Unless we're entirely delusional, and everyone around us is a stinking liar, we've become exponentially better dancers. We're certainly enjoying ourselves immensely. Partly it's because we're at it for around 5-6 hours a day (ya think?). Partly it's due to some excellent pointers we picked up along the way. Mostly, though, it's the environment: the limitations of the crowded floor, the ample example of good, solid, unpretentious dancing, the unspoken expectation that if you're fixin' to impose yourself on everyone, and expose your partner in the process, you better toss "toda la carne a la parilla" (all the meat on the grill--did we mention they're all about grilled meat down here?) Meaning, if you're a little too tired, or uninspired by the music selection, or distracted, or more interested in someone other than your partner at the moment, then just sit this one out and watch. But if you ask or say yes to someone, and join the rest of the congregation, then you have some responsibilities; you don't have to be great, but you better pay attention, and be as good as you can be.
The cabeceo (asking and accepting--or rejecting--dance partners through silent nods from across the floor) rules here, and nobody wants to dance with unknown quantities, or known bad quantities (please, anyone, how did we get ourselves into this unfortunate metaphor, and how do we get out?). Luckily we always have each other to dance with, and by doing so we also demonstrate (one hopes) that it may be safe and fun for someone to dance with us. Then, when we sit down, we avoid hanging onto each other so that others don't assume that we're only interested in each other. In the more neighborhoody milongas this is not enough; in those cases we actually sit apart and even ask each other to dance with the nodding thing (sometimes we even refuse each other, for fun and practice, and the building of character.)
As the night progresses, and day by day, we become known and dance with more people. We also benefited from running into a good friend from Los Angeles who comes down here for several weeks each year (to protect her privacy we'll call her Flo on these pages.) Flo loves dancing with Marcos, and also introduces him to her friends, assuring them that they'll enjoy dancing with him (being no fool, Flo makes it clear to them that she expects them to share their men friends with her.) In order to keep the peace, and to keep her occupied, Flo also introduces Melody to her men friends--all good dancers. It all works out, and everyone's happy. It should be mentioned that Marcos isn't doing anyone any favors, Flo and her friends are excellent dancers.
Marcos' partners are overwhelmingly delighted with his dancing. Melody, who thinks that his head is already much too big for anyone's good, cautions him that they probably think that he's simply good enough, but know that a higher level of flattery will get them more dances. Intellectually Marcos sees her point, but prefers to believe that women cannot possibly be that calculating.
Melody, on the other hand, being charming, pleasant, and an excellent dancer, has no problems attracting partners without the kind of pimping assistance Marcos seems to need from Flo. Case in point:
Melody, doing the meringue pie or some such, with some Argentinian dude at La Milonguita.
Congratulations looks like you're having a wonderful time!
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