Dancing gender in Buenos Aires in the Summer of 2010

Vio Saraza

I understand gay as one form of queer, which includes any creative refusal to do gender as one is expected to. Accordingly, women who lead tango are thoroughly queer. We lead through retrograde spaces of reinvigorated machismo surrounded by resolutely passive sisters who refuse to dance with us. We lead assaulted with retrofitted concepts of virginity: “leading will ruin your following”… We lead in heels, in dresses with sneakers, on Tuesdays but not Thursdays, simultaneously magnifying and collapsing the dualisms of butch and femme. We lead.

Soon after arriving in Buenos Aires in December 2009, I heard about La Maria, an afternoon practica for women leaders. I was excited to visit and even more excited to interview two of the organizers. We met after the practica on a hot January day and I learned that La Maria is something much different than what I first perceived. But that’s to be expected – it’s tango! In preparing this article I found that I needed to write something other than an interview, because I want to share my own reflections. This article does not represent the organizers of La Maria.

Photographs and translation in the interview by Daniele Perillo (www.danieleperillo.com). Transcription and text translation by Clarissa Gentinetta (clari.genti@gmail.com). You can read the full interview here: Visit La Maria on the web: http://lamariapractica.blogspot.com/.

La Maria

La Maria is held in the afternoon, and, unlike other milongas and practicas in Buenos Aires, offers a table of free snacks, shared mate gourds, and tea. The organizers believe that the atmosphere, including the sunlight, is important for making the event friendly and avoiding the conflicts among women which plague the milongas at night.

Every week a guest teacher provides some ideas about a topic, as part of the practica. The organizers experience La Maria as a space of interchange, where “this idea of teacher-student doesn’t exist. It’s like a space for investigation, and it’s very clear that person comes to offer us their tango, but at the same time it’s like a back and forth.” For the organizers of La Maria, he open interchanges of the Practica mean that “many more possibilities of work are opened up…one evolves much more professionally, because obviously more doors are opened.”

The organizers encourage tango with more fluid experience of roles, so that men and women can explore the dance without the confines of expectations about gender. “Interchange, meaning, they must not close themselves to only investigating the man and the woman.”

The project doesn’t feel isolated or marginalized. It has attracted many allies, including a number of what I call local celebrity men – professional and expert dancers of high visibility in the youthful tango scene that swirls around Villa Malcolm, Practica X, Milonga 10, La Viruta, and Milonga Loca. La Maria is part of a circle of co-promotion with organizers of events at these places.

The organizers have put their promotional materials at the gay milongas, La Marshall and Tango Queer, but they have yet to have an exchange with queer tango events, such as teaching or performances. They are not sure if some Queer women come or not but “we have never had a couple of men come here.” They welcome everyone. They believe that it’s beautiful to do the dance with whoever you desire – “awesome and beautiful”.

There are four dimensions of La Maria which I would identify as more-or-less feminist projects. First and foremost in the minds of the women who organize it is the recognition that they can be professionals in tango without a male partner. They can teach “alone or with a woman or with a man”, but most importantly without dependence on a male partner. “If you’re alone, you can also work. It’s not that you need somebody.” The practica itself proves they can initiate projects on their own. This independence has been inspiring to visitors. “Coming here generates the possibility of thinking that you can do things alone…generate new things.” We asked them if they had a message for women all over the world who want to start leading in tango. Their answer was very interesting. “that they not think about it as ‘starting to lead’. I mean, for me the message would be…become autonomous…trust in one’s self and not depend on a man or on a woman or on anybody.”

La Maria is organized to address a specific problem relating to the growth of professional women in tango, which is that they learn to lead moves and sequences in order to teach, but they do not have a space to practice dancing in the traffic of the dance floor. La Maria provides an opportunity to practice dancing with circulation as in the milonga, “where someday you may be able to go dance, without fear.”

They also act in sympathy with women just starting in tango. Beginning women “suffer” because they don’t “have the possibility of dancing with a man…because of the numbers”. So a practica in which women lead gives the chance for beginning women followers to dance and improve. They point out that historically, “men practiced with men. So it’s not such a crazy idea.”

Fourth, they have an idea that through the more full participation of followers, the dance itself could become less passive for women. “Instead of ‘leading’ it’s ‘proposing’ – be it a man or a woman – propose, and the other person is, ‘ok, let’s go’… There’s not one active person and another inactive… You can even switch in that same moment, say ‘ok, now I propose and you participate.’ It’s much more interactive.”

The organizers find these projects to be very successful. “La Maria definitely a space that opens up. It transforms.” But they point out, “It’s not that we’re feminists. It has nothing to do with that.”

“– no no no no no no no no no.”

In December 2009, the promotional material for La Maria read “practica para mujeres” (practica for women). But when we did the interview in January 2010, the organizers told me “it changed…. the new cards now say ‘cambio de roles’ (change of roles).” They explained, “In the beginning it was just a practice for women. But men started to ask us if they could come. And we opened the space up to everybody… but the men that come here come with a totally different attitude. They come to have fun, to play, and to investigate…If a man and a woman want to dance together, that’s fine. Basically, though, we make an emphasis on interchange…The gender doesn’t matter…”

My experiences and the claim that “gender doesn’t matter” stimulated some thoughts about the situation and needs of women leaders.

Reflections of a woman leader

The role of men

The weekly practices at La Maria were held in a very small room. I did feel validated that local celebrity men were there to encourage women leaders, but was it really ok to block their path with my clumsy practice? I felt they were taking up a lot of space.

When asked how they conceptualize the masculine role in their project, the organizers said that the idea is not to put a person within a gender, they “don’t deal with gender”. They are clearly concerned with systemic problems that women face, yet the masculine dimension of tango is neutralized, or avoided.

Although the website indicates that about 1/4 of the invited teachers are women, every time I visited La Maria, a man was teaching. He would be in the center of the room, defining the project. One of these teachers asked me to dance. I wasn’t sure that he was really offering to follow me and stood up hesitantly to find that he was offering to lead me. I thought, ok he’s just going to give me a nice dance, just for fun and generosity. Then he doused me with uninvited feedback about my following.

The one year birthday Fiesta of La Maria was well attended and spacious. I sat with the person who had been the friendliest to me in all my trips to La Maria, a man who also follows. He offered to follow me, but when I hesitated, instead of encouraging me he stood up and constructed the embrace as the leader. After one song I resolutely changed the positions, since regardless of the reformed motto, I come to this space as a woman leader. I struggled with a new move, then he impatiently switched the roles. Expecting that he intended to demonstrate the correct lead I paid attention to his lead, but instead of explaining it, he quibbled with my following, and then did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the song. Relieved when he had to leave, I sat recovering, looking around to see who I might ask to dance, and organizing my courage for another go. But I was interrupted by another man/leader, a friend, who asked me to dance. In the codes of tango it’s not nice to turn down a friend unless for some reason you are absolutely unable to walk, so, again, I followed.

Working with Queer Tango communities, I have found it valuable to invite allies to the space. Students learn and grow with the opportunity to follow or lead more experienced dancers. But for women leaders, this form of “support” seems to displace the project. Creating a space where “gender doesn’t matter” means that much of what will happen will be the same old thing, since that’s what people know how to do. Men show up to support and be nice to women, so they ask women to dance, which is very nice. And if they are an expert they want to “help” us with our following, even when we are trying to focus on leading.

Two failed strategies of dealing with power dynamics are visible here. The first is the attempt to deal with power by asserting a neutral equity. This fails to change the dynamic and also fails to investigate and address the specific needs of those who have been deprived of resources. The second is the charitable attempt to uplift the less powerful, which fails because the people who have held power insist they can and should define the others’ needs. The result of these strategies in this case is that menleaders behave the same way as usual and womenleaders don’t get to articulate and control their own agenda for growth.

Feminist Following

I study at DNI, which is a very loving and joyful tango school. I find this school’s instruction for leaders far more thorough and precise than elsewhere. For three months I have led in one class there every day. The teachers know me and are supportive. A few other women leaders have come through the school on shorter visits in these months, but usually I am the only woman leader in the class. In the lower level classes, sometimes I’m the most experienced leader. Nevertheless, most of the womenfollowers would rather dance with any man, than with me. Many of the women make a small laugh as they consent to follow me.

I went to La Maria expecting haven – encouragement from practice partners and celebration of the project of women leading. Instead, the women who I asked to dance seemed impatient and bored dancing with me, although when I suggested they lead, I found they were no better at it than me. Many women sat sour-faced, just like at the milongas. I wondered who they were waiting to dance with.

Feminist tango of course must also consider feminist following, for those women who have mostly followed men. How do we come to each other from the arms and bodies of men? How do we cultivate trust and surrender to a woman leader who often feels comparatively frail. How do we generate the same patient faith in women leaders’ development, and future desirability that we so easily give to men.

Pedagogy for Women Leaders

I was very fortunate to attend 3^rd Festival International of Tango Queer in Buenos Aires, which took place in December. Long story short, I wept with joy watching so many men dance together AND I was very sad to see few women dancing in the festival milongas. Even the weekly Tango Queer class and milonga here in Buenos Aires has transformed from a small group mostly of women (my observation in Winter 2008), to three or four times as many people, but mostly men. The easy thing to say about this is that Queer men have grown into Tango faster than women, and soon it will change. I very much wish that to be true.

But I believe that women leaders will still be trespassing in the masculinity of tango until we can discuss and explore together why and how we want to enter the space of leading, what we want to use it for, how make it our own, and what shoes we want to wear. There are social, psychological, emotional, and bodily aspects of leading which must be explored from a woman’s perspective.

We need to teach and learn with awareness of different femininities and our psychological perceptions of our bodies. The necessary mix of strength and softness necessary for leading challenges butch ways of inhabiting the body no less than femme ones. We are strong enough to lead, but we often don’t relate to our strength accurately, and that causes all sorts of problems in the embrace and the mark. We need technique for dancing without the advantage of a high body-mass ratio to the partner. We need technique for leading in a wider range of shoes than men use, so that our style is not diminished before we even step onto the dance floor as leaders.

None of classes I attended at La Maria addressed topics specific to women leaders, such as how to use your body to support yourself and another person when they lose their balance, inspiring confidence in followers so they are willing to trust you (for example in colgadas and volcadas), or techniques for dancing with people taller or bigger than you – although several of the men teachers were very small and surely could have spoken to these issues.

Toward a Feminist Tango

I left the Fiesta sure that we need feminist tango, and equally sure that I didn’t know what it would be. There are now spaces where women are “welcome” to lead and women occasionally lead (and men follow) even in some regular practicas and milongas (it happens at all of the places listed earlier in this article). Some men are now encouraging of women leaders and showing more openness to following women. These openings are very important and valuable. But I think we are going to need more than that and that our needs are different than what gay men have needed.

A feminist tango is not anti-man in any way, but it is pro-woman. It means we give each other the same gracious generosity that we habitually and unhesitatingly offer to strange men. It means we give each other more, and what that more can be is open to the imagination of every woman who has suffered the unique and poignant pains of tango. It would mean we see each other as sisters and we know that encouraging confidence and power will expand the space for all of us.

To support women leaders, we need to pay attention to gender, not ignore it. Primarily because we need to give guidance to the men who come to support, so that they can do so effectively. Secondarily, because women need consciousness-raising in order to learn what sisterly behavior is in new contexts. Third, if we are to lead tango well, we need a pedagogy for our bodies, femininities, and desires.

Buenos Aires, 25 January 2010

At the time of this interview, La Maria was organized by Majo Marini, Cynthia Fatori, y Corina Herrera. As of March 2010, the organizers are Majo and Corina.

Photographs and translation in the interview by Daniele Perillo (www.danieleperillo.com). Transcription and text translation by Clarissa Gentinetta (clari.genti@gmail.com).

Click here for the article based on this interview.

Daniele: Can you tell us the history of La Maria?

(Majo) - Todo empezó en, a gestar empezó en el 2009, apenas empezó el año 2009, en diciembre mas o menos. Y surgió como un deseo – que es lo que un poco explica el blog – de que existe un lugar a donde las mujeres que trabajamos, solas, muchas veces – a veces con hombres, a veces con otras mujeres, y a veces solas – podamos tener un espacio para profesionalizar el baile que hacemos comúnmente y poder desarrollar las dos partes, no sola la de la mujer, porque cuando uno enseña necesita tener otra formación. Y entender lo que sucede del lado masculino también. A partir de ese deseo – particularmente mió en un principio de sentir que por ahí me faltaban herramientas para dar una clase – pensé que seria bueno tener un espacio donde las mujeres pudieran practicar, mujeres que 0:01:10.8 a un nivel de baile, que algunas se dediquen profesionalmente, dadas clases, que tengan un lugar para bailar. Para también un espacio de contención, que muchas veces muchas mujeres van a las milongas y no bailan. Y era como una cosa un poco angustiante que a mi me sucedió en ese momento porque estaba embarazada, y nadie me sacaba a bailar. En serio. Entonces dije “bueno, basta.” Y la llame a Cynthia, que es amiga mía hace muchos años, le dije “Cynthia, me pasa esto, quiero hacer un lugar” y a ella le encanto la idea, y a partir,

(Majo) – it all started in, it started originating in 2009, right when 2009 started, around December, more or less. And it arose as a desire – which is a bit what the blog explains – that there be a place where us women who work, alone, many times – sometimes with men, sometimes with other women, and sometimes alone – could have a space to professionalize the dance that we commonly do and be able to develop both parts, no just the woman’s, because when one teaches you need to have a different formation. And understand what happens on the masculine side as well. From that desire – particularly mine in a beginning of feeling that maybe I lacked tools to give a class – I thought it might be good to have a space where women could practice, women that at a dance level, that some dedicate themselves professionally, give classes, that they have a place to dance. For me also a space of contention, that many times many women go to the milongas and don’t dance. And it was a thing that was like a bit distressing, what happened to me at that moment, because I was pregnant, and nobody would ask me to dance. Seriously. So I said “ok, that’s it.” And I called Cynthia, who’s my friend since many years ago, and I said “Cynthia, this is happening to me, I want to make a place” and she loved the idea, and from there,

(Cynthia) - y a mi, o sea pero me, pero me seduzco muchísimo esta pre idea, a causa de que era para un espacio, como para investigar, o sea pero como para crecer, como para crear, y para que todo evolucione, o sea, que se yo, pero porque hace como tres años atrás, habíamos hecho un pequeño pero intento con dos chicos – uno de tango salón, otro pero de tango nuevo, y yo, haciendo pero una fusión. Y duro creo que dos meses. Y esto es un poco mas pero concreto, es pero es pero es pero un lugar mucho mas especializado para la mujer, en todo lo que puede ser bailar, llevar, no se, estética, y todo lo que,

(Cynthia) – and to me, I mean, this pre idea totally seduced me, because it was for a space, like to investigate, to grow, to create, and for everything to evolve, so, I mean, because like 3 years earlier we had done a small attempt with two guys – one of “tango salón”, another but of “tango nuevo”, and myself, creating a fusion. And it lasted, I think 2 months. And this is a bit more concrete, it’s a space that’s much more specialized for women, in everything that concerns dancing, leading, I don’t know, aesthetics, and everything that

(Majo) - y lo que tiene que ver con esto de la contención, de mucha gente que viene de afuera y que por ahí, no en todos los lugares están bien recibidos. El hecho de que hay un mate, una merienda, o esa buena onda,

(Majo) – and everything related to this idea of contention, of a lot of people that come from outside and that maybe, they’re not received well everywhere. The fact that there’s a mate, a snack, or that good vibe,

(Cynthia) - es mas familiar.

(Cynthia) – it’s more familiar.

(Majo) - claro, la energía de la luz del día, todo eso para mi – para nosotras – es fundamental. Que sea de día, que haga luz del sol, que se mantenga esa energía. Ese es el lugar que queríamos, no tanta la oscuridad y

(Majo) – right, the energy of the light of day, all that to me – to us – is fundamental. That it be during the day, with the sunlight, that that energy be maintained. That’s the space we wanted, not so much darkness and

(Cynthia) - la milonga, y como la noche, todas las cosas que esas cosas o sea pero generan. Ya una ya se predispone diferente, sale de noche, se produce diferente,

(Cynthia) – the milonga, and since like the night, and all the things that those things generate. And one predisposes herself differently, you go out at night, produce yourself differently,

(Majo) - totalmente. Entre mujeres hay mas choques, porque es otra cosa. Porque hay otros hombres. Y ahora abrimos el espacio a que los hombres vengan, pero el hombre que llega acá viene con una actitud totalmente distinta. Viene a divertirse, a jugar, a investigar. Y realmente se

(Majo) – totally. Between women there are more collisions, because it’s another thing. Because there are other men. And now we opened the space for men to be able to come, but the men that come here come with a totally different attitude. They come to have fun, to play, and to investigate. And we really,

(Majo) - y bueno, entonces eso.

(Majo) – and well, that.

(Daniele ) – y, en su historia personal – bueno, ya contestaste en parte esta pregunta – pero en sus historias personales, por que empezaron a conducir? Como empezaron?

(Daniele ) – and, in your personal history – well, you already answered part of this question – but in your personal stories, why did you start leading? How did you start?

(Majo) - hmm. Bueno, si querés contá vos, yo cuento lo mío.

(Majo) – hmm. Well, if you want to tell your part, then I’ll tell mine.

(Cynthia) - en el caso mío, yo hace mucho, pero viví 5 años en Nueva York, y cuando llegue allá lo que me paso fue que ya bailaba como hacia ocho, diez años atrás. Y llegue a la, o sea pero llegue, y como mujer era bárbara. Pero para dar un clase, chicos, nunca nunca nunca pero haría, y dije “que hago acá? Que hago acá?”

