Would you prefer to partner someone better or worse than you?

[Foreveradvanced]

Hrmmm, well. I like having a partner thats worse then me in class, because then I look better for grading purposes lol. But ultimately, I would hate to have a dance partner better then me, becaue I'd feel like I was boring or limiting her. So really, I want someone my speed lol. This comment probably doesn't help the argument X)

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

I Originally answered the poll that I wanted Someone Better than me-Still Holds True because I Love to Learn but in the Same Respect We can Both have our Own Talents that will make each of us Better Together if we are Willing to Learn from Each Other.

[dcharmd1]

I'm mainly a follower right now so I need someone who is better than me because I tend to help them too much and end up backleading. It took me a great while to shed that habit of backleading when I turned to private lessons.

[style]

To me, a partner that had a strong work ethic would be the best. The rest we can work on.

[tanya_the_dancer]

Yeah, it would be really nice if those follows who said they want a partner worse than themselves elaborated on their pov.

[cl100]

Originally Posted by tanya_the_dancer

Yeah, it would be really nice if those follows who said they want a partner worse than themselves elaborated on their pov.

would like to know the reason too.

PS what to do w/ the frustrations sometimes..

[riverwaltz]

Originally Posted by cl100

PS what to do w/ the frustrations sometimes..

In almost any other sport, the most experienced person would take the lead giving direction and feedback to the less experienced person. In dance the man is expected to lead no matter how bumbling and incompetent. I think that situation is much harder on us than it is on women, hence the lower numbers of men in dance.

For me one of the most unnerving feelings is to stumble around the floor with a women who is very experienced, but she smiles sweetly and says thank you at the end without any other feedback. I think it must be very frustrating to you if you feel you cannot give any feedback and have to hold your tongue about a dance.

I really appreciate when a partner can give verbal feedback that is constructive and immediately useful. You can't necessarily know what is going to be helpful until you try. You have to take a chance and see what happens.

I like feedback that is put in terms of how it felt or how it effected you, how it affected our connection, whether or not it resonated with the music. I struggle with feedback about how I am supposed to do something or how it is supposed to look. I appreciate knowing how something affected you personally, made things more clear or more confusing. If we can be comfortable giving feedback to each other, then a partnership can be really fun and helpful.

[tanya_the_dancer]

Originally Posted by riverwaltz

For me one of the most unnerving feelings is to stumble around the floor with a women who is very experienced, but she smiles sweetly and says thank you at the end without any other feedback. I think it must be very frustrating to you if you feel you cannot give any feedback and have to hold your tongue about a dance.

I really appreciate when a partner can give verbal feedback that is constructive and immediately useful. You can't necessarily know what is going to be helpful until you try. You have to take a chance and see what happens.

Unless the experienced woman is your partner, or personal friend, she is not going to offer you feedback. It's one of those etiquette rules that we can't offer feedback to random guys we happened to dance with at a party. We get used to it, though. Personally, I find it easier this way that I don't have to give feedback.

[tanya_the_dancer]

Originally Posted by tanya_the_dancer

Yeah, it would be really nice if those follows who said they want a partner worse than themselves elaborated on their pov.

still waiting patiently...

[wooh]

Well I'm not one of those women, but I prefer dancing with my husband who's not much better than me, rather than when I tried doing a pro-am showcase. I like to know that I'm bringing my share to the partnership, that I'm bringing something positive along with my negatives. Dancing with a pro, it was always me bringing down the level, never bringing up the level, never being the one that can be counted on, never being the strength for anything. Pro-am girls tend to disagree with that, feel that they're getting a chance to "dance up." I could never get that attitude. I just felt like I was ALWAYS the weak link and that I don't measure up. I need someone with me that's fighting with me. That's what having a partner is about to me. And if I don't have a partner, if I'm going to suck all by myself, then I might as well do tap.