El Cabeceo

For those of you who know Spanish, or want to practice, and also are curious of some of the codigos, this is lovely to read.

Reminds me of last night… I had accepted a “cabeceo” invitation to dance last night, and was rising from my chair as the young man approached me. At the same time, a man was walking up to me from the side. I didn’t even notice him as I wasn’t even facing his direction. Just as I was beginning to embrace the fellow who had “cabeceo’d” me, the man who’d come from the side asked me to dance - then stopped himself, realizing that I was already starting the tanda with someone else. I smiled and apologized - not his fault, it’s hard to remember all these codigos sometimes. But let this be a lesson, gentlemen: If a woman isn’t even facing you and is rising from her chair - it kind of means that she’s already been invited to dance, and you’ll probably have to wait until later to invite her. Also, if you’re not planning on doing the cabeceo, at the VERY least, please, PLEASE don’t approach a woman from the side or from behind to invite her to dance - it’s really disconcerting and awkward for the woman to suddenly have someone in her face like that. It’s much nicer to approach her from where she can see you - honestly. We don’t like awkward surprises. Or at least I don’t.