(Cynthia) – in my case, a long time ago, but I lived in New York for 5 years, and when I arrived there what happened was that I had been dancing since about eight, ten years ago. And I arrived there, and as a woman I was great. But to give a class, guys, I would never never never do it, and I said “what am I doing here? What am I doing here?”

(Majo) - a la fuerza.

(Majo) – by force.

(Cynthia) - a la fuerza. A la fuerza, porque necesitaba trabajar, y quería trabajar, o sea pero de lo mío, y tenia mucha pero mucha pero información para dar, sobre chicas. Pero hay cosas, y que se necesitan pero saber, y como pero como, mostrarlas. Y esa parte yo no la sabia, salvo cuando venia alguien.

(Cynthia) – by force. By force, because I needed to work, and I wanted to work, I mean, but in what I did, and I had a lot of information to give, about girls. But there are things that you need to know, and how to show them. And I didn’t know that part, except when somebody would come.

(Daniele ) – she’s saying that’s fundamental to teach…

(Cynthia) - por la necesidad. Por necesidad de querer aprender.

(Cynthia) – because of necessity. Because of the necessity to want to learn.

(Daniele ) – it was a necessity.

(Cynthia) - y por querer aprender, y crecer, e investigar, obviamente.

(Cynthia) – and because I wanted to learn, and grow, and investigate, obviously.

(Daniele ) – after this, to investigate, to do research, new frontiers.

(Majo) - a mi me paso un poco que cuando trabaje con mi único compañero de baile, que tuve corta vida, trabaje 3 años con Lucas Galera, que es profesor y maestro, y me pasaba que cuando el explicaba en las clases, yo sentía la necesidad de que para poder corregir a las alumnas, necesitaba poder entender en el cuerpo lo que el estaba marcando. Entonces con el yo aprendí muchísimo – no a bailar, porque lo que justamente me faltaba a mi era el desarrollo del baile en la pista – pero si, cuando pasábamos ejercicios, yo entendía, cuando agarraba una mujer, que era lo que estaba haciendo mal porque podía marcarle ese movimiento determinado. Lo que me faltaba, y lo que un poco me incito, o me estimulo, para hacer lo de la practica, fue que me faltaba bailar. Bailar. O sea, yo podía marcar un movimiento en el momento, en el lugar. Pero después, la circulación en la pista, imposible. Porque el miedo de circular, a meterte en una milonga a bailar, justamente La Maria esta hecho para que acá puedas bailar en la pista. Y que no sea el pasito en el lugar. Sino desplazarse en un espacio y que sea una especie de practica real, parecido a una milonga, donde alguna día puedas ir a bailar, sin miedo.

(Majo) – what happened to me was that when I worked with my only dance partner, which was short-lived, I worked for 3 years with Lucas Galera, who is professor and teacher, and what happened to me was that when he would explain the classes, I felt the necessity that in order to be able to correct the students, I needed to be able to understand in the body what he was marking. So with him a learned a lot – not how to dance, because that’s just what I was lacking, the development of dance on the floor – but, when we did exercises, I did understand, when he took a woman, what it was that he was doing wrong because I could mark that particular movement. What I lacked, and what somewhat incited me, or stimulated me, to do the practice thing, was that I lacked the ability to dance. Dancing. I mean, I could mark a movement at the moment, at the place. But later, in the circulation of the dance floor, impossible. Because the fear of circulating, of going into a milonga to dance, La Maria is precisely created so that, here, you can dance on the dance floor. And that it not be just the little steps in place. Rather move along in a space and that it be a type of real practice, similar to a milonga, where someday you may be able to go dance, without fear.

(Daniele ) – claro. Sin terror.

(Daniele ) – right. Without fear.

(Majo) - sin terror. Si, y aunque sea mujer, hombre, o lo que sea. No importa.

(Majo) – without fear. Yes, and whether it be a woman, a man, or whatever. It doesn’t matter.

(Daniele ) –Y, que aprendieron a través de este proceso de investigación de La Maria, aparte el tango. Aparte el baile.

(Daniele ) – And what did you learn through this process of investigation of La Maria, aside from tango. Aside from dance.

(Majo) - que es lo que mas se aprende, que es aparte del tango, no? bueno, no se.

(Majo) – what is it that we learn most, aside from tango, right? Well, I don’t know.

(Cynthia) - si, es mas como una experiencia que tiene que ver, o sea que se yo, pero con el contacto pero de la gente, siempre siempre pero recibimos diferentes profesores, diferentes estilos. Y cada uno pero que viene, hay, claro si, pero aporta, muchos muchos pero ya vienen con, o sea pero con unas galletitas, otros traen unas mandarinas para que comamos todos juntos, vienen, practican, y tomamos mate, como un lado mas,

(Cynthia) – yes, it’s more like an experience that has to do with, I mean, with the contact between people, we always receive different professors, different styles. And each one that comes, contributes, many already come with some cookies, others bring tangerines for us to eat all together, they come, practice, we drink mate, it’s like a place that’s more,

(Majo) - es como que se, esta idea de maestro-alumno no existe. Es como un espacio de investigación, y esta muy claro que esa persona viene a brindarnos su tango, pero al mismo tiempo es como un ida y vuelta. No hay como vos sos el alumno y yo soy el profesor, no. es como un ida y vuelta permanente,

(Majo) – it’s like, this idea of teacher-student doesn’t exist. It’s like a space for investigation, and it’s very clear that that person comes to offer us their tango, but at the same time it’s like a back and forth. It’s not like you’re the student and I’m the professor, no. It’s like a permanent back and forth,

(Cynthia) - aprendamos todos juntos.

(Cynthia) – we all learn together.

(Majo) - se re mezcla eso y vienen con una actitud super positiva. Todos los profesores que hemos llamado hasta ahora se han quedado re gustados sobre venir, y eso es lo que mejor nos queda, digamos, el hecho de que el tango también un poco se empiece a hacer un poco mas relajado. Menos tenso, con menos competencia. Y yo creo que tiene que ver con la luz, con eso, o sea, con que es otro espacio. En otra situación.

(Majo) – that all gets totally mixed and they come with a super positive attitude. All the professors that we’ve called until now have been really happy about coming, and that’s the best thing, let’s say, the fact that tango also start becoming a bit more relaxed. Less tense, with less competition. And I think it has to do with the light, with that, I mean, that it’s another space. In another situation.

(Daniele ) – she’s saying that the light has a fundamental role, because usually the room is all dark, and in the practica, so.

(Daniele ) – this one. Cual es su visión, su opinión sobre el futuro del rol femenino en el tango, de la, si, en general?

(Daniele ) – What is your vision, your opinion about the future of the feminine role in tango, of the, yeah, in general?

(Majo) - decís vos?

(Majo) – do you want to answer?

(Cynthia) - decí vos una parte, y después

(Cynthia) – you say a part, and then

(Majo) - bueno, yo lo que pienso es – que es un poco también lo que esta escrito en el blog – que es como que en el tango en general se empieza como a ver la autonomía, no solo en la mujer o en el hombre, en el movimiento, en todo lo que surge, desde hace un tiempo a esta parte, en el tango, es como que todo se ha vuelto mucho mas autónoma. O sea, que quiero decir? No importa si sos mujer, hombre, sino que cada uno, como persona se tiene que hacer cargo de uno mismo para poder trabajar en equipo. Entonces, digo, tanto la mujer como el hombre se ocupa mas de saber su propio rol, de determinar que es lo que sucede con el otro, con uno mismo. El baile es mas independiente – no mas independiente, sino mas autónomo – como que empieza a cambiar todo. Entonces una mujer hoy en día puede trabajar sola, con un hombre, o con una mujer. Y se abren mucho mas las posibilidades de trabajo, de investigación, profesionalmente uno evoluciona mucho mas, porque obviamente se abren mas puertas. No es lo mismo que una mujer trabaje sola con un hombre, que una mujer se vuelva autónoma en todo sentido, y pueda desarrollar el baile o el trabajo con un hombre, con una mujer, o sola. Definitivamente es un espacio que se abre. Se transforma. No es que somos re feministas. No tiene nada que ver con eso.

(Majo) – well, what I think is – which is a bit, also, of what’s written in the blog – that in tango in general it’s like we start to see the autonomy, not just in the woman or in the man, in the movement, in everything that arises, since quite some time ago in this part, in the tango, it’s like everything has become much more autonomous. So, what do I mean? It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, a man, rather that each one, as a person, has to take charge of one’s self to be able to work as a team. So, I mean, so much that woman as the man takes more care of knowing their own role, of determining what is happening with the other, with one’s self. The dance is more independent – not more independent, rather more autonomous – like everything starts to change. So a woman nowadays can work alone, with a man, or with a woman. And many more possibilities of work are opened up, of investigation, one evolves much more professionally, because obviously more doors are opened. It’s not the same that a woman work alone with a man, that a woman become autonomous in all senses, and be able to develop the dance or the work with a man, with a woman, or alone. It’s definitely a space that opens up. It transforms. It’s not that were feminists. It has nothing to do with that.

