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Open to Possibilities

October 26, 2013

Most people will agree that the best dances happen when both the leader and follower are both leading and following each other. In other words, Tango is a conversation in which both partners contribute to the dance.

Abrazo Queer TangoThere is something magical that happens when the music flows into our bodies and is expressed as a dance via a shared connection between two people. This is why queer tango makes sense. It really should not matter what gender is leading or following.

But not everyone believes this to be true. I have taken classes by Tango teachers that have lectured on the sanctity of Argentine tango; that it must be danced by a man and a woman.  They explain that the masculine and feminine dynamics are what make the dance so special and unique.

In all honesty, I have been hesitant to write about Queer Tango. I was not sure what I could say about the topic.  As a woman, I very much enjoy my role as a follower in Tango. However, I also enjoy learning how to lead, not because I want to become a great leader, but because it helps me to better understand the dance. Plus, it’s a fun challenge. I also enjoy dancing with anyone who is a good lead, no matter their gender.

But does this mean I understand queer tango? Not really. I decided to ask someone who knows a lot more about the subject than I do.

Karen, author of Abrazo Queer Tango and local promoter of Queer tango events in the Bay Area kindly agreed to do an interview for SF Loves Tango.

SF Loves Tango: How did you get interested in learning Tango and for how long have you been dancing?

Karen: Well, it was salsa that led me to tango–salsa was definitely my gateway dance. I was taking queer salsa classes with Amy Little and Mila Salazar at the metronome in SF and then Amy and Mila and a few other students in the class started talking about this tango dance, then they stopped teaching salsa and went to tango. I hung on to salsa for a bit, but by the fall of 2008, I broke down and followed them.

I remember my first tango class with Amy and Mila very clearly—I can picture exactly where I was in the room when I got that first tango hit, that rush of being in an embrace with your partner and walking with them, that exchange between the leader and the follower. I haven’t taken a salsa class since. I felt right away that tango was my dance—I just didn’t know how to dance it yet.

SF Loves Tango: Have you danced any other dance styles?

Karen: In addition to salsa, which I still dance time to time (cross dancing!!), I really like two-step, country western waltz and contra dancing.

Abrazo Queer Tango Milonga
Abrazo Queer Tango Milonga at Finish Hall in Berkeley

SF Loves Tango: What does Queer Tango mean to you?

Karen: Oh this is a great question that comes up a lot in the queer tango community and you’d get a number of different responses. For me, Queer tango is tango, with all of its beauty, joy and emotion, danced without pre-established roles based on your gender. From there you can go many directions: women who want to lead, men who want to follow, dancers who want to meet and dance with other queer people, same-sex dancing, and dancers who change roles during the song. In other words, dance the dance you have inside of you, that to me is queer tango.

SF Loves Tango: Why did you decide to start the Abrazo Queer Tango website?

Karen: Well, I went to a queer tango festival in Hamburg, Germany and basically lost my mind. They’ve had queer tango for 20 plus years in Germany, much longer than anywhere in the US, and I found myself in a room with 300 queer, open-role dancers. Amazing dancers, skilled, beautiful dancers and I could see and feel how deep the tango was in them. I danced for four days all day and each night into the morning.  I was like an unsupervised 5 year old in a candy store—completely sugar high for days on end. I had never danced where I had that much access to tango. I was crazy happy. I came home from that festival very motivated to have that experience in the Bay Area. So I started volunteering for QueerTango San Francisco, the awesome group that was running the first two queer milongas here in the Bay Area and the SF International Queer Tango Festival. I later began to organize events with Marc SFqueertanguero, Evan (Redwing Tango) and other tango nut bars like myself. The website, Abrazo Queer Tango, came from that work and the goal of reaching more people interested in queer, open-role tango.

