What Makes a Great Dance Partner?

Back in the 1800s, Tango was about meeting someone you were going to marry. A 13-year-old would be considered an ‘adult’, and would begin learning to both lead and follow from older men. After 3 years of training in men-only practicas, he would be deemed ready to go to a ‘milonga’ (tango salon) and would try his luck at meeting a woman.

Women were very scarce in Argentina at the time. This meant that women were the only real judges of a man’s ability as a dancer. If a young man danced poorly or was inconsiderate, he would have no chance of ever finding a wife (as she would inevitably tell all her friends about him). Therefore, it didn’t matter how good a dancer he was– all that mattered was whether his partner found his dancing enjoyable.

As Zouk Instructors we have thought deeply about what they want  in a dance partner.  Below is how we answer the question “What would I want in my dream dance partner?”

If I had my dream Follow she (or he) would:

1. Smile and dance with most people who ask!
2. Let leads know if they are too aggressive or rude
3. Be balanced and self-reliant
4. Move confidently rather than tentatively
5. Develop nice styling and technique
6. Play with the music without disrupting the lead
7. Wait for my lead before executing a movement
8. Stay on her own line of dance as much as possible
9. Provide a supple and flexible connection
10. Look at me when she dances with me
11. Predict musical transitions and prepares for them
12. Be adaptable to differences in our dance styles
13. Dance with me another song if she enjoyed it
14. Thank me for the dance when we’re done!

If I had my dream Lead he (or she) would:

1. Escort me onto and off of the dance floor
2. Begin by connecting to me with easy moves
3. Adapt to my ability as a dancer
4. Listen to what I need energetically, sometimes I want to rock out and sometimes I want to relax
5. Play with the music and make me feel it
6. Develop his own awesome style and patterns
7. Show me off
8. Execute figures safely and comfortably
9. Move powerfully but not aggressively
10. Lead with his body, not his arms
11. Use different body parts to lead movements
12. Look at me when he dances with me
13. Keep his own space on the dance floor
14. Politely thank me for the dance after we’re done
15. Ask me about my life outside of dance!

What would you like in your dream dance partner?  Let is know in the comments below!