Tango and kissing strangers

[MadamSamba]

Whether it's because tango comes from Argentina where the people are warm and wonderful and not averse to a peck on the cheek or because tango dancers can be darn fiery at times, I'm wondering whether anyone else has noticed how many kisses and introductions from strangers one receives on a typical night out tangoing?

I dance several markedly different styles, and while dancers are amazingly warm and friendly people, in tango, no matter where I go, people generally kiss you when leaving (whether you know them or not) or at least give you a very warm handshake, like an old friend.

Is it just us Aussie tanguera/os or is that typical of the global tango scene? Perhaps you dance another style that is equally embracing of its dancers?

[Laura]

Sounds like fun! Maybe if people were more kissy where I'd live I'd go social dancing more. :) You have to be pretty relaxed and happy to go around kissing strangers, I think that would be a good thing in a number of scenes!

[Sagitta]

Depends on the people I guess. I tend to go with the flow, and I've noticed that I tend to do the hug-kiss thing with my latin friends but not really with my American ones.

[cocodrilo]

Whether it's because tango comes from Argentina where the people are warm and wonderful and not averse to a peck on the cheek or because tango dancers can be darn fiery at times, I'm wondering whether anyone else has noticed how many kisses and introductions from strangers one receives on a typical night out tangoing?

I dance several markedly different styles, and while dancers are amazingly warm and friendly people, in tango, no matter where I go, people generally kiss you when leaving (whether you know them or not) or at least give you a very warm handshake, like an old friend.

Is it just us Aussie tanguera/os or is that typical of the global tango scene? Perhaps you dance another style that is equally embracing of its dancers?

Dunno about the tango scene, but all my buddies here from South America, as well as friends in Germany, greet my with kisses. It's a nice custom(if you like being kissed! :P ).

[etchuck]

Sounds like fun! Maybe if people were more kissy where I'd live I'd go social dancing more. :) You have to be pretty relaxed and happy to go around kissing strangers, I think that would be a good thing in a number of scenes!

Unless it's part of the culture, usually here in the states you don't see that. Maybe it's just the Latin American/European thing to do since that sort of kissing among familiar people is just culturally ingrained.

I just hope that some creepy dance person doesn't take pecks on the cheek as anything more than that. Something tells me many creepy dance people lack that sort of cultural background.

[DancePoet]

If a friend hasn't shown up for a social dance in awhile, I've been known to greet them with a handshake or a hug. Guys get the handshake, gals get the hug. Kisses? Hmmm...I guess being from America we tend to be careful about who we are kissing, although a quick peck on the cheek could sometimes be ok.

[samba ajr]

Once you've danced with someone, they aren't a stranger any more, n'est pas? :wink:

At the regular socials I go to (not AT) there are always certain folks who get the hug/kiss coming and going. Usually on leaving, I always try to thank the host(s) and they (the gentlemen) usually initiate the handshake-hug-kiss. At a newer venue with several new friends (and several old ones) I felt compelled to go around the room and hug/kiss at least 6 people so I could get out the door!

Dancers are the friendliest people, aren't they.

[etchuck]

Once you've danced with someone, they aren't a stranger any more, n'est pas? :wink:

Well, my threshhold of "stranger" is when I finally recognize their face and remember their names. I have a much harder time remembering names than faces (which when I was younger, I had the reverse problem oddly enough).

[Sagitta]

Okay the kisses I'm talking about are the kisses in the air while being cheek to cheek. What kisses are you guys talking about? :?

[Laura]

I've been talking about those cheek-to-cheek air kisses and also pecks on the cheek, that's all.

[SDsalsaguy]

I find this to be the norm in my salsa scene, not with strangers but with friends and/or people who I've shared a few good dances with... but I'm also cognizant of how different this is from the dynamics in the local ballroom scene. I can remember once, for instance, bumping into a you woman I knew from the college DanceSport team out at one of the local salsa clubs and, as she was leaving, going to give her a (cheek) kiss goodbyr. We were in the salsa setting so that just came naturally to me but, based on her reaction, I realized how much I'd surprised her and that wasn't her/our typical comfort zone.

