A top dancer never looks as if he is leading. If the lady does not know the steps that you are doing you, will have to lead. But if the lady knows her steps the music must be her guide. A lady who is waiting to be led will always have a heavy delayed look within the partnership. So ladies brush up on your timing and don't wait to be pulled along. Any comments on this one

Oh, expert ladies follow, and wait to be lead (in that they don't anticipate movement) they just stay poised to move while they are waiting.

Soo true. but when your just starting out, being shoved around the floor by a good leader can be really fun and get you excited about danceing and get you hooked on it. ^_^

A lady should never lead herself, but when she feels the slightest lead from the mans frame she should move so as not to be heavy, but even if the woman knows the pattern well, she should still not lead because the man may lead a different combination of the pattern. A good folower is taught that leading herself is frustrating to men and is not good dance etiquette. If she learns to follow well, she can dance with anyone, and if she messes up with the pattern, she should gracefully try to quickly get in step with her patient male leader and keep going with a smile!Hope this helps!

Dancer. I am one of those that has been taught to clear a path for the lady by using CBMP. If I step back with my left foot with CBMP, my partner knows that she should step foreward outside with CBMP with her right foot as in step four of the Reverse Weave in the Waltz. She will not move untill the beat arrives. Think about it, if I open a door for the lady do I push her through. Opening the door is her lead. The music is replaced by she knowing where she is going. I can't think of a better way of telling the ladies that they must have an understanding of the music. They must count the beats and not leave everything to being pushed or pulled.

The lady must never go through the "open door" until guided through it. The lady as well as the man should "Listen" to the music but the lady should never "Hijack" the lead. Moving CBMP is an indication to the lady but not a Carte Blanche to do as she pleases.

Too true! Ever have someone race you across the floor in an extended weave? You have to keep extending it until you can cut her off to the ending!

Helpful advice .Correct response excited me also. I can't get in step will smiling when I messed up with my pattern in quickstep which needs automatic reaction . I feel frustrated in such situation. My instructor asked me to interprete his body language . I prefer to know my steps first then follow him ... He said no. I have to learn from this website, and DVD...
Try to let it looks easy.
How could I keep my head above my left soulder and sit up in tango ? Is it correct if I hook my right waist slightly higher than left one with left elbow "separating " from my body to maitain my head over my left side and use my buttock , posterior/anterior compartments of thigh with knee slightly forward to support me firmly on the floor (about 60% body weight distributes on my left foot)? Thanks for explanation .
ylchen

Your hips (waist) must remain level in tango.

And like all ballroom dances, your weight should be on only one foot at a time, with the exception of checking actions (contra check) where you will divide your weight between the feet.

Hi, Anon, Your firm advice comfort me very much. I had instructed as follows: separate my feed as wide as my shoulder to support my sides , distribute my body weight on my both heels equally,with vertical alignment. both knee slightly forward, then shift a little bit on my left foot whith head over my left shoulder . Such stance made me extremetly discomfort , I saw no hip crease on my left groin. I told my instructor how strange it is . can I rotate my right foot towart my left knee , keeping my left hip forward ?(in their ealier DVD, Karen mentioned right hip a little bit higher than left ...). My instructor said : ignore it . It is not your level to do good stance in tango. I said: " no, I want to learn the basic part . Obviously, if I can't do good prepared step , I will have problem in next step , I feel strange even my left upper limb . Try to put you in my soes , I think to practice a good stance is a basic for the begginer . Maybe , I am too straight . but who can ignore the basis ? "When I put my body weight in my left foot , he said : both feet , even right foot . I doubted : male ? I thought , there must be misunderstanding in our communication even lady part . My God!
ylchen