One of the things I teach guys is how to be infinitely creative using only very simple, basic moves.
And the reason is this:
As a follower, there’s nothing worse than have a lead try to push, pull, drag or force you through a series of moves that you either don’t understand or don’t have the technique for.
And the only thing worse than that is the guy actually stopping the dance to “teach” you said moves and tell you what you should have done.
(The only people equipped to do that are teachers, and if you look, you’ll see that teachers don’t tend to teach on the dance floor. It’s simply not the right time or place)
Experiences like this can make some ladies feel so bad and so humiliated that they may even quit Salsa as a result.
It’s actually very easy to identify the skill level of a follower within the first few bars of a dance.
Start off with a couple of basics. If she’s ok with that try a couple of Cross Body Leads. Progress to some right turns and R Cross Body/walkthroughs.
Follow this with a couple of simple hand changes. If that all works you can start putting in some turns for yourself.
After this try a Copa.
Keep it flowing, and deliver the leads clearly and in plenty of time so she can respond.
Only after all of this do you start adding Cross Body Turns and more complex combinations of linked moves.
You’ll find that there may be one or two moves that she is visibly less comfortable with.
Or you may find you just hit a wall and she panics or freezes.
Either way, it’s the lead’s job to dance to the level of the lady.
And if you find it difficult because you only have a few memorised combinations or a “routine” that you keep repeating, then maybe you need to learn a different approach.
That approach is to be skillful enough to construct a dance that both matches the mood of the music, and the skill level of the follower.
How much you enjoy dancing with less experienced followers depends on your attitude.
There are endless possibilities with simple moves.
Why not start exploring them to their full potential?