she's lagging behind him in the evolution of the line.

and if the woman is too fast or light?

Also the woman's weight has to be in the right position at the right time in order for her to follow the man's lead and she can only do that if she is also responsable for her own timing unless the man does not let her dance and just carry her around the dance floor as many men are apt to do.

"Also the woman's weight has to be in the right position at the right time in order for her to follow the man's lead and she can only do that if she is also responsable for her own timing unless the man does not let her dance and just carry her around the dance floor as many men are apt to do."

If you define responsable for her own timing as insuring that her body matches his timing, then sure.

An ordinary person would define it as making her own decisions based on the music, something that can be quite problematic in partner dance.

I sure don't want to match a partner's timing if he is dancing with total disregard for the music. It is usually very unpleasant to dance off time. I can't believe it's that much fun for the gentlemen, either. I think a good follower can match the man and still invite him to dance on time.

"I sure don't want to match a partner's timing if he is dancing with total disregard for the music. It is usually very unpleasant to dance off time. I can't believe it's that much fun for the gentlemen, either. I think a good follower can match the man and still invite him to dance on time."

Maybe early on. Later in development, being off time in some ways is an important part of the character of some of the dances. Get in the habit of forcing your partner to a timing, and at best the dance will look very mechanical, at worse it will look uncoordinated.

Is that not what the man is ding when he forceses his partner to ddance only his timing. I was taught by my old coach '5 time Austrailian champion" that the person moving back makes a space for the other to dance into,when the lady dances a feather or three step she is in control of the timing,the man can only move as fast or as slow as she moves, he only initiates or suggest the timing on the first step. When the lady dances a heal turn she has to be in control if she is to stay oh her heal . The man can lead the lady into a contra check and help her with her timing by easing{not pulling) her out of it ,but she has to dance it her self,timing the sqeezing of the ankle and knee with the music. In the reverse turn the man dancing back has to wait for the lady to pass befor going into the feather finish,the speed at whitch he turns his body may indecate how quickly she should pass ,but she is in the driver seat and will dance the timing. It's obviose that both have to make miner adjustments in the timing as they dance through a routine and that it can't be left to one person.

The man needs to be in control of the timing, because unlike the lady he knows what figure is coming next, and so should be setting up the relation of the movement to the music so that it will align at the future points he wishes to highlight. If the lady does the timing she can only time the present figure - a very novice way of dancing.

I asked my instructor about this because I have danced with some gentlemen who are clearly off the beat. I was told to pretend there is no music playing and simply follow - as that is supposed to be my job....
so that's what I've been doing. That can be hard though!!!!