In Cuban salsa, or Cuban casino, there is a certain game of seduction in which the woman and the man each have a “role”. In this game, and in dance more generally, you obviously need some eye contact with your partner – but how much?
Cubans don’t particularly look at the woman when they dance casino. Why?
Can you see each other even without eye contact?
Seeing vs looking into the eyes
In casino, the sense of connection with your partner is very strong; it’s what makes this dance so pleasant and magical.
Indeed, casino, or Cuban salsa, is a conversation that needs at least two parties to exchange information, feelings, energy, etc. Some casineros chat with their partner during the dance, while others don’t talk at all and conscientiously show off their best moves, and others still sing along to the lyrics of the song. Some look at the feet, others at the eyes, others over their partner’s shoulder. Either way, the exchange is there!
In casino, eye contact 100% of the time isn’t natural or “normal”. In general, when you talk to someone, however deep the bond, you don’t stare into their eyes non-stop.
Conversely, never looking your partner in the eyes seems somewhat impersonal, especially in some cultures.
That said, there are plenty of reasons why people don’t feel comfortable looking someone in the eyes, even briefly. It can be a question of culture, background, preference, belief, shyness or discomfort, trauma, or simply the mood of the day or the moment. In any case, eye contact is part of the language of Cuban salsa dancing.
You don’t dance casino the same way with every partner. The closer you are, the more natural it seems to hold eye contact for longer and more often during the dance (perhaps 50 to 70% of a dance at most).
Usually, your eyes wander during a dance: over different parts of your partner’s body, the other couples dancing around you, the venue, the place you might move to next with your partner, etc.
If looking into each other’s eyes makes sense when you know your dance partner, staring into the eyes of a new partner… is really strange, even unsettling for the other person. A dancer who behaves this way can quickly get a “reputation” on and around the dance floor, and dancers may turn down dances because of it, as with any odd or inappropriate behaviour. A glance from time to time, a smile, yes, but adjust it to your relationship with the person and whether they seem comfortable with eye contact.
In any case, however deep the bond, you don’t look into the other person’s eyes for a whole song!
The structure of Cuban salsa doesn’t allow continuous eye contact
To execute figures properly and for safety reasons, salseros shouldn’t look at their partner too much while dancing.
The closed position in Cuban casino allows a little eye contact, without it being an obligation. As Cuban salsa is a circular dance full of travelling, with walks (camina), the leader (man or woman) must stay aware of their surroundings (as when driving) to avoid bumping into other couples, and is responsible for their follower. So a leader logically doesn’t have time to gaze into their partner’s eyes non-stop, but is responsible for a certain level of safety.
When you do certain moves (tiempo de España, vacila, enchufla, rodeo…) there are moments to look at each other that matter, but big travelling moves (camina, saloneo…) require you not to look at your partner, let alone their eyes. In those cases, both partners should look in the direction of travel.
In casino rueda, travelling moves such as camina often lead to collisions because dancers don’t take in what’s happening around them.
Conclusions on eye contact in salsa cubana
You need to be aware of the amount and intensity of your eye contact, as well as your partner’s physical and verbal responses.
So it isn’t rude not to look at your partner, all the more so if the two dancers don’t know each other.
Put your partner at ease, smile at them and look at them appropriately, without insisting. While Cuban dance includes hints of seduction, it isn’t a flirting dance, and respect for the other person comes first.
With experience, and the time it takes to develop deeper bonds and build friendships, you learn to dose eye contact well, create a fitting, genuine connection, and make sure everyone enjoys the dance.