(Cynthia) - no no no no no no no no no. pero tiene que ver mas, pero con, o sea pero con brindar. Un, pero un pero espacio, y para las personas que están interesadas en aprender un poquito mas, a que tengan herramientas, pero donde pero donde, tomarla para en un futuro aplicarlas, si es que lo desean. Tanto, tanto, que se yo, pero artísticamente, y como docentemente, o si tienen que bailar pero con un hombre, o con una mujer, que haya todas las herramientas que puedan estar como para que la gente aprenda. Es eso. De investigación.

(Cynthia) – no no no no no no no no no. But it has to do more with, I mean, with giving. A space for people who are interested in learning a bit more, that they be able to have tools, where they can take them to be able to apply them in the future, if they so wish. So much artistically as for teaching, or if they have to dance with a man, or a woman, that we have all the tools for people to be able to learn. That’s what it is. About investigation.

(Majo) - yo, por ejemplo, nunca me imagine que iba a terminar haciendo exhibiciones con 0:11:32.0 en una milonga.

(Majo) – I, for example, I had never imagined I would end up doing exhibitions with Corinna at a milonga.

(Cynthia) - claro, con una mujer.

(Cynthia) – right, with a woman.

(Majo) - o sea, digamos, en mi vida me imagine que yo iba a bailar en una milonga con una mujer. Sin embargo, sucedió esa situación – sin buscarlo – y tiene que ver con que la cosa se empieza a abrir un poco, y que también esta bueno ver cosas distintas. He visto chicos bailando juntos, que son, estos pibes,

(Majo) – I mean, let’s say, never in my life did I imagine I would dance at a milonga with a woman. However, that situation came up – without looking for it – and it has to do with the fact that everything starts to become more open, and it’s also cool to see different things. I’ve seen guys dancing together, that are, those kids,

(Cynthia) - hay algunos chicos que son increíbles, otras chicas que…

(Cynthia) – there are some guys that are incredible, other girls that…

(Majo) - …

(Majo) – …

(Cynthia) - eso si, pero no olvidemos que el tango es super lindo para bailarlo con un buen hombre, que te lleva bien, es un placer.

(Cynthia) – but yeah, but let’s not forget that tango is super nice to dance it with a good man, that leads you well, it’s a pleasure.

(Majo) - es buenísimo. Pero se empieza a abrir un poco esta idea de que se puedan ver cosas nuevas, y que se acepte. Que se acepte. O sea, como todo esta evolucionando en el mundo. Digo, uno empieza a aceptar cosas que son diferentes a las que uno habitualmente hace. Aceptar la diferencia, seria. Básicamente.

(Majo) – it’s fantastic. But this idea starts to open up, that new things can be seen, and that it be accepted. That it be accepted. Just how everything is evolving in the world. I mean, one starts to accept things that are different from those that one normally does. Accept the difference, it would be. Basically.

(Daniele ) – accepting difference.

(Cynthia) - si, yo lo veo mas, o sea que se yo, pero en lo personal, pero yo lo veo

(Cynthia) – yes, and I see it more as, I don’t know, but at the personal level, I see

(Majo) - no, yo hablo desde mi, no?

(Majo) – no, but I’m talking about me.

(Cynthia) - desde vos, bueno, genial. Pero a mi, pero yo lo veo mas pero como un lugar, o como en un futuro, o sea, que se tengan todas pero todas pero las herramientas. Si es que una mujer quiere trabajar entre un stage, entre un escenario, estéticamente, y que sepa bien, que se yo, que si pone pero la patita así, y pero se la va a ver esto. En cambio, si es que busca una patita así, pero ya de línea es diferente. Si es que en la música quiere acentuar algo, puede hacerlo. Si es que quiere pero llevar algo porque quiere producir algo, que tenga todo para, o sea, yo lo veo mas a que el tango crezca, a que se arme soy mujer, baile con mujer, soy hombre, baile con hombre, no no no. a que todo se este mezclando, todos sepamos un montón, y que cada vez crezca mas. Porque sino como que nos quedamos siempre con lo que se decía antes, porque los viejos venían y decían esto. Y no hay un lugar de realmente pensarlo, creer, investigar.

(Cynthia) – about you, ok, great. But to me, but I see it more as a place, or like in a future, I mean, that we have all, all the tools. Whether it be that a woman wants to work on a stage, aesthetically, and that she know how to, whatever, that if she puts her legs like this, but then this will show. On the other hand, if she looks for a leg like this, so then the line is different. If it’s that in the music she wants to accentuate something, she can do it. If it’s that with the music she wants to accentuate something, she can do it. If it’s that she wants to take something because she wants to produce something, that she have everything for, I mean, I see it more as tango growing, rather than it becoming I’m a woman, dance with a woman, I’m a man, dance with a man, no no no. That everything be mixing, that we all know a whole bunch, and that each day it grow more. Because if not we’ll always stay with what was said in the past, because the old folks came and said this. And there’s not a place to really think about it, create, investigate.

(Daniele ) – me hace acordar que una vez en una milonga escuche a un señor que dijo “yo no bailo con mujeres que llevan pantalones a la milonga”.

(Daniele ) – it reminds me of a time once in a milonga when I heard a man who said “I don’t dance with women who wear pants to the milonga”/

(Majo) - exacto.

(Majo) – exactly.

(Daniele ) – y ahora, ahora entiendo que querían decir. Porque querían decir que ahora hay mujeres que conducen, probablemente, antes no se veía.

(Daniele ) – and now, I understand what you’re saying. Because you’re saying that now there are women who lead, probably wasn’t seen before.

(Cynthia) - claro, tal cual. Tal cual.

(Cynthia) – right, exactly. Exactly.

(Majo) - pero es como 0:13:57.2, o sea, ya se que esto se repite, se repite cada vez que uno habla de esto. Pero la realidad es que es una manera muy buena de investigar y de aprender. Porque muchas veces no esta la posibilidad de una mujer para bailar con un hombre. No la tienen. Hay muchas mujeres que no tienen la posibilidad de bailar con hombre. No? Sino la manera de 0:14:16.4 a veces, y de practicar un rato, es con otra mujer. Que en el principio, lo que pasaba al principio con el tango, que practicaban entre hombres. O sea que no es nada tan de los pelos, tan loco.

(Majo) – but it’s like, I mean, I know this gets repeated, it’s repeated every time someone talks about this. But the reality is that it’s a very good way of investigating and of learning. Because many times the possibility doesn’t exist of a woman dancing with a man. They don’t have it. There are many women that don’t have the possibility of dancing with a man. Right? Rather the way to sometimes, and of practicing for a while, is with another woman. Which at the beginning, what would happen at the beginning with tango, is that men practiced with men. So it’s not such a crazy idea.

(Cynthia) - no, no. siempre, siempre pero sin olvidar, de nuestras pero nuestras pero raíces, o sea que se yo, pero con respecto para el tango, pero si ir evolucionando. No no, o sea, no 0:14:40.0 No, haciendo tango, estoy creciendo, vamos a investigar, uh que bueno esto, que bueno lo otro, todo todo suma.

(Cynthia) – no, no. Always, always but without forgetting, about our roots, I mean you know, but with respect towards tango, but continually be evolving. Not, I mean, not No, doing tango, I’m growing, let’s investigate, oh this is cool, that’s cool, everything everything sums up.

(Majo) - y aceptamos, o sea, no es que, lo queremos aclarar mucho porque empezamos a abrir un poco y dar paso a los hombres para que justamente vean que en realidad tiene que ver con que la mujer, sobre todo, es la que mas – no voy a usar la palabra sufrir – pero la que menos posibilidades tiene de bailar en cuanto a la practica. Por que? Porque hay mas cantidad de mujeres que varones. Es una cuestión de números; no es una cuestión de diferencia ni de discriminar al hombre.

(Majo) – and we accept, I mean, it’s not, we want to make it really clear because we start to open up a bit and give way to the men precisely so they can see that it actually is about the woman, overall, she’s the one who – I’m not going to use the word ‘suffer’ – but the one who has the least possibilities of dancing in terms of the practice. Why? Because today there is a greater amount of women than men. It’s a matter of numbers; it’s not a matter of difference or of discriminating men.

(Cynthia) - y por el rol también en el que le toca estar, en este caso en el tango.

(Cynthia) – and because of the role she has to be in, in this case in tango.

(Majo) - exacto. Siempre de sumis- no de sumisión, pero si de

(Majo) – exactly. Always of sub- not of submission, but of

(Cynthia) - de acompañar.

(Cynthia) – of accompanying.

(Majo) - exacto. Este lugar que en general se daba, se da, en el tango de la mujer tiene que esperar que la saquen a bailar, y esperar, es como que se esta cambiando.

(Majo) – exactly. This position that generally happened, happens, in tango, where the woman has to wait to be invited to dance, and wait, it’s like it’s starting to change.

(Daniele ) – ahora ya esta cambiado.

(Daniele ) – it’s already changed now.

(Cynthia) - si ahora, ya cambio.

(Cynthia) – yes now, it already changed.

