Some things a lead should just never do, ever

So, I’ve been lindyhopping for about a million years now, and over that time, I have come up with a short list of things that leads can do, but never should.  The more I dance, the longer this list gets, but here are a few no-no’s that invariably irritate follows.

If you don’t know your follow very well:
1. Never ever grab your follow’s butt.  (This rules applies to breasts, crotches, stomachs and necks too)
2. Never use your follow as leverage to spin, dip or do a trick.
3. Never use your follow as leverage to try to impress someone else.
4. Never try to do aerials or tricks you haven’t practiced with your follow.
5. If you try to do aerials or tricks you haven’t practiced with your follow, expect her to kick you in the nuts shortly thereafter.
6. Never pin your follow to the wall.
7. If you do pin your follow to the wall, expect her to kick you in the nuts shortly thereafter.
8. Do your best to avoid invading your follow’s personal space
9. If you happen to step on your follow, or invade her personal space by accident, apologize immediately.
10. If you happen to step on someone else’s follow, or invade her personal space, apologize immediately.
11. Never yank on your follow’s arm or any other body part.  Following is meant to be a voluntary experience. 
12. If you violate these rules, plan on your follow purposely bruising you.

Most of those rules are bendable if you know your follow, so long as you have that kind of friendship, but be very careful about bending or breaking those rules.  There is nothing worse than dancing with the creepy guy who doesn’t understand boundaries.  Except possibly being that creepy guy.