“Cabeceo”

One of the most difficult things in tango it is the understanding of the social codes. And the hardest code of all is the “cabeceo” which is a lot more than just an invitation to dance. In simplistic terms it is the mutual consent of a leader and a follower to accept a dance (with each other). A deeper meaning could be I CHOOSE YOU RIGHT NOW to dance with me this orchestra/melody/rhythm (and this is one of the major reasons that DJs should not propose great variations of rhythm with in a single “tanda”). “Cabeceo” is also about the respect of the other person’s will. Avoiding “eye-contact” several times means I am not available to dance now. Avoiding “eye-contact” many times might mean “I don’t want to dance with you at all”. To put a number on how many times “eye-contact” could be made when trying to invite somebody to dance really depends how you perceive the behavior of the other person. There are no written rules. When people chat at the start of the “tanda”, it means that they are not interested in dancing. That's why you should step away from your friends when “tanda” starts, because you are blocking them from an invitation to dance.  Looking directly in the eyes of a person and saying no is as rude as to invite a stranger directly. Incorporating/expressing the wish to dance by “eye-contact” is part of growing as a dancer in the tango culture. And yes, many who teach, dance well, and for a long time simply ignore it (very, very sadly). Or just don't know it. Obviously you can/should invite your close friends directly. More importantly, the more you grown in tango, the more you gain a sensibility to read if one person wants to dance with you or not. Obviously this leads to many, many misunderstandings, and it takes a lot of time to learn this perception/sensibility. Above all, a highly experienced “milonguero(a)” in tango clearly shows his or her interest and desire to dance by making direct eye-contact regardless of the distance in the ballroom. Tango is all about the mutual consent/agreement to dance. It is all about mutual eligibility.</p></rich-text-block><image mediaid="10204794877745648" provider="WORK_KNOWLEDGE" halign="left"/></theme-provider></palette>

Updated Apr 26, 2023 6:52:26 am

May 08, 2011 1:11:57 pm