(Majo) - pero es muy bueno. Que este la posibilidad de que yo te diga “vamos a bailar” o que te digan “che querés bailar?”. Ya esta. Es como, cambio. Eso esta cambiando y es lo mejor que puede pasar. Y que no me diga que no, también. Así como yo digo “no quiero bailar, no gracias”, un día un hombre también pueda decir “no gracias”. Esta bien. Como relajado.

(Majo) – but it’s very good. That there exist the possibility of me saying to you “let’s dance” or that someone say “hey do you want to dance?” That’s it. It’s like, it changed. That is changing and it’s the best thing that could happen. And that they not say no, also. Just as I say “I don’t want to dance, no thanks”, that one day a man can also be able to say “no thanks”. It’s fine. Relaxed.

(Daniele ) – y otra pregunta: cual es su relación con el mundo del tango queer y el tango gay?

(Daniele ) – and another question: what is your relationship with the world of tango queer and tango gay?

(Majo) - ok. Relación, en que aspecto?

(Majo) – ok. Relationship, in what sense?

(Daniele ) – en que, con este lugar.

(Daniele ) – in, with this place.

(Majo) - yo, lo que creo es, por ejemplo yo la conozco a la Vikinga, Helen la Vikinga, me parece buenísimo todo lo que hace en cuanto a su apertura con todo esto, y estamos abiertas a todas las posibilidades, digamos. No hay en ningún momento – digamos – al contrario, nos parece bueno el intercambio. Hasta ahora no nos han invitado a ningún lugar donde se haga- miento. Miento. Nos invitaron con, no, con 0:17:11.8 a algún lado? A La Marshall creo que fue nos invitaron, que al final no pudimos ir. Pero bueno, en general lo que nos ha sucedido, hablando así como claramente, es que la apertura de nosotras hacia cualquier persona esta todo bien. Pero en ningún momento nos han integrado mucho ni nos han llamado. Por lo menos a mi ni a vos para que participemos de algo que sea específicamente

(Majo) – I, what I believe is, for example I know the Vikinga, Helen la Vikinga, I think it’s great everything that she does regarding her opening up to all of this, and we are open to all possibilities, let’s say. There isn’t at any moment – let’s say – the contrary, we believe that the interchange is good. Until now we have not been invited to any place where- I lie. I lie. They invited us with, no, with somewhere? To La Marshall I think it was that they invited us, and in the end we weren’t able to go. But well, in general what has happened to us, speaking clearly, is that our opening up to any person is all fine. But we haven’t been integrated much, nor have they called us. At least not me or you, for us to participate in something that’s specifically

(Cynthia) - gay o queer.

(Cynthia) – gay or queer.

(Majo) - no. Pero si fuera así en ese caso,

(Majo) – no. but if that were the case,

(Cynthia) - estamos re abiertas.

(Cynthia) – we’re totally open.

(Majo) - totalmente. O sea, es la actualidad,

(Majo) – totally. I mean, it’s the present,

(Cynthia) - es como, que la gente sea libre … O sea pero porque el baile tiene que ser un placer, y bailarlo pero con la persona, o sea que se yo, pero que desees, y tener feeling y que pase pero el tango pero que sea hermoso.

(Cynthia) – it’s like, that people be free … I mean because the dance has to be a pleasure, and dancing it with the person, I don’t know, that you desire, and have feeling and that it happen but that the tango be beautiful.

(Majo) - la piel es una cosa que no tiene genero.

(Majo) – skin is something that does not have gender.

(Cynthia) - no importa si es hombre mujer, mujer mujer, hombre hombre, si pasa, genial. Genial y bello.

(Cynthia) – it doesn’t matter if it’s man woman, woman woman, man man, if it happens, awesome. Awesome and beautiful.

(Majo) - no hay genero en eso. La piel es piel. Piel, o ganas de bailar con el que sea.

(Majo) – there’s no gender to that. Skin is skin. Skin, or the desire to dance with whoever.

(Cynthia) - esta bueno también. O sea que se yo, pero porque, yo creo también que el tango, y que muchas veces ayuda al sin poder hablar, y sin conocer pero a la otra persona, estar tan pero tan cerquita, tres pero tres minutos, y que de repente, y pero te empezás como a dar cuenta a que tenés, a que podes tener piel pero con mas pero de una persona, muy pero muy pero muy fácilmente, que hasta puede ser una mujer, que hasta puede ser un hombre, o sea, bueno, genial. Y cada uno pero sabrá,

(Cynthia) – that’s cool too. I mean, because, I also believe that tango, and that many times it helps not being able to talk, and without knowing the other person, to be so so close, for three minutes, and that all of a sudden, y start to realize that you have, that you can have feeling with more than one person, very very easily, that it can even be a woman, it can be a man, I mean, great, awesome. And each one will know

(Majo) - y procesa eso como quiera.

(Majo) – and process that however they want to.

(Cynthia) - que pero que pero que quiere hacer. Y esta muy bueno. Eso es parte o sea pero de la vida. Si es que no te pasa pero en la vida, o tardas un montón pero de años, bueno, en un futuro o sea pero te darás cuenta o no, y creo que también eso ayuda.

(Cynthia) – what they want to do. And it’s great. That’s part of life. If it doesn’t happen in your life, or you take a bunch of year, well, in a future you’ll realize or not, and I think that that also helps.

(Majo) - esto suma. La Maria suma a eso. De hecho seguramente acá vienen, nosotros no sabemos la intimidad de cada persona. Pero seguramente vienen mujeres que si son, o sea, lesbianas o lo que fuera, y esta todo bien.

(Majo) – this adds to that. La Maria adds to that. In fact, I’m sure we receive some, we don’t know the intimacy of each person. But I’m sure some women come that are, I mean, lesbians or whatever, and it’s all good.

(Cynthia) - que le gustan las mujeres, o que le gustan los hombres, o que le gusta simplemente o sea pero la sexualidad, están con una mujer y- esta perfecto.

(Cynthia) – that they like women, or that they like men, or that they simply like the sexuality, they are with a woman and- it’s perfect.

(Majo) - no nos metemos en ese terreno.

(Majo) – we don’t get into that.

(vio) – so they’re saying everyone is welcome here.

(Daniele ) – yes. But its not strictly related to gay community, either.

(vio) – but do they advertise to those in those milongas? Like the cards, in the announcements?

(Majo) - si hay publicidad?

(Majo) – if there’s advertisement?

(Daniele ) – si, publicidades en lugares gay,

(Daniele ) – yeah, advertisements in gay places,

(Majo) - si, yo he llevado. Yo iba a La Marshall muchas veces.

(Majo) – yes, I’ve taken some. I’ve been to La Marshall many times.

(Cynthia) - si, si. Obvio. Obvio. Pero de La Maria, si si si. Estuvo pero el tango queer, si pero porque 0:20:02.1, o sea pusieron un montón de, si obvio.

(Cynthia) – yes, yes. Of course. Of course. But of La Maria, yes yes yes. The tango queer, yes because, I mean they put a bunch of, yes, of course.

(Majo) - nunca han venido una pareja de hombres, por ejemplo.

(Majo) – we have never had a couple of men come here, for example.

(Cynthia) - todavía.

(Cynthia) – yet.

(Majo) - pero si ha pasado que han venido muchos amigos y gente – hombres – que bailan juntos acá. Pero no sabemos de donde vienen.

(Majo) – but it has happened that we have received a lot of friends and people – men – who dance together here. But we don’t know where they’re coming from.

(Cynthia) - nahhh.

(Cynthia) – nahhh.

(Majo) - si, sabemos. Pero en general no han venido ninguno de La Marshall.

(Majo) – yes, we know. But in general none from La Marshall have come.

(Cynthia) - vienen a investigar y a trabajar, y si después descubren, genial para ellos.

(Cynthia) – they come to investigate and to work, and if they later discover, great for them.

(Majo) - no, pero digo esto de La Marshall y eso, no han venido gente.

(Majo) – no, but I mean about La Marshall and all that, people haven’t come here.

(Cynthia) - no, no han venido de La Marshall, no. 0:20:34.9

(Cynthia) – no, they haven’t come from La Marshall, no.

(Majo) - hay que ver si invitarlo, ahora que puede.

(Majo) – we have to see if we invite him, now that he can.

(Daniele ) – y, en todo eso, como, como pueden conceptualizar, como se puede conceptualizar el rol masculino, en este proyecto?

(Daniele ) – and, in all that, how can you conceptualize, how can you conceptualize the masculine role, in this project?

(Majo) - conceptualizar? Yo diría,

(Majo) – conceptualize? I would say,

(Daniele ) – si, cual es el rol masculino?

(Daniele ) – yes, what is the masculine role?

(Cynthia) - como “conceptualizar”? a que te refieres?

(Cynthia) – “conceptualize”, what do you mean?

(Majo) - es que, ahí estamos. No hay un genero. La idea es no poner a una persona dentro de un genero, sino – ese seria la, yo claramente lo puedo expresar así –

(Majo) – it’s that, that’s what we’re saying. There is no gender. The idea is to not put a person within a gender, rather – that would be the, I can clearly express it as -

(Daniele ) – quiero traducir esto, porque quiero que sea…

(Daniele ) – I want to translate this, because I want it to be…

(Majo) - dale.

(Majo) – ok.

(Daniele ) – they’re saying there’s no gender at all in this practica, so its open to everything. To every gender, every …

(Majo) - no entramos en el tema géneros.

(Majo) – we don’t go into the gender matter.

(Daniele ) - …

(Daniele ) – …

(Cynthia) - no, es para investigar, para crecer, evolucionar, no para

(Cynthia) – no, it’s to investigate, to grow, evolve, not to

(Daniele ) – they have nothing to do with gender, or any gender related. everyone is welcome.

(vio) – The subtitle of the advertisements, says “para mujeres”

(Majo) - no. Cambio. Changed. Es “cambio de roles” now.

(Majo) – no. It changed. Changed. It’s “change of roles” now.

(vio) – oh, you changed it.

(Majo) - comenzó – eso esta bueno aclararlo – en un principio fue solo una practica para mujeres. Pero hombres nos empezaron a pedir de venir. Y abrimos el espacio a todos. Fundamentalmente trabajamos con cambio de roles. Pero si un hombre y una mujer quieren bailar juntos, esta bien. Básicamente, lo que si, se hace hincapié en el intercambio. En el intercambio, o sea, no deben cerrarse en solamente investigar el hombre y la mujer. Sino abrir ese espacio a que el hombre y la mujer bailen, pero al revés. Por ejemplo, un hombre siguiendo una mujer, cambiarlos. O sea, cambiar el rol. No importa el género.

(Majo) – it began – this is a good thing to clarify – in the beginning it was just a practice for women. But men started to ask us if they could come. And we opened the space up to everybody. We fundamentally work with the change of roles. But if a man and a woman want to dance together, that’s fine. Basically, though, we make an emphasis on interchange. On interchange, meaning, they must not close themselves to only investigating the man and the woman. Rather open that space up to a man and a woman dancing, but the other way around. For example, a man following a woman, change them. So, change the role. The gender doesn’t matter.

(Daniele ) – be open minded enough to change role, and no to stay in its role. And this place like this at the beginning it was just for women, this is what she said, and now its cambio de rol.

(Majo) - de hecho, las tarjetas nuevas ahora dicen “cambio de roles”. Ese es el cambio que hubo. Hace un año que esta la práctica, casi un año. Y hace 2 meses o 3, 3 meses, cambiamos y dijimos “bueno, vengan hombres también,” y cambió.

(Majo) – in fact, the new cards now say “cambio de roles”. That’s the change we made. The practice has been here for a year, almost a year. And 2 months ago or 3, 3 months, we changed and said “ok, let’s have the men come too,” and it changed.

(Daniele ) – 3 months ago they decided to change it, because this basically since one year, and the last 2 or 3 months ago they decided to change it to not just for women, but for everybody, wishing to,

(vio) – so its not a specific goal to encourage women. Its just the open space.

(Daniele ) – no es algo especifico para mujeres, para

(Daniele ) – it’s not something specific for women, for

(Majo) - en un comienzo.

(Majo) – in the beginning.

(Cynthia) - y esta enfocado mucho mas en la mujer que en el hombre. Están invitados todos los hombres. Pero esta mas enfocado en las mujeres.

(Cynthia) – and it’s focused much more on the woman than on the man. All men are invited. But it’s more focused on the women.

(vio) – do women have expectations, specific expectations of what they’re gonna have here?

(Daniele ) – las mujeres tienen expectativas o, algo que, lo que puede pasar acá, o

(Daniele ) – do women have expectations or, something that, what can happen here, or

(Majo) - mira, yo lo que si te digo es que nos ha pasado – de hecho – que La Maria está en otros lugares, porque el producto es muy bueno, y lo han llevado a Italia, lo han llevado a Paris, porque es algo que motiva a una mujer sola y genera espacios en otros lugares. O sea que la mujer que ha venido acá también se ha llevado la visión de, a ver, del concepto de La Maria, y lo ha llevado a otros lugares. O sea que, lo que se lleva la mujer de acá, que viene acá, es poder abrir su cabeza también para generar proyectos propios. Eso es lo mejor que sucede en La Maria. O sea, venir acá te genera la posibilidad de pensar en que podes hacer cosas solas, nuevas, generar cosas nuevas.

(Majo) – look, what I will tell you that has happened to us – in fact – is that La Maria is in other places, because the product is very good, and they have taken it to Italy, they have taken it to Paris, because it’s something that motivates a woman that is alone and generates spaces in other places. So, the woman that has come here has also taken the vision of, let’s see, of the concept of La Maria, and has taken it to other places. So, what women take from here, who come here, is to be able to open their heads as well to generate their own projects. That’s the best thing that happens in La Maria. I mean, coming here generates the possibility of thinking that you can do things alone, new things, generate new things.

(Cynthia) - si, el que esta solo, también podes trabajar. No es que necesitas alguien.

(Cynthia) – yes, if you’re alone, you can also work. It’s not that you need somebody.

(Majo) - mhmm. Es muy motivador. La Maria es un lugar motivador. En ese aspecto.

(Majo) – mhmm. It’s very motivating. La Maria is a motivational place. In that aspect.

(Cynthia) - motivador para ser independiente también.

(Cynthia) – motivational to be independent, as well.

(Daniele ) – Con mucho honestitud, y si quieren también se puede no imprimir esta, lo que contestan, lo que van a contestar: como se sienten con los extranjeros que vienen acá, a visitarlos?

(Daniele ) – with much honesty, and if you wish we could not print this one, what you answer, what you’re going to answer: how do you feel about foreigners that come here, to visit you?

(Cynthia) - muy bien.

(Cynthia) – very good.

(Majo) - yo particularmente estoy sorprendida porque, por un lado yo no manejo el idioma. Sin embargo, como que antes para mi eso era una limitación y no llegaba a contactarme con la persona que venía de afuera.

(Majo) – I, particularly, am surprised because, on one hand I don’t manage the language. However, it’s like before that used to be a limitation and I wasn’t able to make contact with the people that came from outside.

(Daniele ) – before it used to a limitation,

(Majo) - del idioma, de una cuestión de idioma.

(Majo) – of the language, a matter of the language.

(Daniele ) – because of the language, it was a limitation, a big limitation, because they had no way to communicate with the foreigners.

(Majo) - pero después, con el contacto – que yo nunca tuve – con el contacto me di cuenta de que no era necesario tener el mismo idioma. Es como que, entonces como que, el tema del idioma se superó totalmente en cuanto hay contacto físico. Como en todo. Como el tango, aunque hables el mismo idioma. Es como que, el hecho del contacto físico en el movimiento, hace que nos integremos todos – acá viene mucha gente de afuera. Y viene porque se siente contenida acá. Se siente contenida porque, no importa. Porque es lo mismo, todos somos lo mismo y está todo bien. No pensamos “uh, viene un extranjero”, nada de eso, nada de eso. No nos interesa enfocarlo solo para eso, tampoco. Pero nos damos cuenta que si es un lugar muy contenedor, por eso vienen. Porque uno llega – yo, por ejemplo, soy de Mendoza. De la provincia de Mendoza, de la montaña. Y yo llegué acá, y yo calculo que es una sensación parecida a la de una persona que viene del exterior. Que te encontrás sin grupo de pertenencia. Entonces no sabes a donde ir. De repente acá, llega gente porque sabe que va a tener un espacio. Entonces eso es buenísimo, la evolución que tenemos de que alguien que nunca vino al tango llegue acá y se sienta bien, es buenísimo.

(Majo) – but then, with the contact – which I had never had – with the contact I realized that it wasn’t necessary to have the same language. It’s like, so it’s like, the matter of the language was totally overcome as soon as there is physical contact. Like in everything. Like in tango, even if you speak the same language. It’s like, the fact that there’s physical contact in the movement, makes us all be integrated – we receive many people from outside here. And they come because they feel contained here. They feel contained here because, it doesn’t matter. Because it’s all the same, we are all the same and everything is fine. We don’t think “oh, a foreigner is coming”, none of that, none of that. We’re not interested in focusing it on just that, either. But we realize that it is a very containing place, that’s why they come. Because one arrives – I, for example, I’m from Mendoza. From the province of Mendoza, from the mountain. And I arrived here, and I’m guessing it’s a similar sensation to a person’s who comes from outside. You find that you don’t belong in a group. So you don’t know where to go. All of a sudden here, people come because they know that they’re going to have a space. So that is fantastic, the evolution that we have that somebody who has never come to tango come here and feel good, it’s fantastic.

(Daniele ) – people comes here, any nationality, they have a space that represents them.

