Q: It's believed that the cumbia was originally a folkloric dance, in which African slaves imitated the Spanish. They did this, in part, through dressing in long skirts like the slave owners. As these two groups began to culturally and racially mix with indigenous Colombians, the cumbia became a dance of courtship and love. As such, the traditional dance almost always included pairs of men and women dancing with one another. However, they generally didn't touch much, if at all. This was set to a new style of music, cumbia, using the rhythm of drums (the African influence) and the melody of flutes (the native Colombians). In its oldest and most traditional form, you hold a burning candle and take short, sliding or dragging steps to mimic the limited foot movement imposed by shackles on slaves' ankles. You dance slowly along with other women in a counterclockwise circle. As you continue moving in a circle, sway your body back and forth while waving your skirt in a figure-8 motion. At times of your choosing, and without warning to your partner, approach him and spin, letting the candle pass before his face before retreating to your place in the circle. Today, candles aren't used much. Instead, women hold both sides of the skirt as they wave it or use one hand to wave the skirt while the other is raised in an open arc. You can dress in the original style or the more flamboyant one of today. If the former, wear a long and colorful skirt (a bolero) and a short-sleeved white shirt. Go either barefoot or in sandals, and wear your hair back. Or you can dress as many do today in long, colorful dresses. The skirt of the dress is often made of layers and ruffles and adorned with sequins. Wearing flower headdresses or a large flower tucked behind your ear is common. Large earrings and a face full of makeup are also the norm. You can go barefoot or in sandals. Much of the man's dance involves trying to lure the woman to him. His steps and movements are also faster than hers. Dance behind and around the woman, and take your hat on and off your head with one hand while holding the other behind your back. This gesture is intended to entice the woman toward you. When she approaches and spins, you can "crown" her with your hat before also spinning around her and then retreating. In some scenarios, the man holds a red handkerchief, bends low and fans the woman's feet with it. Wear white pants and a white shirt; a hat or sombrero; and a large, colorful (often red) handkerchief tied around your neck. You can go barefoot or in sandals.
A: Get in an alluring state of mind. Sway like the women. Pursue the woman if you're a man.

Q: When your cat is still new to your home, lie down near it or in front of it when your paths cross. Speak to your kitten in a quiet, comforting voice, saying things like, "Hi, kitty. It's just me. You can trust me." Soon, your cat will become interested in you and come over to give you a sniff. Repeat this exercise three or four time daily for a week or so. The exact distance away from your cat you should lie down varies depending on much your cat distrusts you. The less trust your cat has in you, the further away you will need to lie down in order to entice it to come near. It might take several exchanges before your cat actually gets interested in you enough to come over and see what you're doing. Do not reach your hand out to the cat during this stage. Keep some treats handy as you walk around the house during the day. When you encounter the kitten that does not trust you, squat down on one knee. In a gentle voice, say, "Here, kitty. Would you like a treat?" Place a cat treat in the center of one upturned palm and extend it to the kitten. Repeat three or four times a day. At first, keep your arm extended out as far as you can. After a week or so, start to bring your arm in closer to your body. This will allow your cat to feel safer with you. This feeling of security will help you earn a kitten's trust. At this point, reduce the number of times each day you give your kitten a treat to just one or two. After your kitten is comfortable eating from your hand in close proximity to your body, introduce a new element to the interaction. While your cat is nibbling the treat in one hand, bring your other hand up and stroke the cat gently from the top of its head or neck toward its tail. Smooth, steady strokes along its back will reassure your kitten and help you earn its trust. If you pick a kitten up before it trusts you, it will become startled. Only pick the kitten up after it trusts you enough to eat from your hand and allow you to pet it. When you lift your kitten, do so from the kitten's left side. Cup your right hand under the right side of its body and support its chest with your right hand. Bring the kitten up against your chest where it will feel safe. Cross your left arm over your right to secure its body against yours. Holding your cat in this way can also help you earn its trust. Playtime is not just a fun distraction for both you and your kitten, but also an important bonding experience. To earn a kitten's trust, wave a string toy near it, or flash a laser pointer across the floor in front of it. Your kitten will have great fun and will learn to associate you with happiness and all the other good feelings that make trust possible. If kittens are not raised with a wide variety of experiences, they will remain anxious and afraid when confronted by novel situations as they age. To prevent your kitten from developing an untrustworthy attitude, introduce it to tall people, short people, men and women, old people and young people. This will help break your cat of any prejudices that might prevent it from trusting you or others. If you do not have many friends or live alone, one way that you can socialize your kitten properly and thereby earn its trust is to leave the radio or television on during the day. This will allow your kitten to become accustomed to the sound of human speech.
A:
Lie down on your stomach. Offer food from your hand. Pet your kitten. Pick the kitten up. Play with your kitten. Introduce your cat to a wide variety of people.