Dear Poppy,
I went to an Argentine Tango Dance, and no one asked me to dance. I was so upset. Then a dance friend told me that the men look at you first and if they don’t catch your eyes, they look for someone else. What is the deal with this? How do you know they want to dance?
Left Out
Dear Left Out,
Sweetie, this Argentine custom is called, “el Cabeceo.” It is supposed to spares everybody’s feelings. It makes it less stressful to ask and more discreet to decline. It is a matter of literally meeting eyes, smiling and nodding heads across the dance floor. Maybe even raising an eyebrow in an inquiring position. It is the first connection that you feel with your partner. The man or “Tangero” concentrates on a woman sitting across the room that he wants to dance with. The woman or “Tangera,” I suppose, feels his focus and looks his way or not. I think it is rather romantic. Don’t you, Sugar?
Dear Poppy,
I am just beginning to learn the Argentine Tango, and I was invited to an Argentine Tango Milonga. What is the difference between a Practica and a Milonga?
Argentine Tangera Wanna Be
Dear Tangera Wanna Be,
Well Dawlin, Argentine Tango is a whole other language isn’t it? The Milonga is a formal party where the music is played in sets of 3 or 4 called, “Tandas.” The tandas are separated with short 30 second pieces of non-tango music called,”Cortinas.” There is a strict dance etiquette to be observed at a Milonga. The Practica is shorter and very informal. Practice is encouraged and it’s okay to critique your partner’s technique and work on specific moves. It’s time to educate yourself, Honey. There’s always so much to learn with all the dances you choose to explore.
Ms. Poppy Chiffon — the doyenne of dance, the baroness of ballroom etiquette, the sultana of Southern hospitality — is pleased to answer your dance-related questions. Here are a few queries that Poppy deigned to extract from her mailbag this week. If you have a question that you would like Poppy Chiffon to address, please e-mail her at askpoppy@dancestationusa.com. Ms. Chiffon regrets that she cannot respond individually to questions.
