In Brazil, around the 1920s and for the next few decades, there was a popular activity called "footing" (an obvious anglicism), but it had a purpose. From a Bra

In Brazil, around the 1920s and for the next few decades, there was a popular activity called "footing" (an obvious anglicism), but it had a purpose. From a Brazilian text I found, "Footing, coming from the English "to go on foot", happened principally in small cities. Girls would put on their best dress and go out to walk with a clear goal: to be observed by the guys, equally well-dressed." Coincidentally, I lived in a very small town in Brazil several years ago and this is what they did on Friday and Saturday nights. There was a single, small town square where it happened. On one occasion where I asked a young woman out (in her 20s), this is where we went. All was fine until I looked 10 steps behind us to notice several older people seemingly following us. When I brought it to her attention, she nonchalantly said, "oh, that's my father, mother, uncle and grandmother."