My instructor has me dancing competitive routines by myself during most of my lesson time, I have been a student of his for almost 9 years. This way of teaching started about 2-3 years ago. Dancing by myself during lesson time has continued to increase to the point that for most lessons we never go in hold or partnership. Is this a new way of training, and does anyone else train in this manner. I understand the reasoning for dancing alone, I have learned better balance, and become more familiar with routines. However, I have lost my partnership with this instructor, when in partnership his lead has become so light or soft that there isn't a lead there at all. I feel as though I am going backwards in my dancing instead of forwards. Would appreciate any view points or suggestions.

You have a lot of time invested with this man and he's getting lazy. The same thing happened to me, and finally I walked off the floor and said we were done. I am willing to learn my routines on my own time but not during a lesson and not when I should be dancing with him. That's what you are paying him for. If there is no lead and follow, what happens when he has to change the routine?

I can't speak authoritatively from the follower's perspective but I am convinced that partnership improves when both partners can dance their side solo. I am also convinced that improvement in partnership demands practice. Working either partnership or solo to the exclusion of the other does not work for me either.

Your comment on lead interests me. I dance regularly (socially) with as many as six partners in any given week. I find that I need to use a stronger lead with many partners and some novice partners can be so dependent that they are exhausting. That's life and gradually their improvement lessens the need for a forceful lead. It is much more difficult for me to maintain my technique and lead forcefully.

With my competitive partners dancing a routine my lead can be very light. It becomes more of a timing device than a direction. One of my partners is so sensitive that it seems as if simply thinking about the lead is enough.

When working on a difficult routine, as I am at present, I spend one lesson on choreography, another on technique one or two "lesson equivalents" practicing solo and an equal number in partnership. I know not everyone can spend this amount of floor time so I leave it to you to devise your own schedule.

So now you have another viewpoint. Good luck.