The couple Marlene Heyman (R) and Lucia Christe perform during the qualification round of the Tango World Tournament in Buenos Aires on August 20, 2013. Photo by AFP/Daniel Garcis
The couple Marlene Heyman (R) and Lucia Christe made headlines when they competed at the Tango World Tournament in Buenos Aires on August 20, 2013. Photo by AFP/Daniel Garcis

SF Loves Tango: What is the history of queer tango in the Bay Area?

Karen: That I’m aware of, queer tango in the Bay Area started between 2005 and 2006 thanks to queer tango dancers and organizers Amy Little, Winter Held, and Auriel, who eventually formed QueerTango SF, and Amalia Bergman of TangoFuego. They had amazing support and instruction from Christy Cote, Pier and Dan, and Lisette Perelle. The Bay Area now has the largest queer tango community in the US—but there is a large queer tango community in Seattle as well. They just had their first International Queer Tango Festival this past summer—it was awesome. There are also growing queer tango communities in Chicago, Boston and New York.

Tango class with Sharna Fabiano at Abrazo Queer Tango milonga.
Tango class with Sharna Fabiano at Abrazo Queer Tango milonga.

SF Loves Tango: Do you know of any other cities in Europe that are known for having a large queer tango community?

Karen: In Europe, the largest queer tango communities that I’m aware of are in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, London and Stockholm.  Hamburg and Berlin in particular draw 300+ dancers to their International Queer Tango Festivals. I’ve met so many wonderful dancers there—getting to go there every year has really inspired me to keep dancing.

Queer tango is lighting up everywhere and there are queer tango communities in Brighton, Oslo, Barcelona, Madrid, Zurich, Rome, and all over the globe really with large queer tango contingents in the Middle East, Asia, Canada, Mexico and South America. Buenos Aires of course has a huge community. I was lucky enough to go there in 2009 for their International queer tango festival.

SF Loves Tango: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Karen: I must say that I feel very lucky to live in the Bay Area with its huge tango scene that I feel very much apart of—I’ve met wonderful teachers who are very encouraging and awesome to me and other queer tango dancers, and I’ve met dancers at Cellspace and The Beat, all over actually, who are so much fun to dance with every week.

The tango fairy is looking out for me—always whispering to me, go dance, go dance! And I love it that I can here. Same-sex couples have been told to stop dancing, to leave the milonga floor in other cities, and that does not happen here that I am aware of.  I remember going to a straight milonga once in SF early in my tango life. The organizer, well, I’ll just say his name, Glenn Corteza told me to find him if anyone gave me a problem. It was very kind of him. I’ve found that response typical in the Bay Area especially the last couple of years. And I think it’s an indication of just how passionate many folks are about tango here and how much work the early organizers of queer tango did.

SF Loves Tango: What aspirations do you have for queer tango in the Bay Area?

Karen: Oh, more, really more more more. More opportunities for queer dancers to dance, to take classes with the great selection of teachers in the Bay Area, more practicas, more folks interested in open-role dancing, and also more cross-over between the queer and straight tango communities. It’s tango after all– straight, queer or purple, tango is tango.

SF Loves Tango: Thank you so much for sharing information and your thoughts on queer tango with us all.

In conclusion: after attending one of our local queer milongas, I began thinking about the saying, “Queer Tango is for everyone”.  I’d like to qualify it as “Queer Tango is for anyone“,  anyone who wants to dance tango in a safe, friendly, comfortable environment where gender and sexuality is not an issue.  Some people may choose to never experience queer tango, to never dance with a same sex partner nor learn how to dance the opposite role.  But for those who want to expand their options and possibilities, queer tango is a great place.

