You know, I'd never even considered that a follower might feel the same, I've been so caught up in my own worries. This was very helpful to hear, thank you.

Thanks Dean, this is very helpful. Knowing variations of the basic will go a long way to easing my worries. I can do some of the ones you posted by I don't know what the 3rd and 4th are (unless that's the box step, which I do know). I didn't know madrileno either but just looked up a youtube video of it and really like it!

Ah thanks, I'm glad you mentioned the coming apart as that's something I want to employ more - give them some time to shine like you say! And I LOVE doing the basic in place, it feels so good for connection so it's definitely something I'm more than happy to include.

Thank you! A big part of it is, as you say, just relaxing through it all but I find that very difficult to do at the moment. It does help to know that a well led 'easier' dance is better than a poorly led one with more advanced steps. I definitely tried last time to do as you suggested and look out for steps I saw people doing that I really liked the look of, so I could look them on youtube later and do them myself.

Yeah I do try and laugh off mistakes or when I feel like I'm not doing well. It's either that or I keep apologising but I want to get out of that habit, it doesn't make for a fun dance as much,

Thanks! It's good to know that. One of the most helpful things I learned recently was doing it circular which just added a really fun dynamic. Are there any links you know of for how to do it syncopating?

Unfortunately, I'm a massive over thinker, but that's the part I'm hoping the therapy will make a dent in!

>>> Furthermore, any attempt is almost automatically a gain. When you do nothing, your net result is ZERO. Whereas even the most minimal of attempts opens the possibility of gaining something, experience, opportunity, friendship, education, and more.

Very true, and a mindset I will try to cultivate. I already watched that video a while back, but a good idea to revisit it :)

This has been really, really helpful thank you. Definitely need to change my mindset of it, because that's my biggest worry around it - the aimless side to side, but I do try and properly dance the basic step and connect with my partner so good to know that it's what I should be doing and I will make sure I think of as a foundation as you say, rather than something easy.

Thanks for this, a really easy way to give myself a bit of time :)

Thanks for this, very good to know that you've had lots of enjoyable dances even when focussed on the basics :)

Thanks so much for this, Marius, it's been really helpful. The perfectionism is something I'm working on, as that's something that just holds me back in general and the other tips are very helpful. It's good to know that dancing the basic step is still enjoyable for the follower if done with musicality etc. and they won't be yawning their head off!

That clip you've posted is exactly the kind of stage I want to get to, and it's what I see others doing and what I want to emulate. I do think some of this is in my head and if I was to record myself dancing with someone, I might actually be closer to the things in the video than I think I am. Thanks again for the input, it's always appreciated 😊

Thanks for this - I already know box and forward backwards so I could include those. I REALLY struggle with Madrid for some reason so definitely one to keep practicing. I don't know what the other two are, do you have any links to videos of them?

I think that last part is something to keep in mind. I just assume people will get annoyed at me but it's unlikely to be the case. I certainly wouldn't get annoyed at someone dancing with me who was struggling.

I do agree about the basic helping with connection with your partner, especially doing the basic in place in either fully closed or ballroom hold. To me that's akin to a slow dance where the connection is really high, so more than happy to include that. Thanks for the comment.

Ah I'll keep that exercise in mind, but would find it very very tough!