How to be a better Bachata Follower

You go out on the dance floor but seem to have trouble keeping up with the leaders. Maybe you just want to improve on being more flexible and flowing with your body. Being a great Bachata follower really comes down to 3 simple things: listen, match the energy and keep learning.

Practice Listening

To get better as a Bachata Follower, you want to practice being late. Like being a great listener, if you are trying to think what they will say next, you aren’t listening. One easy trick is the next time you are dancing or are in class practicing, trying closing your eyes. Whenever I tell this to my students, the followers get nervous but then they giggle and get surprised that their following is better. Remember, a great follower is someone who is attentive and listens.

Match the Energy

Do you find you miss the signals your leader gives you, or you are late to feel it? To be a better Bachata follower you need to get in sync. Have you ever hung out with someone that’s just not vibing with your energy? Maybe they are way more excited than you or way too mellow. When dancing with a leader, focus on not throwing your hips around or giving more tension than your partner gives you. If they give you 5/10 on tension then you want to match it, if their steps are small and soft, you don’t want to stop the yard.

Keep Learning

As a follower, you need to keep learning, take classes, privates, go out dancing. It’s hard to get better if you don’t know how moves work. I always say it’s easier for a Leader to learn to follow than a Follower learning to Lead. Why, because a Leader has to know how moves work, how counts work. A great follower knows those rules as well. This way you are never surprised (in a bad way) about a signal or a move.

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