(Cynthia) - en el caso mío, bueno, que se yo – o sea que se yo, pero para mi pero con respecto a los extranjeros, pero a los argentinos, no hay pero no hay pero diferencia, porque, o sea pero porque siempre estuve con muchos, con muchos pero extranjeros, siempre siempre viaje, tengo pero tengo pero un 0:28:55.8, pero compro con extranjeros, siempre viví, o sea pero mi ex marido era pero era extranjero, entonces, o sea, pero es normal. O sea, pero la relación, siempre siempre pasa, o sea pero no tiene que ver si es extranjero, si es argentino o no. Es como es pero como es pero la persona. Sos vos, sos vos, sos vos.

(Cynthia) – in my case, well, I don’t know – I mean, but for me regarding foreigners, but to the Argentines, there is no difference, because, I mean because I’ve always been with a lot of foreigners, I always always traveled. My ex husband was a foreigner, so, but it’s normal. I mean, but the relationship, it always happens, but it doesn’t have to do with whether they’re a foreigner, whether they’re Argentine or not. It depends on how the person is. You’re you, you’re you, you’re you.

(Majo) - hay extranjeros que me caen mal, hay gente- y la palabra “extranjero” también es horrible. También es una palabra, a mi, que se usa muy despectivamente, a veces.

(Majo) – there’s foreigners that don’t please me, there’s people- and the word “foreigner” is also horrible. It’s also a word, to me, that is used very derogatorily, sometimes.

(Cynthia) - …no son amigos. Amigos, o no. Son amigos, o son …

(Cynthia) - …they’re not friends. Friends, or not. They’re friend, or they’re …

(Majo) - claro. O sea, yo ni siquiera hablo de extranjeros. Porque no se habla de eso, no se habla “trabajamos con extranjeros”.

(Majo) – right. I mean, I don’t even talk about foreigners. Because we don’t talk about that, we don’t say “we work with foreigners”.

(Cynthia) - no, nada que ver.

(Cynthia) – no, not at all.

(Majo) - nada. No existe esa palabra. “de donde sos?” “de tal lado.” “listo.”

(Majo) – at all. That word doesn’t exist. “where are you from?” “from such and such place.” “ok.”

(Cynthia) - genial.

(Cynthia) – awesome.

(Majo) - porque uno sabe que, “ah, y vos como te llamas, de donde sos?” Es así.

(Majo) – because one knows that, “oh, and what’s your name, where are you from?” That’s the way it is.

(Cynthia) - …“ah, conozco a Samantha, conozco a fulano, conozco a…” es normal. No es, para mi es la persona y no es de donde es.

(Cynthia) - … “oh, I know Samantha, I know so-and-so, I know …” It’s normal. It’s not, to me, it’s about the person, not where they’re from.

(Daniele ) – it depends more on the person than on the nationality or where is from

(vio) – ok. The last one.

(Daniele ) – la ultima. Si, para cerrar, cual es su mensaje para las mujeres de todo el mundo que quieren empezar a conducir en el tango?

(Daniele ) – the last one. Yes, to close, what is your message for women all over the world who want to start leading in tango?

(Cynthia) - ah que siempre se puede. Y que acá hay un lugar, si quieren venir.

(Cynthia) – oh that you always can. And that there’s a place here, if they want to come.

(Majo) - mi mensaje sería que no lo piensen como “empezar a conducir”. O sea, para mi el mensaje sería, abrir el, como volverse autónomas. Me parece que el mensaje sería confiar en una misma y no depender ni de un hombre ni de una mujer ni de nadie. O sea creo que la evolución esta en uno. En uno. Entonces el mensaje sería pensar en todo lo que uno puede evolucionar, si además de seguir puede llevar. Es parte de una evolución personal, y es básico, o sea yo – por ejemplo – en una relación de amistad o de pareja, necesito primero conocerme a mi misma para poder conocer al otro. Y también conocer al otro. Es como lo mismo en el tango, o sea, “me conozco yo”, bueno si, ah esto deduce de mi que esto, que lo otro, que aquello. Pero para estar con otro, necesito conocer al otro y abrirme al otro y conocer que es lo que tiene el otro para darme. Y entonces ahí se genera el ida y vuelta, ahí está. El mensaje sería como pensar en volverse un poco más autónoma, y en poder abrirse para conocer al otro. Ese sería. Animarse.

(Majo) – my message would be that they not think about it as “starting to lead”. I mean, for me the message would be, open the, like become autonomous. I think that the message would be to trust in one’s self and not depend on a man or on a woman or on anybody. So, I think the evolution is in one’s self. In one. So the message would be to think about everything that one can evolve in, apart from following they can lead. It’s part of a personal evolution, and it’s basic, I mean – for example – in a relationship of friendship or of romance, I first need to know myself to be able to know the other. And also know the other. It’s the same thing in tango, I mean, “I know myself”, well yes, oh this says this about me, and that, and that. But to be with the other, I need to know the other and open myself up to the other and learn what it is that the other has to give to me. So that is where the back and forth is generated, that’s where it is. The message would be to think about becoming a bit more autonomous, and to be able to open yourself up to come to know the other. That’s what it would be. Make decisions.

(Cynthia) - para mi, o sea que se yo, si es que tienen pero la necesidad, o tienen las ganas, o la curiosidad, hagan lo que venga, aprendemos,

(Cynthia) – for me, I don’t know, if it’s that they have the necessity, or the desire, or the curiosity, do whatever comes, let’s learn,

(Majo) - o sea, no quedarse con la intriga, con la duda.

(Majo) – so, not just stay there with the intrigue, the doubt.

(Cynthia) - no nada más raro que eso. Si es que lo quiero hacer, tomo clase, y lo hago. Si es que quiero aprender a cocinar, voy, tomo clase, y lo hago. Si quiero aprender a hacer sushi, si quiero aprender a saltar, hago lo que tengo ganas de hacer o lo que necesito o lo que quiero.

(Cynthia) – nothing stranger than that. If I want to do it, I take a class, and I do it. If I want to learn to cook, I go, take a class, and do it. If I want to learn to make sushi, if I want to learn to jump, I do what I feel like doing or what I need to or what I want to.

(Daniele ) – tu tenes que clasificarlo como conducir.

(Daniele ) – you have to classify it as leading.

(Majo) - no, conducir es una palabra que no usamos. No existe el, la conduzco, o lidero, o me dejo llevar,

(Majo) – no, “lead” is a word that we don’t use. It doesn’t exist, I drive, or I lead, or I let myself be taken,

(vio) – marcar?

(vio) – mark?

(Majo) - a veces uno usa esos términos por una cuestión de que en general necesitaste explicar algo de una manera determinada.

(Majo) – sometimes one uses those terms because of a matter of, in general, you needed to explain something in a certain way.

(Cynthia) - …vamos juntos a tal lado? Dale, vamos. Listo. Es por eso.

(Cynthia) - …go together to such and such place? Ok, let’s go. Great. That’s why.

(Cynthia) - para mi, es que se yo, pero acá pero no se usa tanto el “yo llevo, vos conducís”. Simplemente es que hay que darle una denominación, y por eso se dice, “uh dale – que se yo – vamos juntos a tal lado?” “Dale.” “Yo te llevo, o vos?” “Dale.”

(Cynthia) – for me, it’s, I don’t know, but here we don’t use so much the “I take, you lead”. It’s simply that we have to give it a name, and that’s why we say, “oh come on – I don’t know – let’s go together to such and such place” “Ok.” “Will I take you, or you will?” “ok.”

(Majo) - se da acá, que hay dos mujeres bailando, no? Un tango es “hola, bailamos?” Un tango, “bueno, ahora me toca a mi.” Otro tango, “bueno, ahora voy yo.” Otro tango, “ah bueno, ahora yo.” Y es un, es como un poco cada uno. No es “bueno, ahora yo te marco”. No.

(Majo) – it happens here, that there’s two women dancing, right? One tango is “hi, want to dance?” One tango, “ok, now it’s my turn.” Another tango, “ok, now me.” Another tango, “ah, ok, now me.” And it’s a, it’s a bit of each one. It’s not “ok, now I mark you”. No.

(Daniele ) – antes se decía, “bueno, el hombre hace esto, y la mujer hace esto.” Ahora se dice, y después se empezó a decir “el conductor hace así, el conducido hace de otra forma,” y ahora esto tampoco.

(Daniele ) – before it used to be, “ok, the man does this, and the woman does this.” Now it’s, and then it started to be “the leader does this, the leaded does this other thing,” and now it’s not like that either.

(Majo) - no, yo diría que cada vez eso se vuelve más – por eso te digo, vuelvo a decirte – el baile se hace más autónomo cada vez. Y si hay una realidad: el tango nació como figura masculina y femenina. O sea, como yin y yang, hay como un encuentro entre dos cosas opuestas. O sea que obviamente, la figura mas cercana, cuando uno dice “tango”, es un hombre y una mujer. Pero, eso no significa que no pueda ser de otra manera. O sea, que quiero decir con esto? Que es obvio, que cuando uno baila, hay una persona que tiene que dejarse llevar, yo diría, seguir, y la otra indicar el camino, pero no es,

(Majo) – no, I would say that each day this becomes more – that’s why I’m telling you, and I’ll tell you again – the dance becomes more autonomous each day. And there is a reality: tango was born as a masculine and feminine figure. I mean, like a yin and yang, there’s like an encounter between two opposite things. So obviously, the closest figure, when one says “tango”, is a man and a woman. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be another way. So, what do I mean by this? That it’s obvious, when one dances, that there is a person that has to let themselves be taken, I’d say, follow, and the other indicates the way, but it’s not,

(Cynthia) - acompañar una, y la otra guiar.

