[Tango-L] Please don't help me!

[Tim]

Please excuse the following rant; I just need to vent some frustrations. :-)

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At a recent class, through the vagaries of rotation, I spent most of the 
time paired with a very helpful follower.
When I tried to lead the pattern we had been shown, she very helpfully 
did her steps exactly as taught.
When I tried to lead something slightly different, she very helpfully 
did her steps exactly as taught.
When I tried to lead the pattern we had been shown, she very helpfully 
did her steps exactly as taught.
When I tried to lead something slightly different, she very helpfully 
did her steps exactly as taught, and she very helpfully backled me 
through the correct steps.

I have heard many times that Argentine tango is very different to any 
other dance. At that recent class, I realised just how true that is. In 
every other dance I have tried, the follower's steps vary according to 
what the leader does. Tango is the only dance I have tried in which the 
follower's step are identical regardless of what I do.

On a related question, in browsing various sites and discussions about 
tango, I often read about a good lead being necessary. Why is a good 
lead necessary? After all, the follower's steps do not change in any way 
with the lead.

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