The accomplished and experienced leader will always sense and respect the ability and desire of the lady to dance close, regardless of her experience. When the lady decides to dance cheek to cheek, she will find that the experience makes following a lot easier, on the whole, and a lot more natural. The reason is simple. When the lady brings her head and chest close to the man s, it brings her weight forward of her feet. This creates what is called forward poise.
Forward poise is a prerequisite for partner dancing.
No matter what direction the couple goes, whether forward, back or side, their weight will always be forward, toward each other. Maintaining this stance is more difficult for the partner going backward, which is usually the woman. To secure this mutual forward poise, the couple ends up leaning on each other, in an equal and comfortable manner. This dependency requires trust, but will give more security and confidence in partnering, both leading and following. Simply speaking, if the lady keeps her head toward the man s head, her feet will fall naturally where they must.