3726  "Cabeceo" outside Buenos Aires

Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 09:29:14 -0600
From: Brian Dunn <brian@DANCEOFTHEHEART.COM>
Subject: Re: "Cabeceo" outside Buenos Aires

Oleh wrote:
When you come to Buenos Aires everyone knows how to do cabeseo and is
doing it so picking up the etiquette is natural and relatively simple.
In Denver we will have a situation where most of the people are not
accustomed to look into each other eyes as an invitation to dance. I
wonder if cabeseo works anywhere outside Buenos Aires. Well, it's an
interesting and worthwhile experiment.

Astrid wrote:
in Japan: no way...
in Germany: occasionally, if you happen to look at the right person.
in Spain: yes, sometimes. People can be very friendly and welcoming.
in Italy: yes, it works ! I have just tried it! It does, yayy !


My own experience:
In Germany: most of the time it worked fine, but often required persistence
- the formal verbal request for a dance is, I understand, part of early
social training for many German children. I had a great dance in Berlin
with an excellent dancer who totally and studiously avoided my gaze at
Gruener Salon one night but was very quick to catch my eye for a dance from
20 meters at Ballhaus Rixdorf the next night.

In Italy (Rome, Venice): Very much like BsAs

In Denmark/Sweden: almost all the time it worked fine, although it sometimes
was met with surprise.

In Boulder/Denver/Santa Fe/Chicago/Miami/Portland/Missouri/LA/Boston, USA: I
have used the cabeceo virtually 100% of the time, with great success, for
several years. Like Germany, a little overstatement in its use is often
advantageous in some cities with some people, to counter previous training
or inclination. We've taught it in all our beginner classes for years, and
everybody seems to enjoy it.

All the best,
Brian Dunn
Dance of the Heart
Boulder, Colorado USA
www.danceoftheheart.com