My belief:

For the actual dance there is only one Leader: that is the caller.

All the dancers are Followers, following the caller’s Lead.

Any suggestion that one role has a leading responsibility is misleading and does disservice to all the dancers in the other role.

Historically this was different.  The Men led the Ladies down the set.  The Men swung the Ladies.  We try to avoid terminology like that these days.  I don’t think we should go backwards.

However, within the dance, when a flourish or embellishment takes place, then Lead/Follow happens briefly and dynamically just for that couple for that embellishment.

That is my feeling.

            Happy dancing,                         

                   John                                  

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574                         

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