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Olga	Daniel

Views #1204 | Intermediate (B1)

Dancing in Chile

Daniel talks with Olga about "Cueca" a traditional style of dancing in Chile.

Script
Vocab
Quiz

Daniel: And while we drink this, we dance cueca.

Olga: What is cueca?

Daniel: Cueca is our national dance.

Olga: How do you, how can you explain it?

Daniel: It's about, OK, it's the Chilean cowboy dancing in order to flirt with the girl.

Olga: Do you wear any kind of special dress?

Daniel: Yes. The girl is wearing a long dress.

Olga: Yes.

Daniel: And the guy is wearing sombrero.

Olga: Yeah.

Daniel: It's not like, it's not as big as Mexican sombrero but it's smaller and a small poncho.

Olga: Oh yeah, I think I've seen it before. Yeah, like the small poncho is like almost like every time it's brown and with like kind of like colorful lines?

Daniel: Yes.

Olga: Oh yeah, I've seen it before, yeah.

Daniel: And we also wear boots and spurs which makes it really, really difficult to dance.

Olga: Have you danced it before?

Daniel: I have but I don't think I succeeded.

Olga: Oh, I see. And what do you mean it's kind of romantic dance?

Daniel: It is a romantic dance.

Olga: How?

Daniel: Because you have to flirt with the girl.

Olga: Oh, I see.

Daniel: That's the point of the dance.

Olga: And is it, does it mean anything? Does it have any meaning?

Daniel: It's related to how, because we use a handkerchief so it's how, it symbolizes a rope so you can, you have to catch the girl with your rope.

Olga: Oh, I see, that's pretty cute.

Daniel: Yeah, it is.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

flirt

It's Chilean cowboy dancing in order to flirt with a girl.

When you 'flirt' with someone, you act in a way that tells that person that you are romantically interested in her. Notice the following:

She makes good money as a waitress, because she is always flirting with her customers.
He gets really angry when his girlfriend flirts with other guys.

sombrero

The guy is wearing a sombrero.

A 'sombrero' is like a cowboy hat, which is usually made out of leather or straw. Notice the following:

He wears a sombrero almost every day.
Do you want to bring a sombrero when we go to the beach?

spurs

We also wear boots and spurs, which makes it really difficult to dance.

'Spurs' are sharp, metal attachments that you put on the heel, or back part, of your boot. Cowboys use these to kick horses and make them go faster when they are riding. Notice the following: