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Queer Tango


Queer Tango is to dance Argentine tango without regard to the traditional heteronormative roles of the dancers, and often to exchange the leader and follower roles. Therefore, it is related to open role or same-sex tango. The queer tango movement permits not only an access to tango for the LGBT community, but also supports female leaders and male followers, regardless of orientation.

Conventional tango is said to be the stronghold of heterosexism and machismo:

"The tango is a duel for dominance. Partner against partner, man against woman, machismo leading female, using weapons and lures of sexuality."

Dancing in very close embrace – this intimacy is what defines tango as a "three-minute love affair" -, the male dance partner is the lead and the female dance partner is the follow. These two gender roles are sexually defined:

"Tango. The word conjures images of dancers with smoldering eyes and simmering sensuality gliding to the melancholy sound of Astor Piazzola's accordion-like bandoneon. The men are manly and the women are, well, wrapping their legs quite conspicuously around them.

Traditional tango is steeped in machismo culture. It is a reflection of Argentine societal views on sexuality and gender relations. The man is the active participant while the woman is passive. Argentine tango is a full improvisational dance. The male leader moves forward, guides the step pattern, the tempo and protects the female follower who steps backwards in complete trust, her eyes might be closed. She adds expressive elements to the dance: adornos (embellishments). The man, choreographer, creates the structure of the dance, and his purpose is to make the woman appear pretty. The lady must wait for the man to guide the movement and with a bad leader, she’s lost.

At conventional milongas it’s the man who invites the woman to dance with eye-contact and a nod of the head, called cabeceo.


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Wikipedia

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