Looking for more information on queer Tango?  Here are a few resources:

International Queer Tango Festival

Queer Tango Argentino

Queer Tango SF Facebook Page

SF Bay Area Queer Tango Calendar

Abrazoqueertango.wordpress.com/

Filed Under: Learning Tango, Milonga Spotlight, Musings Tagged With: Abrazo Queer Tango, Argentine Tango, Bay Area Queer Tango, Bay Area Tango, Milonga, Queer Tango, San Francisco Tango, SF Queer Tango

Tango scenes in SF

sflovestango

Celebrate #bayareatango community, support everyone involved & share ♥️ of #tango with San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

sflovestango
🧨 New year, new beginnings! One happened yester 🧨 New year, new beginnings! One happened yesterday at @thetangodome – first Women's Gathering hosted by @ayano.yoneda.tango, including folks who identify as women.

Part clothing & shoe swap, and part cultivating a safe space to be vulnerable, be generous, be supportive, and be real with each other.

Looking forward to more of this and building a community that keeps involving what tango events can be beyond the dance! 🙌 
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #tangolovers #womenintango #bayareatango #sisterhood #beyondthedance
As the year-end approaches, many SF local tango ev As the year-end approaches, many SF local tango events have had or will have their last event of 2022 to wrap things up. This year's last Milonga Rubia al Sur happened this past Sunday, Dec 18 with DJ @ayano.yoneda.tango and special performance with visiting artist, @martinalmironartist, and milonga host, Lisette @passion4tango. 

With the holidays coming up and Argentina winning the world cup, dancing tango all night long around Lisette's very own flower arrangements was just the appropriate celebration people needed.

Hosted by Lisette Perelle, Milonga Rubia is held every 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month, with current location at Just Dance Ballroom (2500 Embarcadero) in Oakland and a different DJ for each event.

✨ Fun fact - how Milonga Rubia got its name... ✨

Lisette's Argentine friends have always been calling her 'Rubia' because of her blonde hair. One day about 6 years ago, when she was discussing naming this new milonga with @julian_tangosf, he said, “Why not just call it Milonga Rubia?" That's how Milonga Rubia got its name! The event once was in a venue in Emeryville/Richmond. Once Lisette changed venues to a more southern location (Just Dance Ballroom in Oakland), the event's name was changed to 'Milonga Rubia al Sur' accordingly.
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevent #sundayfunday #milonga #milonganight #socialdancing #bailemos #embrace #tangodancers #bayareatango #oakland #keepdancing #dancingislife #weekendrecap
Last Saturday, Saturday Dec 17, @abrazoqueertango Last Saturday, Saturday Dec 17, @abrazoqueertango hosted their Holiday Bash with performances by @mirabtango and Miranda at @tangodome, a cool art gallery and dance space at 951 62nd St in Oakland.

🏳️‍🌈 Abrazo Queer Tangois a volunteer-run organization, and after expenses, all funds are used to pay for their events and offer discounts to students and folks short on cash. To help the org break even in 2022 and fund its 2023 programs, last Saturday's event was positioned as a fundraiser with a sliding scale $20-$40 for folks to choose how they'd like to show their support, offering a sweet night of performance, community and great music in a magical location. 

Missed the event yet still would like to support Queer Tango? Donations always totally work! Please write *donation* in the comment via your favorite method:
Venmo ➡️ abrazo-tango (Karen Curtis)
Paypal ➡️ abrazoqueertango@gmail.com
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevent #specialevents #milonga #saturdayvibe #socialdancing #bailemos #embrace #tangodancers #bayareatango #queertango #oakland #keepdancing #dancingislife #weekendrecap
💫 #motivationmonday is not over yet so here is 💫 #motivationmonday is not over yet so here is a quick recap of the International Day of Tango at @greatnorthernsf last night! 💫 Milonga hosted by @julian_tangosf with DJ @loco_chung. 
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#diadeltango #tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #tangoevent #specialevents #milonga #sundayfunday #socialdancing #bailemos #embrace #tangodancers #bayareatango #sanfrancisco #keepdancing #dancingislife #weekendrecap
This Friday night in the heart of San Francisco, t This Friday night in the heart of San Francisco, tango dancers and the public who are curious art lovers had a unique experience with live music performed by local tango musicians and the strategic mix of TANGO • VALS • MILONGA • ALTERNATIVE music by DJ @jonas.aqui of @jxtango at @drawingroomsf_annex, an art • gallery • studio in the Mission district – a free event by the collaboration of @chetangosf, @drawingroomsf and @artistmigration. 

