" Zouk Dancing is like drawing a picture on white canvas - 70% of artwork are made by leaders " said experienced zouk instructor at lesson at Ruby Blue near Lester Square in London.
As much feminists would like to give an opinion about this, I had to agree quite large amount of degree to this. Yes, we witnessed two male dancers do zouk so beautifully at Helsinki congress and we know same sex can zouk dance just as nice as men and women do.
Despite of my practising zouk only for 10 months apart from zoukfest 2013 which I astrayed in the event believing it was salsa festival!? ( manchester workshop before taking up zouk lesson regularly), I began to feel there will be not much challenge left to learn. So I started to learn a leader role for a change, it was just mere interest at the beginning. It turned out to be awe inspiring experience as I find so hard to learn to lead ladies. But I loved the challenge. It was much harder than I expected.
There was my assumption I could learn the leader role quicker than other complete beginners who take up zouk at the same time.
The opporsite was true, I still struggle of leading ladies even after 10 lessons! I feel like I will stay beginners level for ever! Surprisingly I enjoy lessons to learn as a leader so much and I feel learning leader role even improve our abilities to dance zouk. At least I understand why followers (Mostly women) have to wait leaders signals and keep frame strong.. I also find interesting how each women react differently when learning zouk. Some are so helpful and kind, some are decided to do on her way,
I feel so warm when ladies approved my rubbish leading or suggest how I can change my way so politely.
Yesterday I took a lesson with Gareth and I was paired up with lovely lady. She was tiny but have curve. I was shy to draw her to closer to me. Then Gareth continuously said I have to be very close that her breasts squash to my belly! I feel so embarrassed and even confused myself. It recalled me the time I started salsa, I could not even touch men's hands properly and teachers often ridicule me of having such distance with leaders...Time has passed and now I am nowhere nearer to feel embarrass as a followers even if it seems extremely close contact move..... !! Now!! I am shy again towards followers.... wondering if she feel Okay if i draw her such closely, whether if she feel comfortable for women touching her ? even worried "Isnt she doubting I may be lesbian."...etc.....
many people ask me why I am learning a leader role, one guy actually uspet by this as there were not enough ladies then while a couple of guys decided to enjoy followers role in order to help me. Then new neginner entered into this class lesson one evening.
She saw a lady was making a guy head move.....and she left quietly....I really do not know why but just hope she would come back....
I think I will have to explain each ladies that the reason I am learning leader from now on.
Yes, Learning a leader role is so great as you can understand how leader try to execute moves thus helping folowers to execute as being wished.
But My main purspose of learning a leader role is not that,,, I actually want to take main control of a pair move. Not many leaders choose to dance individually or dance funky way with cool music.
Followers are not allowed to initiate some moves actively but I must admit I do when I encounter with great music and seemingly adopting dancers. Sometime this attempts successful. I tried this with Bruno for fun. I was so intemidated to dance with Bruno as he always dance with Eglantine so gracefully. So I attempted my move as funky as I can and wanted to see how he reacts. .... wow !He was great, you will never seen how Bruno dance in public like that! When I started to funky move, he did funky and we giggled while dancing and it was so much fun. As milion of women queueing up with him to dance, I am sure he enjoyed that crazy dance. I saw he and Eglantine did some fun zouk following month.
I may have inspred him!
As long as you are followers, you will not be able to initiate these funky scenes. I am vidualising myself, oneday , I dance with some funky dancers to zouk in quirky way.....how cool of that!