As promised, here’s that list of Top 10 Leader Pet Peeves (as per a survey I took recently) that we worked on in my Following Technique Clinic this weekend at Southern Belle Swing Bash in Atlanta. We worked through some drills, tests and exercises to see if we were perpetrators of any of these follower crimes, and how to fix them. This is just a quick summary for those that were in the class, and might not make much sense if you weren’t there:

• Floppy fingers, or…
• The iron grip
• A kinked wrist
• Floating arms, in various positions
• Seeking various connections he’s not asking for
• Shoulders behind hips (falling backwards), or feet behind hips (falling forwards)
• Split weight swivels, ie: being on the wrong foot on count 2
• Split weight on 3&4, ie: being on the wrong foot on count 4
• Not walking straight forward, when lead straight forward
• Ignoring the lead during your swivels (coming forward too early, too late, or demanding stretch he’s not leading)

If you have any questions, feel free to email me: me@sharondavis.com.au

[Photo: Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, 1939, Savoy Ballroom, Harlem, New York City].