[Tango-L] Can somebody shed some light on the subject

Tue Apr 3 16:51:37 EDT 2007

Joanne Pogros writing from Buenos Aires at the moment:
I have not read all the postings in regard to this subject so forgive me if I repeat, disagree or agree.
I encourage all tango teachers world-wide to incorporate into their classes the subject of the cabeceo.  By incorporate, I mean to repeat many times the explanation of what, when and why to use the cabeceo and that if the student plans to go to BsAs, that they should definitely plan on using it at the milongas.
I does not matter if the locals in their particular city i.e., smalltown, bigtown, anytown, USA, uses the  cabeceo.  And I am not saying that these tango communities should stop the way that men ask for dances and change to the cabeceo immediately.  
To all teachers of the tango everywhere;  I you are not already doing so, then Please start teaching this technique to your students so when they go to BsAs, (or to any city where they practice it), the student can get the most out of their experience.
And students of the tango everywhere, please Don't wait for a festival in Atlanta or some other big city to teach the cabeceo.  Ask  your teacher to teach it to you, or go on the web and learn it. Or email me and I will explain it, how to use it and why it is important to know how to use it.  I is not rocket science, folks!

I have been deleting all L-list postings since we arrived on March 23, but I thought I would read a few postings.  I am glad that I came upon this often re-hashed subject, about which there is SO MUCH misconception and controversy.

For those of you who don't get it, then I hope that some day, you are able to visit this beautiful city  to immerse yourself in the culture of the birthplace of the tango.

Celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary in the city where we spent our honeymoon,
Joanne and Tim Pogros
Cleveland, Ohio 
-----Original Message-----
From: tangomaniac at cavtel.net
To: Tango-L at Mit.Edu
Cc: tangomaniac at cavtel.net
Sent: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 11:17 PM
Subject: [Tango-L] Can somebody shed some light on the subject

I came back from the Atlanta Tango Festival today. I enjoyed it. However, I have 
some questions about cabeceo. 

I asked a few people about illumination at milongas in BA. I was told that the 
lights are completely on. At the milongas I've attended (Washington, DC ,New 
York, and I'm pretty sure, Miami) the amount of illumination has ranged from 
twilight to power outage. I don't see how you can use cabeceo with minimal 
light. A friend of mine at the festival said "Just forget it. Just go and ask." 
Next milonga, I'm bringing a flare gun and a flashlight.

Now, that brings up another issue. At Atlanta, I couldn't figure out which women 
wanted to dance when they sit together and talk to each other. I got the 
impression they didn't want to dance. I probably broke a rule and told a woman 
at a class I wanted to dance with her at the milonga but couldn't figure out if 
SHE wanted to dance because she was sitting with other women. She said she told 
her students not to sit together if they wanted to be asked. That evening she 
was sitting with her students but I went right up to her with my Count Dracula 
mesmerizing, hypnotic look. It worked. We danced. 

I spoke with the festival promoters about cabeceo. One of them told me that an 
out-of-town instructor has suggested for years that they teach a class on 
cabeceo at the festival. I told them I was clueless in figuring out which women 
want to dance when they sit motionless at a table and don't sweep the room like 
a radar antenna looking for a partner. I was told that there will be a class at 
next year's festival. My name for it is "Do you want to dance?" Their name is 
"How to establish presence on and off the dance floor." I suggest other 
festivals consider adding a similar class to their schedule. I'm going to push 
it with the NY Tango Festival committee. Cabeceo works wonderfully on the Staten 
Island Ferry milonga. One year, I thought the Captain was going to accept a 
woman's invitation, but he doesn't dance. 

Michael Ditkoff
Washington, DC
Figuratively and literally IN THE DARK
I'd rather be dancing Argentine Tango
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