I am totally confused - at this point I have had at least one lesson with about 7 instructors, including two professional but ballroom, one AT professional and lots of group lessons with self-styled "community teachers." I've learned to take what makes sense and seems to work with a given partner. But what the "self-taught" instructors are telling me about boleo don't make sense. Some say that a follow just does a boleo whenever she feels like it and has the opportunity - but I think that could be awkward if not downright dangerous. Others teach that there is a lead - but basically the lead is supposed to twist or "wrench" the follow before she completes an ocho. That looks and feels awkward to me - and it feels that the follow are being pulled off her axis so the whole thing looks clumsy. Is there any help or advice out there?

I've always been taught that it's a styling thing for the lady. In your lead you can give her the chance to do it, but it's still up to her. I've danced with ladies that will do a boleo at every opportunity, some that will only do them with one leg or the other, and some that rarely do them. All very good dancers though.

Gary

that makes sense - and it means that while the lead gives the follow the opportunity, if she decides not to take it, for any reason, the lead should not jerk around her upper body to try to make it happen, right?

I thought that the lead to a boleo was simply to lead to an ocho, whereupon the follower may or may not take the option to do the boleo.

Jerry

I think it might be another "is a crusada led or not?" type of question. It makes it hard for both dancers if they are of different points of view on this, but I gotta believe that abruptly twisting the follow's upper body if she doesn't do "what she is supposed to" is not the best way to resolve the issue.
I am assuming that you two are leads - any follows out there would like to comment?

I agree that abruptly twisting the follower's body is not a good idea. For one thing, she might not want to dance with me again. Even if we are married.

Christy Cote's instructional disk says very clearly that what she feels is the instruction to pivot as in a back ocho.

George Garcia (who is not really ever very articulate IMHO) on the same track of the same DVD, says that he simply turns the chest a little to the left. BUT it is very clear that he has all his weight on the left foot, and that he bends that knee while pointing the right leg out to the right, and he does turn quite a bit to the left. So he is giving 2 messages: pivot, and sink down.

I think that is a very definite lead, but I also think that the woman could reject it (her option) and just do a back ocho. I'm a beginner, so I'll defer to whoever has expertise.

Jerry