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I ’ve spent a number of years dancing. In that time, I’ve gazed upon many faces. For a while, I didn’t get that there was a correlation between my dancing and their expression. In the spirit of helping my fellow leaders decipher the mystery of follower facial expressions, I present the following essay.
The question frequently arises in the mind of leaders, “How am I doing? Is my follow enjoying dancing with me?” Really, you need look no further than your follower’s face. It’s an amazing feedback mechanism with a wide variety of configurations which can tell you more about your dancing than a private lesson.
Let’s begin with what you most likely want to see on your partner’s face; happiness. The picture above and center shows a follower smiling. Notice the upturned corners of the mouth, the teeth showing in a pleasant manner and the crinkles around the eyes. If you see this type of facial configuration regularly, congratulations you are leading well.
A less desireable facial expressions is shown in the picture to the above and to the left, the “What the ...” look. You might receive this type of expression just after you lead her into the man behind her, led a move poorly, or stepped on her foot. In other words, this expressions most likely means you led something poorly and it felt “really bad” to her.
An expression you might receive which should inspire you to change what you are leading is shown to the above and to the right. I call it the “deer in headlights” look. I have received and seen other leaders receive this look when moves are led that are too fast, too complex, and/or a little too dangerous for the follower’s comfor level. For example, if you have a cool aerial you really want to use on the social dance floor, and I have seen this happen, try to dance it with a follower you know knows their part and is comfortable with the move. Attempting a complex move like that with a partner you don’t know might just get you this look.
On the other end of the spectrum from the “deer in headlights look” is the look above and to the left. Let’s call this the “Bored now” look. If you have more complex dance vocabulary, now would be a good time to give it a try. If, however, you have reached the end of your vocabulary, her look may evolve to the one below and to the right, the “Who’s next?” look. You’ve completely lost her, she’s most likely dancing on autopilot and using her extra brain cells to find your successor. Sorry, man. Better luck next time,
I hope you receive only smiles. And in the event you receive something else, perhaps this essay will help you decipher the meaning.
My thanks to Sarah “Sassy Pants” Betzel for her fine modeling and even finer dances.
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