7 Essential Tips to Be a Great Leader in Forró

What makes a leader become one of the favorites on the dance floor?

The forró dancer everyone wants to dance with?

After more than 20 years dancing forró, going to weekly parties, and teaching for nearly a decade, I’ve learned that the essence of this dance goes far beyond technique and a vocabulary of moves.

That’s exactly what this article is about!

First of all, we need to understand that what matters most is the social experience of forró.

It’s the feeling and the emotion that are created (for you and for the person you’re dancing with).

It’s not so much about impressing with elaborate steps, but about creating a dance that is fun, smooth, and enjoyable for the person beside you.

It’s not about what you know and/or can do, but about the best that can emerge from the unique combination between you and the person you’re dancing with, someone with their own characteristics.

With that focus in mind, I’ve gathered here seven essential tips for forró leaders, aimed at making the dance pleasant and engaging for your partner, and helping you improve your lead.

These are tips that sometimes appear in my classes and workshops, but are now brought together and developed here in this blog.

1. Start slowly

When dancing with a new partner, avoid the anxiety of wanting to immediately perform the most complex and challenging movements you’ve learned. Start simply, seeking connection and alignment, and focusing on your foundation (I even have a blog post here on the site talking exactly about this in detail — click here to read).

Then gradually introduce other steps from your repertoire, always paying attention to your partner’s comfort. This slow build guarantees a more enjoyable and fun experience. No one likes to feel “tested,” nor to start a dance already struggling to execute the proposed movements.

2. Adapt your movement repertoire

Choosing the right movements for the moment is essential.

But what makes a movement a good choice?

That depends on many factors, including the music that’s playing, the space available on the dance floor, and your level of familiarity with your partner.

Beyond that, a good leader selects steps according to the partner’s technical level and what can be done smoothly, without creating discomfort or strain.

This also relates to style. Certain movements are part of some people’s physical and technical vocabulary, but not others. Avoid insisting on movements you notice are not part of what your partner is comfortable or familiar with.

3. Adapt your body language

Adaptation isn’t only about choosing movements, but also about the overall way you move.

Depending on your partner and the energy she/he brings to the dance, you can dance in different ways: with a more neutral body expression, with more hip movement, more fluidly, or with a groovier, more pulsing feel. This flexibility allows the dance to become more symbiotic and enjoyable.

I love the idea that dance is often more about the quality of the movements than about the choice of movements themselves.

4. Be flexible in how you execute movements

Each movement can be performed in many different ways. Here I’m not talking about general body language, as in the previous point, but about variations in how the same movement is executed. A simple turn, for example, can be adjusted: your partner might turn a little more or less, use space in a more linear or more circular way, or finish in a slightly different position than expected.

The goal is to avoid “rehearsed steps,” where there’s already a fixed idea of how a movement should be done, as if there were only one absolutely correct way to execute it and any variation were a mistake.

A good leader understands how to adapt the execution of a movement so the dance remains fluid, regardless of small variations in how the follower responds and performs the steps. The idea is to maintain coherence, connection, and enjoyment, even when the dynamic changes.

And here’s a bonus: often, when we lead a movement, the follower may not know it and may react in a way that doesn’t allow us to complete it or continue it in the traditional or expected way. In those moments, if we have a broad enough vocabulary, we can transform that movement into another one that fits naturally into the flow, without creating a feeling of error during the dance.

5. Observe your partner’s responsiveness

Beyond choosing movements, it’s important to notice how your partner responds.

Even without directly deciding the steps, the follower should have a voice in the dance, and certain movements or qualities can be adjusted so she/he participates actively and feels comfortable and engaged.

Pay attention to signs of enthusiasm, hesitation, or discomfort, and use that information to guide the dance in a collective and harmonious way.

Some people deeply engage in a more intimate, connected dance, close their eyes, and surrender to the embrace. Others become tense in that dynamic and, in contrast, light up with a big smile when dancing in open position, doing turns and other flourishes. Keep this in mind when making your choices as a leader.

6. Embrace and reciprocity

It’s essential to adjust the embrace, the distance, and the level of intimacy according to your partner.

This awareness ensures that the dance is comfortable, respectful, and enjoyable, avoiding awkward situations. Always seek a balance between leadership and reciprocity, especially in closer and potentially sensual interactions.

Would you like to reflect more on what makes a good embrace in forró?

I wrote a blog dedicated to this topic — click here to read.

7. Light and natural lead

Your lead should feel pleasant and fluid, without forcing movements.

Instead of pulling or pushing a turn with strength, create space and motions that generate natural momentum, using your arms and hands gently.

This principle applies to the entire dance: use the energy from the previous movement to lead the next one, ensuring that each step feels light, comfortable, and enjoyable.

Bonus: Take care of yourself!

This may seem obvious, but often the obvious still needs to be said. The care we give ourselves, especially personal care such as hygiene, is extremely important in partner dancing, particularly in a dance like forró, where we’re often in close embrace with our partner. So here’s the tip! 😉

Want more information on how to take care of yourself and prepare for forró?

I wrote a blog dedicated to this topic — click here to read.

Conclusion – what makes a great forró leader

By following these seven tips, you’ll realize that being a great leader goes far beyond technique. It’s about knowing how to improvise and adapt in each dance, in each moment. It’s about creating dialogue through movement.

Want to discover the best ways to improve your dance and grow as a forró dancer?

I wrote a full article breaking down the four most effective ways to learn forró.

You can read it here on the website. Click here to dive in.

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Sobre o autor

Rafael Piccolotto de Lima é apaixonado pelas artes, doutor em música e foi indicado ao Grammy Latino como melhor compositor de música clássica em 2013. Para ele todas as formas de expressão são de alguma maneira correlacionadas, gerando seu interesse e atuação diversificada; de fraque nas salas de concerto até sapato de dança no chão batido do salão.

Website: www.rafaelpdelima.com

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