Artists featured:
Sumi Lee (piano) @sfsumi
J Ramada (bass)
Basma Edrees (violin) @basmaedreesviolin
Verónica Freidkes (vocal) @veroverofreidkes

Check out our stories and story highlights for snippets of the performances and tango dancing around art pieces!
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❣️ about Che! Tango SF❣️

All events created by Ramada Salieri and Elaine Chiu are dedicated to providing an inclusive and friendly dancing and learning environment in San Francisco and the Bay Area regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or any other characteristic or trait.

ONGOING EVENTS
Che! Milonga: Every 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month 
Che! Música + Milonga: Once every quarter on a 2nd Saturday
Milonga Uno: 3rd Saturday of every other month
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❣️ about The Drawing Room SF ❣️

MISSION
The Drawing Room connects community through art to help improve the overall human condition by making art accessible and part of the daily fabric of our lives. 
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❣️about Artist Migration❣️

ANTI CAPITALIST ART
Artist-led curatorial project providing performance and exhibition opportunities to international artists.
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #livemusic #fridaynights #art #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #artislife  #tangomusicians #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #bayareatango #sflovestango #jxtango
Those who came out to @tangolabruja last night had Those who came out to @tangolabruja last night had an epic evening of dancing and live music with three highly skillful tango musicians’ improvised music – Trio Tangazo, a dynamite tango trio made up of Sascha Jacobsen (bass), Seth Asarnow (piano), and Adrian Jost (bandoneon). 

~~Fun fact~~
Sascha, Seth and Adrian all performed at La Bruja previously - either with other tango ensembles or in duo - but it was the first time all three of them taking the stage together!

📍 @berkeleycityclub 
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#tango #concert #milonga #milonganight #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusic #improvisation #travelingmusician #musiciansofinstagram #california #berkeley #bayareatango #tangomusicians #tangodancers #socialdance #dancingislife #sflovestango
🥧 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so @milongamalevaje 🥧 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so @milongamalevaje is closed for that matter, but here is something different & fun from last Thursday 😉 with DJ @jonas.aqui, courtesy of hosts @tanguera_e, Ramada Salieri and Adolfo Caszarry.

Have a wonderful holiday everyone!
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#tango #tangoargentino #argentinetango #milonga #milonganight #tangoevent #tangoalternativo #alternativetango #tangonuevo #embrace #bailar #bailemos #socialdance #partnerdance #tangodancers #dancingislife #bayareatango #sanfrancisco #sflovestango
✨ FRIDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨ It’s been awhile sin ✨ FRIDAY NIGHT TANGO ✨

It’s been awhile since Milonga La Genesis (hosted by @julian_tangosf) has live tango music. Last night LEO TANGASSO QUARTET was in the house, featuring @leogassomusic from Montevideo, Uruguay on bandoneon,  @smurfetteshum on piano, Stella Bonilla on violin,  @digsmahler on double bass.

(🎥 @tangonnection, edited by @sflovestango)
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#tango #argentinetango #tangoargentino #specialevent #bayareatango #tangomusic #livemusic #tangomusicians #bandoneon #piano #doublebass #violin #quartet #onenightonly #milonganight #sanfrancisco #sflovestango
👏 The all-female tango ensemble, 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨, wrapped up their 2022 concert tour at @alameda_elks1015, playing for a full house of guests at the @housetango Community Milonga.

𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is a collaboration between powerhouse female tango musicians @sfsumi (piano), @heynisolera (bandoneon), and @teagbby (violin). Their concert on Sunday featured guest bassist @fabricanfabricant and vocalist @teresatam.sing.

