i need some advice on something. Do dancers use hand signals? such as squeezing the hand or tapping? For example, if coming out in promenade to indicate whether the next figure is a simple chassis, or a chair.

Not really unless one has a physical impairment such as hearing concerns. A normal lead should suffice. Tapping and the like tends to be a teaching technique for people who have trouble with a figure or don't lead/follow well.

I meant hand signals in a different sense.
Example: In a comp you're dancing a group of figures, but you're suddenly blocked and you have 2 options to 'escape'. Do a curved feather (slow waltz) and then back into an impetus turn, or curved feather and then back into a same leg lunge. In the heat of battle the difference in the lead between the two options is subtle, especially if you've just been blocked and the alignments aren't exactly what you'd hope for. So you have a 'rule'. one squeeze of the left hand, or two squeezes. Do people do this?

Hopefully not. Much better to discuss the differences of feel in the evolution of an impetus or a same foot lunge.

Yes...my answer is no different. You should be capable of leading and she of following any pattern with no communication outside of a normal lead.

If you are too locked in to a routine for her to follow then you need to practice with no set choreography. I actually love dancers who are strong enough to dance in a competition without a set choreography. It means both partners must be equally strong and knowledgeable...but it looks amazing.

I am just curious if the "trained eye" is watching can you tell the difference in a choreo. routine, and true following and leading. I know to a trained eye, it is possible to see the split second difference, of his foot on the floor, then hers.. in a true lead & follow situation. Thanks, ScottyBoysDoll
Honestly, ScottyBoy & I have to cheat a little, and discuss lead, and agree on a hint, or do to two steps in sequence, it takes ScottyBoy, a little bit before he has both feet, and lead together after a new step is introduced. And anticipation is my biggest problem !!

The only way you could ultimately tell the difference between well done dancing on and off routine would be the couple's reaction to things that could not have been known in advance, such as the movement of other couples. However any skilled danxers will deviate when necessary - the mark of the true expert is to react early enough and consistently enough with the dance that there is no appearance of a change of plans, just an appearance of being lucky enough never to need to. Of course you can also react in a positive way to other couples, audience energy, etc.

Also, there is no "delay" in lead-follow dancing, because actions evolve over a period of time so that something specific like a footfall can occur exactly when it needs to. There are actually a number of situations where the lady needs to end her foot travel slightly before the man, just as there are situations where he ends his first, and situations where they even have different numbers of weight changes.

I thought the ladies foot should be a millisecond, after the lead's foot. I have seen some really funny things in professional comps.- One guy crawled through another man's legs to get back to his partner - both couples, played back and forth - it was so cool! I loved it! And there is no way, something like that was planned, just an accident! But so cute & funny!
I was just wondering if a professional could tell, if a couple was doing a routine, or true lead & follow.
I am still just working on lots of technique stuff! So, I was just truly curious! Thanks so mush for your time! Have A Great Week-End! ScottyBoysDoll

I'm not a pro but you can almost always tell. It changes the interaction between the partners and how they respond to the music...and to be honest most just have set choreography and have enough skill to live through crashes etc. on the floor. It is a treat when you see a top couple really dance to music.

The lady's foot is later in some situations but in others it needs to be earlier. And then there are the cases where she steps but he does not. It all depends on the type of action being danced.

What this should illustrate is that her body moves in continuous coordination with his. Each dancers feet then "follow" primarily their own body.