Tango as a metaphor

So tonight is my first milonga - all night tango party. For me, the excitement/anticipation is akin to finding a designer pair of shoes for $10 and running a 7 minute mile. To say I'm excited would be an understatement! I've done my research and have practiced my steps. One item that was mentioned is the idea of cabeceo. Cabeceo is when the dancers eyes meet from across the room and there is an unspoken "hey are you interested in this dance " thing that happens. A woman would never ask a man and the man wants to be sure when he asks the woman that she'll say yes. There is something very traditional about this ritual and I like it. Years ago, it was the man that took the lead in just about everything. Please don't misunderstand, I'm grateful for all the progress that women have made in the work force. It's just that when it comes to affairs of the heart- things seem to function best when the man takes care of the woman. So, my discovery this week is that while machista can have negative connotations- it can be something very positive as well!