My daughter commented to me some years ago that Black people "use their whole body." when they walk, run, gesture or talk. White people, se said, only use the part ofthe bdy they need for any specific action "like robots".

It's more complicated than that, of course. You can's stand close to a Frenchman, a Spaniard or especially an Italian to talk, because their arms are going like windmills! Germans, even those without a military background, stand either 'at ease' or 'to attention'. Scandinavians are graceful in ther movements, the Japanese precise,Hindus glide, Muslims slouch, Sikhs stride.

Brits? We move as little as possible, seldom gesture and are as facially impassive as we can manage. Even perfectly normal body-language can be condemned as 'fidgeting'.

White Americans quite generally have poor posture, they stand too close, lean forward and talk right in your face, even when they're being friendly. Hence the 'dance on the bridge incident' my family still tease me about!