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The mission of 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is to present contemporary Argentine tango through virtuosic artistic performance and educational events.  Sumi, Heyni, and Teagan originally bonded in Buenos Aires, drawn by a mutual love of tango music, as well as by a realization of the inequality of professional opportunity for women in the tango genre. They studied under the same maestros and performed with prestigious tango orchestras in Buenos Aires.  They now frequently perform around the world, including in their respective adopted cities of San Francisco (Sumi), Washington, DC (Heyni), and NYC (Teagan). All of the musicians also produce their own music. 
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#tango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #travelingmusician #heynibando #tour #beautifulwomen #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #berkeley #oakland #bayareatango #tangomusicians
🎉 Saturday, October 22 marked the grand re-open 🎉 Saturday, October 22 marked the grand re-opening of Vecher Tango at the Russian Center of SF!

After a long pause of two and a half year, the magnificent grand ballroom was filled with tango energy again. What made the occasion extra special was the incredible performances by another visiting master couple @javierchikk & @moiracastellano. To top it off, @virginiaychristian "Los Totis" joined Javier & Moira on the floor for a mixed maestros dance!

Shout-out to our dearest friend Davood Yazdani, Julia Schiptsova of Tango Element, and all the local organizers for making this weekend feel like a mini tango festival in San Francisco!
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#tango #argentinetango #argentinetango♥️ #tangoargentino #milonganight #tangoperformance #bailar #bailemos #bailando #tangoshow #tangoevent #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto
✨It's a star-struck tango week in SF!!✨ @vir ✨It's a star-struck tango week in SF!!✨ 

@virginiaychristian "Los Totis" have been teaching in San Francisco (brought to you by our very own Davood Yazdani who's in collaboration with Julia Schiptsova of Tango Element!) And we were mesmerized by their fantastic performances last night at the special edition of @milongamalevaje at @verdiclubsf ! 🤩👏
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#tango #argentinetango #argentinetango♥️ #tangoargentino  #tangoperformance #bailar 
#bailemos #bailando #tangoshow  #tangoevent #tangoperformance #tangodancer #tangocouple #specialevent #onenightonly #tangophoto
💫 Exactly a year later, 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨, an all-female tango musician collaboration, has returned to the SF Bay Area!! 

Last night they took the audience on a magical journey to Buenos Aires with a concert-milonga at @tangolabruja in Berkeley. Check out our stories to see more snippets of their performance!

𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is a collaboration between powerhouse female tango musicians @sfsumi (piano), @heynisolera (bandoneon), and @teagbby (violin). The concert last night featured guest singer @veroverofreidkes.

The mission of 𝙇𝙖𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙨 is to present contemporary Argentine tango through virtuosic artistic performance and educational events. Sumi Lee, Heyni Solera, and Teagan Faran originally bonded in Buenos Aires, drawn by a mutual love of tango music, as well as by a realization of the inequality of professional opportunity for women in the tango genre. They studied under the same maestros and performed with prestigious tango orchestras in Buenos Aires.  They now frequently perform around the world, including in their respective adopted cities of San Francisco (Sumi), Washington, DC (Heyni), and NYC (Teagan). All of the musicians also produce their own music. 

Catch them for the rest of their tour!
🔸10/20 (Thur) 10pm, World Folk Jam concert w/ ten other world music groups, Oakland
🔸10/21 (Fri) 7pm, Sebastopol Center for the Arts
🔸10/22 (Sat) 7:30pm, Sunset Music and Arts, San Francisco
🔸10/23 (Sun) 3:30pm, houseTango Community Milonga @ Alameda Elks Lodge, Alameda
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#tango #concert #milonga #specialevent #onenightonly #tangomusic #contemporarymusic #contemporarytango #womenintango #womeninmusic #travelingmusician #heynibando #tour #beautifulwomen #musiciansofinstagram #sanfrancisco #california #berkeley #oakland #bayareatango
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