What is a strong lead? How to be a better social dancer

Last night I was talking to a group of friends after a dance competition; we often catch up at a nearby restaurant and talk after these events. For a while we were talking about different people we had danced with and what it was like to lead and follow. The old theme of what a good track was came up. During this conversation the topic of the use of the word ‘strong’ came up.

You may not know it, but men and women often use the word “strong” differently.

For men, the word basically means to possess strength. That he is a strong person has strength and he can apply that. This is why you might hear a dance teacher here say “give me a strong hint” and then shortly after you hear her say “don’t squeeze my hand so hard.” The man hears the word “strong” and assumes that more strength is needed.

For women, the word is very contextual. There may be strong colors. There may be strong words. There may be strong personalities. There may also be physically strong people. Of course, there can also be solid clues.

What do women mean when they say “strong lead”?

In this context, we can be guided by the signal detection theory. Signal detection theory is about how clear a signal is relative to signal distortions. If someone is talking to you and there is a lot of noise around, then the signal is relatively weak. On the other hand, if the noise is lower or the voice is raised, the signal becomes stronger.

A strong clue is clear in the sense that it can be detected and clear in its intent.

A soloist’s signal will be weak if the associated movement is small compared to the other movements in the dance. A potential customer’s signal will also be weak if the potential customer himself is not sure what he really wants.

To get a strong edge, first know what you want to achieve. Second, make sure your leadership is clear in relation to other movements. This could mean clear strength. However, it could also just mean a clear move. It could also mean that you need to reduce the random movements and forces you unintentionally apply while dancing.

You can imagine how a prospect who only moves when it’s time to point a prospect would be seen as a strong prospect. There is no hesitation with this person, he knows where he is going and how he will get there. That’s a strong track.

If you are learning to lead, then work to be that way. If you are teaching someone to lead, be sure to explain the use of the word “strong” when leading.