[Genesius Redux]

Okay the kisses I'm talking about are the kisses in the air while being cheek to cheek. What kisses are you guys talking about? :?

Oh, good Lord, I can't stand that affected nonsense. You might as well put your cheeks together and say "Kisskiss!" :roll:

[TemptressToo]

Um....this topic is a little too close for comfort. I'll leave it at that.

[SDsalsaguy]

Um....this topic is a little too close for comfort. I'll leave it at that.
:shock: :oops: :oops: :oops: :wink:

[samba ajr]

I've been talking about those cheek-to-cheek air kisses and also pecks on the cheek, that's all.

Me too!

[cocodrilo]

This is a coincidence- I am teaching a university cross-cultural communication class and we got to the subject of different cultures kissing. When we got to a photo of two Moroccan guys who were kissing, everyone went "Ewwwwwwwww!". :lol:

[DancePoet]

Ok...and I felt the humor over on the bra thread was funny! Lol!

[dancin/dj]

depends on your comfort level,im italian we been doing the kiss thing for eons,but i sho-nuff dont want just anybody pecking me-just because.there are some funky people out and about :? lol

[squirrel]

:) Here we kiss a lot... people we have just met... and it's a kiss on the cheek, not just a pretense... :) but we're European and Latin, so... we can be forgiven... even guys kiss sometimes (not in the club though - for them it's a hand shake or a hug for somebody you haven't seen in a long time)...
I don't see anything wrong in kissing... and I don't see anything wrong in not kissing...

[pygmalion]

Yes. It freaked me out the first time I went to Europe on business, and all my coworkers kissed me on both cheeks. That was just their way of greeting. *shrug* It's pretty nice, really. 8)

[MacMoto]

Kissing on both cheeks as a greeting to someone you know is quite normal in the Salsa scene in Scotland. It's certainly not the norm in the Scottish society in general though, and I found it very strange and awkward at first.

You know you are a salsa dancer when you start going around kissing people and don't think twice about it...

[Genesius Redux]

Kissing on both cheeks as a greeting to someone you know is quite normal in the Salsa scene in Scotland. It's certainly not the norm in the Scottish society in general though, and I found it very strange and awkward at first.

You know you are a salsa dancer when you start going around kissing people and don't think twice about it...

You Scots are not among the most cuddly and effusive people are you? :lol: Me, I don't need salsa as a reason--I'm Italian, and I kiss everyone! :lol:

[MacMoto]

You Scots are not among the most cuddly and effusive people are you? :lol:
You are right! :lol: Ever heard of "the Glasgow kiss"? No? That's what we call a head butt!

[squirrel]

I used to hate kissing... but this is the norm in our Salsa scene too... a fellow dancer (my former instructor), when he moved from London to Bucharest, found it weird that whenever we meet (sometimes 3-4 times a day) we kiss... now he's used to it!

[pygmalion]

Social kissing is great. It took me a while to get used to, though.

[SDsalsaguy]

Only social kissing Jenn? :wink:

[Genesius Redux]

You Scots are not among the most cuddly and effusive people are you? :lol:
You are right! :lol: Ever heard of "the Glasgow kiss"? No? That's what we call a head butt!

:lol:

You Scottish women can be headstrong--but I understand that there's a deep well of passion awaiting the guy who's man enough to discover it!

[cocodrilo]

I actually prefer a kiss on the cheek to shaking hands. You never know what people were last touching before they are shaking your hand, but you can bet that their lips were in cleaner places!

[pygmalion]

Only social kissing Jenn? :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'd better not comment. :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

Only social kissing Jenn? :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'd better not comment. :lol:

So, does that mean you're going to let your actions speak for you? :shock: :wink:

[pygmalion]

:wink: I always do. :lol: :lol:

[Sagitta]

Okay - note to self - head to Florida and meet Jenn.

[MacMoto]

Okay - note to self - head to Florida and meet Jenn.
Let me know when you go so I can join and meet you and Jenn at the same time. :wink:

:idea: Hey, how about a DF reunion in Florida? :D