Simple Dip

A small, controlled dip to punctuate the end of a phrase: the lead stays upright and lowers the follow a short, safe distance through the hands and frame — never a sudden drop. It's listed as advanced for one reason that has nothing to do with footwork: it is lead-follow at its most trusting, and trust is something you build with a specific partner, not a technique you spray across a floor.

• Lead: Stay vertical — only your hands and frame travel down, so if she loses her base you can lift her straight back. Lower her resisting the fall, smooth and slow; a jerky dip is a scary dip. Telegraph it; never surprise her.
• Follow: Hold your own core and base — you support yourself, the lead only guides. Don't throw your weight back or kick; keep control so the dip is shared, not dumped.
• Timing: On a slow passage or a final hit — lower across a held beat, recover unhurried.
• Common mistake: Lead bending back or dropping her suddenly (frightening and unsafe); follow flinging her weight so the lead can't hold it. Smooth, telegraphed, mutual.

Safety first, always. Don't dip a partner you've never danced with, and never in a rotating class — it needs established trust both ways. A smooth dip never needs a hand on the head; if you're reaching for her head, the dip was too rough. Keep it small, keep it kind, keep it safe.