Rolerotation – Switching Roles – Rolereversal – Coguiding – Switching the Lead and Follow – Exchanging Roles – Hijacking – Follow the Follow – What are the difference in social dance?

by Rolerotation Newsin Good Practices for a Better Dance World, Rolerotation in social danceson Posted on

Social dancing is enriched by various ways dance partners can interact and share responsibilities. Terms like Role Rotation, Switching Roles, Role Reversal, Co-Guiding, Switching the Lead and Follow, Exchanging Roles, Hijacking, and Follow the Follow each describe unique dynamics on the dance floor. Understanding these differences can enhance the dance experience, promote inclusivity, and foster a collaborative approach. Here’s a detailed exploration of each term:

Role Rotation

Role Rotation involves changing rotating roles once or more during a dance. This practice is prevalent in dance classes and social gatherings and offers several benefits around the world.

  1. Continuous Exchange: Partners rotate/switch roles fluidly throughout the dance.
  2. Skill Development: Enhances the ability to both lead and follow, improving overall dance proficiency.
  3. Engagement: Keeps both partners actively involved and responsive to changes.

Rolerotation has a base technique of stealing, giving and controlling musicality as well as a full learning and teaching curriculum for students, artists, teachers, organizers, competitors, and dancers of all kinds.

Role rotation emphasizes an ongoing, balanced sharing of roles.

Rolerotation, name coined and created by Felipe y Tiago, is today a world-wide social dance movement and is used as the main term for learning both roles in many different social dances (bachata, salsa, kizomba, lindy hop, tango, zouk, and so on), rotating them in one dance, and fostering respect and inclusivity in over 35+ countries around the world.

Rolerotation Map

Switching Roles

Switching Roles is a broader, less commonly used term, only in some partner dances. Mainly used in West Coast Swing. It generally refers to changing dance roles at any point. It encompasses all forms of role changes, including those within a single dance or across multiple dances. This term covers:

  1. Versatility: Allows dancers to experience and master both roles.
  2. Flexibility: Can occur spontaneously or be planned, depending on the dance context.
  3. Role Adaptation: Encourages adaptability and responsiveness to different dancing dynamics.

Switching roles is a catch-all term, an umbrella term, for any instance of role change.

Role Reversal

Role Reversal is a deliberate and often long-term exchange of roles. Usually used as an excercise. If a person is mayority a leader they will reverse their role and be mainly a follower in a dance. No rotation or switching. Also might be named: swap roles. It involves:

  1. Focused Practice: Dancers concentrate on mastering the opposite role over several dances or classes.
  2. Challenging Norms: Breaks traditional gender norms associated with lead and follow roles.
  3. In-depth Learning: Allows deep exploration of the skills and mindset required for the opposite role.

Role reversal is a teaching tool to enhance comprehensive understanding and skill in both roles.

Co-Guiding

Co-Guiding sees both partners actively leading and following simultaneously. This approach emphasizes:

  1. Collaboration: Promotes a cooperative dance style where both partners contribute to direction and styling.
  2. Enhanced Connection: Requires heightened attunement to each other, improving communication.
  3. Creativity: Fosters a creative and fluid dance experience as both partners influence the dance.

Co-guiding is egalitarian, focusing on shared decision-making. Can be done with a third person like in a bachatrio.

Switching the Lead and Follow

Switching the Lead and Follow involves partners alternating who leads and who follows within a dance. Key aspects include:

  1. Dynamic Interplay: The switch can be smooth and continuous, adding excitement.
  2. Skill Proficiency: Encourages proficiency in both leading and following.
  3. Quick Adaptability: Promotes quick thinking and adaptability.

This dynamic keeps both partners engaged and responsive. Another generic name for switching roles but specifying which roles. You can switch the lead or you can switch the follow. The difference is minimum but it does change the nuances of the dance.

Exchanging Roles (used as another name for role reversal)

Exchanging Roles broadly encompasses any situation where partners swap their traditional roles, either temporarily or permanently. This can involve:

  1. Temporary Swaps: Partners might exchange roles for part of the dance or specific choreography.
  2. Permanent Changes: Dancers may take on the opposite role permanently.
  3. Variety and Challenge: Adds variety and a fun challenge to the dance experience.

Exchanging roles promotes a flexible and inclusive dance environment.

Hijacking

Hijacking occurs when one partner temporarily takes over the lead role from the other, often in a playful or spontaneous manner. Does not necessarily involve doing rolerotation. It can mainly mean when the lead leads something the follower replies in an unexpected manner. This dynamic can:

  1. Surprise and Playfulness: Introduce an element of surprise and fun.
  2. Testing Skills: Test the adaptability and responsiveness of both partners.
  3. Temporary Role Change: Create a brief role reversal without disrupting the overall dance flow.

Hijacking requires mutual understanding and quick adaptation.

Follow the Follow

Follow the Follow involves the lead following the movements and suggestions of the follow without rotating roles.. This dynamic emphasizes:

  1. Mutual Influence: Recognizes the follow’s role in guiding the dance.
  2. Enhanced Communication: Requires excellent communication and responsiveness from both partners.
  3. Fluid Interaction: Creates a more fluid and interactive dance experience.

Follow the Follow encourages a balanced exchange of influence and creativity.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinctions between Role Rotation, Switching Roles, Role Reversal, Co-Guiding, Switching the Lead and Follow, Exchanging Roles, Hijacking, and Follow the Follow enriches the social dance experience. These dynamics promote versatility, inclusivity, and collaboration, breaking down traditional norms and enhancing the enjoyment and skill of all participants. By embracing these concepts, dancers can create a more dynamic, inclusive, and engaging dance community.