Isn’t tango really a dance between a man and a woman?

Some people know only the cliché of tango as a dance with very strong sexual overtones danced by a macho man and a “lewd” woman. But one of the great things with tango is that you create your own story with each partner, and for most people it’s not about sex and masculinity vs. femininity. In tango you can be able to connect strongly to another person, irrespectively of gender, sexual orientation or age. And from the start men danced tango together, mainly to practice.

Doesn’t it look a bit ridiculous when men are dancing together?

Look at this clip and try to explain me what you find ridiculous:

Can I still dance with the opposite sex if I learn Queer Tango?

Yes, the steps in tango are the same if you dance with a man or a woman. Anyway, you have to adapt your dancing to any new partner. We are all different, physically and in terms of musicality and sensitivity. Through Queer Tango you get to dance both roles and with both genders which will help you to improve faster than in a traditional tango setting.

Why are there more and more straight women in Queer Tango?

The good thing in Queer Tango is that there is never the problem of “gender imbalance” on a dance event, which seems to be the main headache for people arranging classes or festivals in the traditional scene. Everyone feels free to dance with everyone. You don’t have to wait on your chair all night long. Most straight women that join the Queer scene do also this to feel free from the traditional gender roles that seem to dominate in many tango places, as well as the sexual pressure that they can feel time to time. In most queer tango places the atmosphere is friendly and open, and the focus is on dancing. Women can invite, and women can lead.

As a straight man, don’t I loose my masculinity if I let myself be led, regardless of by a man or a woman?

Even as a leader in tango you need a bit of sensitivity and ability to listen/follow your partner. If you let yourself experience to be led in tango, you will maybe understand better how to be a good leader. Also, when two men are dancing together the dance becomes more powerful and gets a different character. A male follower would interpret his role differently than a woman would. The “adornos” (embellishments) gets a different character. You can make the dance really playful and discover that not all dancing is about getting laid.

Aren’t the high heels an essential part of the follower’s technique in tango?

There are different answers to this question. The high heels give women a special posture in tango that some people find more elegant and also helpful for the technique, especially in close embrace. The risk that the knees collide during the dance, or that the follower puts too much of his/her weight on the leader increase with low shoes. On the other hand, a lot of tangueras have crippled toes after years of dancing in tight uncomfortable high heels. Well, the world is not perfect, height, weight, age, anything can challenge the “perfect” technique. This shouldn’t exclude anyone from the dance floor. A male follower should not try to copy the women’s technique in all aspects. Dancing on your toes, imagining you have stilettos under your heel is not helpful. Try to find your own more natural way to follow according to your own physique and personality.