I never suggested that the body should be in front of the moving foot (although from a standing start, it will be).

To quote Geofrey Hearn again (in connection with movement and swing) "Head weight commences movement". Change your mind, and expect to fall flat on your face.

Richard Gleave has a different "take ".. he states the first thing to move, is the knee.. check it out in a simple walk from a standing position ...an old theory, but a true one ..

In the sense that I need to release the heel of the foot to swing it, I would agree that the knee is the first part of the leg to move. But I'm not going to move my leg at all unless I have commenced a body movement: and this is no more than standard technique (the body moves first), and when I move the leg, it will swing from the hip.

The Q was, WHAT moves first.. and your preaching to the choir !!

I still say the body, then. Why would I move my knee at all, if I'm not moving?

AS Richard said.. it precedes all else.. take it up with him ( but how would he know.. hes only been an undefeated World champ 8 times and 6 times British ! )

In the final analysis.. its about opinions, and what works in teaching..

THere is an awful lot of subtlety in the way the body moves. Especially in dancing. And the better the dancer is, the more subtle he'she can be.
I'm trying to visualize what would happen if you were to tell an inexperienced dancer to start his movement by changing his head weight - ie move the head first.
Going back to the original posting about lead and follow. One very important point is that the person moving backward must keep their weight forward, more toward the standing leg, and not let their weight stay between the feet, which will give the impression that they are pulling away, and trying to 'lead'.

Lead and follow seem to have been left until rather late in training.

Most ladies are ahead of their partners, (When it comes to memorizing figures.), therefore, they learn their figures more quickly. It is always difficult to lead someone who knows where they are going better than you do.

At one time there were teachers who taught women how to follow before they taught them any figures. (And the ladies were not taught many figures where there was body contact.) These women could follow anyone. They responded only to the streaching and movement of the man's body.

These days everyone is taught the figures at the same time.

Unless the lady is a very good dancer, she might tend to, "Follow", before you "Lead". Even if you were late leading, the lady should not move until she actually feels a lead. Of course, that was the old rule. The new rules are not so clear.

No, I've read it three times, and I've still got no idea what you're trying to say.

Telemark. Does the body move to the point of imbalance in the Standard Style of International Ballroom Dancing when taking a step Forward. The amount of movement of the body is minimal. From the heels to the balls of the feet. Lets be sensible about this and put away all of thoes preconceived ideas and find out what it has to be. We are in a partnership. If the man were to incline the body to the point of imbalance . What is going to happen to the lady whilst this is being done. Would she be able to flex the supporting knee forward towards her partner and extend her moving foot to the toe with a partner that is towering over her and is deliberately off balance. I think Terence wrote. Check it out in a simple walk forward. I would add to that . Check it out with a simple walk forward with a partner. Then try going backwards with your partner going to the point of imbalance.
If you read carefully page 9 Alex Moore's Technique Book. I dont think he was far wrong concerning a Forward Walk when he wrote. As the moving foot passes the toe of the standing foot., the heel of the standing foot will be released from the floor.