Our course included a line-up of Master Instructors who had several student-teachers assisting them, during each class session. This meant that each of us would receive plenty of individual attention, which was great. We had more than one class session with every instructor. We were scheduled for one or two classes per day, 2~3 hours each.
We had classes with Fernando Gabera & Vilma Vega, Diego & Zoraida, Osvaldo Zotto & Lorena Ermocida, Gustavo Chidichimo & Virginia Martorani, Daniel Lapadula, “Pupy” Castello (“Teacher of Teachers”), and Graciela Gonzalez.
Graciela Gonzalez was the most detailed and thorough in her teaching techniques. She was a former dance partner of Pupi Castello who moved on to teach solo. Being Nora’s very close friend, she invited us to her house for an afternoon “maté” ceremony. We were also treated to varieties of homemade Argentinean pastries.
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At one Milonga or another, we saw every one of our teachers. They truly practiced what they taught!
As they emphasized, the best learning was on the Milongas floors.
It was my second Milonga in Buenos Aires, but the first with our entire group. We were the first to enter. Once our party was seated, other people started showing up. Suddenly, a very young Argentinean young man approached me with his arm extended. I was quite surprised. In our group, there were at least 5 ladies (much) younger than myself, but he asked ME! No one was dancing yet.
Martin was 19 yr old. Although he was dancing with a woman (me), perhaps older than his mother, the passion he exhibited in dance, through his style of body movement, was enchanting. He had a subtle technique. I could barely sense him moving, but my steps followed. His footwork was quite unique and complicated. I think it was his youth which made it possible.
Martin taught me a lesson (and I don’t mean a Tango move). Trying very hard to speak correct English, he asked me where I was from. I replied, “America”. He said, “Me too!” with a meaningful smile. I replied to his question again with a smile, “USA.”
After dancing with Martin, I was not asked for any more dances, nor was young, beautiful Millie. That followed for two more Milongas. Hmm? We could not understand why. We continued wondering, while other ladies in the group (some much older than me) would suddenly rise from their seats and be escorted to the dance floor, where they danced all night with several different dance partners. Nora would rarely dance, in order to keep her students company. We asked Nora if there was anything that we were missing. That is when Nora told us about Cabeceo. Cabe.. what?
Cabeceo : (‘nod of the head’ or ‘eye game’) – or a reputation saver if you ask me – is how the leader invites and acknowledges a partner for a dance in Buenos Aires. It is a method whereby men initiate dance requests with a prospective dance partner, at a distance, without walking to the table. By the time he walked across a crowded dance floor to invite a woman, she could already be dancing or worse yet, he could lose face by being refused. Typically, one partner asks for a dance by staring directly and unwaveringly at the other. When the desired partner meets the gaze of the initiator, the initiator may confirm the invitation with a raised eyebrow, or a nod. If the desired partner is uninterested in a dance with the initiator at that time, a gesture of withdrawl, such as turning the head away, lowering the eyes, or otherwise dropping eye contact is a polite, non-verbal way of communicating.
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This video gives an example of Cabeceo:
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The ‘eye-game thing’, Cabeceo was very difficult for Millie and I (unfortunately). Nevertheless, we did have our share of dances. The few gentlemen with whom we danced were all great dancers.
One such dancer I danced with was Luis, an outstanding dancer, who spoke no English. When we danced (actually, when “he” danced) everyone was watching him. He did lots of fast footwork, like exhibition master dancers. While leading a novice like me, he was dancing fast steps on his heels or toes… I could not see exactly what he was doing but I could hear people clapping and shouting “Eso!!!, Eso !!!”. He performed every figure imaginable on such a crowded dance floor, such as ‘double ganchos’, ‘leg wrap’ and steps/moves’ names I didn’t know, nor had ever seen anyone do. They would happen so quickly and smoothly that I didn’t even know what was happening until it was over. Caught off guard, I could never stop laughing, at times, in tears… which was a first for him. He led a laughing follower. Finally, he couldn’t maintain his tango-attitude ‘look’ and laughed along as he led. Although he never tried to teach me any steps (not done at Milongas – etiquette), amazingly, through dance, he communicated how I was to follow better the second time around. Through his breathing, a deep inhale, he corrected my posture and frame. It took several of his deep inhales before I figured it out. Duh!
And now for the experiences of male-students who were in our group…
Ladies of Argentina, rightfully, do not appreciate being asked to dance by men who cannot dance. Las Señoras are there to enjoy an evening dancing this sensual dance of passion. After a-minute-or-two of dancing, noticing that the guy cannot dance, without a word, they leave the leader/the gringo, in the middle of the dance floor and return to their seats. When we (women) were not dancing, we were either looking at other women’s shoes (more than we did their outfits), or in this case, to see which of our male comrades gets dumped on the dance floor. It happened to every one of our guys and at every Milonga. When our guys were left on the dance floor, we quickly looked away so they would not be further embarrassed. At one moment or another, they thought, “What’s the point”, but we soon saw them engaging in the eye-game or walking like lost puppies, and in most cases, too late for a prospective Señora.
Milongas in Buenos Aires, being commercially motivated, do not treat you to delicious snacks served at Milongas sponsored by instructors in the USA (I don’t know about other countries). However, all these establishments do have kitchens and offer VERY tasty snacks and drinks for nominal prices. I loved their empanadas, shepherd pie and flan!
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Argentinean Empanadas
Pastel de Papas – Argentinean style Shepherd’s pie
Flan with dulce de leche
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Tango Moonlight – By Artist Misha Lenn
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Love the series! The non verbal communication is elegant. Loved the video. The food is delish!!
love this series (what a wonderful and riveting tale) and loved the story of Cabeceo -
I’m glad you liked it. I still chuckle when I remember our experience.
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Flan…yum….I worked in several restaurants that had great flan.
I love flan too!