(Cynthia) – one accompanies, the other leads.

(Majo) - claro, pero es una cuestión de

(Majo) – right, but it’s a matter of

(Cynthia) - …haciendo una ruta, querés venir? Vamos.

(Cynthia) - …making a route, do you want to come? Let’s go.

(Majo) - claro, pero también de propuesta. O sea como que cambió un poco y en lugar de conducir es proponer – sea mujer o varón – proponer, y la otra persona es, “dale vamos”, como participar de esa propuesta. Es propongo, participo – de hecho en muchos momentos se puede hasta cambiar en el mismo momento, decir “bueno, ahora yo propongo y vos participas”, es como mucho mas interactivo. No hay uno activo y otro no activo. Se entiende? Es como que, la idea es esa.

(Majo) – right, but also of proposal. So like it changed a bit and instead of ‘leading’ it’s ‘proposing’ – be it a man or a woman – propose, and the other person is, “ok, let’s go”, like participating in that proposal. It’s I propose, I participate – in fact many times you can even switch in that same moment, say “ok, now I propose and you participate”, it’s like much more interactive. There’s not one active person and another inactive. Understand? It’s like, that’s the idea.

(vio) – it sounds like you’re talking about a different kind of dancing.

(Daniele ) – da como el sentido de un baile diferente, que están hablando de algo diferente, que no sea tango.

(Daniele ) – it gives the sense of a different dance, that you’re talking about something different, that’s not tango.

(Majo) - como, como?

(Majo) – what, what?

(Daniele ) – she said that actually tango, the main idea is between a man and a woman. This is the main idea. A leader and a follower, but actually what they are proposing here as an alternative is,

(Majo) - mas una propuesta y una,

(Majo) – more like a proposal and a,

(Cynthia) - un acompañamiento.

(Cynthia) – an accompaniment.

(Majo) - la idea es que no sea esto de “conduzco” y la mujer solo hace exactamente lo que el varón le esta indicando. Sino que se vuelve un poco mas participativo de los dos lados.

(Majo) – the idea is that it not be this “leading” thing, and the woman only does exactly what the man is indicating. Rather it becomes a bit more participative from both sides.

(Daniele ) – the woman doesn’t necessarily, here at least, to follow strictly what the leader marks her. But interpretate, interpretar.

(Majo) - si. Interpretar, que haga una devolución de la propuesta. O sea, un hombre, una mujer, propone, y del otro lado hay una devolución a esa propuesta.

(Majo) – yes. Interpret, that they return the proposal. So, a man, a woman, proposes, and the other side returns that proposal.

(Daniele ) – feedback.

(Majo) - un intercambio. No es un estimulo-respuesta, estimulo-respuesta, no. Es una propuesta con una intervención, como una devolución.

(Majo) – an interchange. It’s not a stimuli-response, stimuli-response, no. It’s a proposal with an intervention, like a return.

(Daniele ) - Interiorización.

(Daniele ) – interiorization.

(Majo) - si, ponele.

(Majo) – yes, maybe.

(Cynthia) - esa parte creo, creo pero que ya nos estamos yendo propiamente pero a la forma, o sea, a la 0:36:53.6. Cada persona tiene pero su carácter, cada persona baila o sea pero como es. Hay algunas que cuando las sacan para bailar, y si la chica está haciendo pero el rol de pero de pero de chica, siempre pero le pone un poquitito mas. Lo que puede sacar, puede ser juguetón, puede ser sensual, puede ser musical, puede ser un montón de cosas. Bueno, cada uno pero le pone un poquito mas. Y hay otras chicas que se, o sea pero que solamente cumplen, y con lo que les marcan. Genial, también. Es eso. Pero ahí, pero ahí pero tiene que ver mas el carácter o sea pero de cada uno en lo personal. Yo siempre trato de ponerme un poquitito mas,

(Cynthia) – that part is, I think we’re going more into the form, I mean… Each person has their character, each person dances the way they are. There are some that when they take them out to dance, if the girl is playing the girl’s role, she always puts in a little bit more. What she can get from it, it can be playful, it can be sensual, it can be musical, it can be a bunch of things. Well, each one gives a little bit more. And there are other girls that, well that they just carry out what is marked. That’s great, too. That’s what it is. But there, it has to do more with the character of each one at a personal level. I always try to give a little more,

(Daniele ) – it depends on the personality of everyone.

(vio) – that’s all the questions that I brought, but if there’s anything else you want to say, you’re welcome.

(Daniele ) – esa es la ultima pregunta que ella quería hacerles, pero si tienen algo mas que quieren decir, anunciar,

(Daniele ) – that’s the last question that she had, but if you have something else you want to say, announce,

(Majo) - en verdad, es un poco, o sea, yo te digo que me intereso la idea de hacer una nota que se publique afuera, porque creo que hoy en día La Maria esta empezando a conocerse en otros lugares, y me parece muy interesante que la gente sepa como llegar acá. Y que se sepa de que se trata, realmente. Porque hay como una incertidumbre de que es La Maria. Entonces para mi es muy importante que vos nos hayas querido hacer una nota, donde nosotras podamos exponer un poco que es nuestro proyecto. De que se trata nuestro proyecto y este concepto de La Maria.

(Majo) – truly, it’s a bit, I mean, I was interested in the idea of doing an interview to be published outside, because I think that today La Maria is starting to become known in other places, and I think it’s very interesting that the people know how to get here. And that they know what it’s about, really. Because there’s like an uncertainty about what La Maria is. So for e it’s very important that you came and wanted to interview us, where we can expose a bit about what our project is. What are project and this concept of La Maria is about.

(Daniele ) – its very important for them to let the idea of La Maria go outside.

(Majo) - si, para sacar dudas, porque me preguntan mucho.

(Majo) – yes, to remove doubts, because I get asked a lot.

(Daniele ) – to spread the message, and to allow people to come here.

(Majo) - y eso lo queríamos agradecer.

(Majo) – and we wanted to thank you for that.

(Daniele ) – and they want to thank you for this.

(Cynthia) - exactamente, exactamente. Que es yo, pero a mi me gusta pero que, o sea pero que la gente sepa, o que se entere, pero que nosotras dos, y que tenemos un espacio donde la gente puede crecer, investigar, y aprender.

(Cynthia) – exactly, exactly. I don’t know, but I like that, that people know, hear about us, about the two of us, and that we have a space where people can grow, investigate, and learn.

(Daniele ) – they want people to know that they have a space where…

(Majo) - y que realmente, realmente cuando les decimos, porque también esta esto: que muchos nos dicen, hombres y mujeres, “pero yo no se llevar” “pero yo no se marcar”. Vos vení, porque vas a bailar. En definitiva, si no te animas a marcar, o a llevar, o a conducir, o a lo que sea, vas a poder dejarte llevar. O sea, si o si vas a bailar. Y lo que le decimos a todos es que realmente es un lugar a donde te sentís bien. No hay tensión, no hay nervios, no hay vergüenza, no hay nada de eso. Es super relajado. Eso es lo que es La Maria. Eso es.

(Majo) – and that we really, when we say to them, because there’s also this: that many tell us, both men and women, “but I don’t know how to lead” “but I don’t know how to mark”. Just come, because you’re going to dance. In short, if you can’t bring yourself to mark, or to take, or to lead, or whatever, you are going to be able to let yourself be taken. I mean, you’re going to dance either way. And what we tell everyone is that it’s really a place where you feel good. There’s no tension, there’s no nervousness, there’s no embarrassment, there’s none of that. It’s super relaxed. That’s that La Maria is. That’s what it is.

(Daniele ) – muy bien.

(Daniele ) – very good.

(vio) – gracias.

(vio) – thanks.

(Majo) - no, gracias a vos.

(Majo) – no, thank you.

(Cynthia) - no, de nada. Gracias, gracias chicos.

(Cynthia) – no, you’re welcome. Thanks, thanks guys.

Dear tangueras and tangueros, dear fans of Queer Tango,

a wonderful first Queer Tango Festival in San Francisco just faded away and some of you are already on the way to the next festival in Copenhagen. We are looking forward to the Danish nights … and, of course, to a dazzling, inspiring weekend together with you in the beginning of October in Hamburg.

The 8. Queer Tango Festival from 2. to 4. of October 2009 in Hamburg presents itself from now on under www.queer-tango.de

There you will find detailed information about the programe. For the participation in workshops a quick registration is recommended because of the limited number of participants. Experience has shown that some of the workshops are booked up quite fast. We’d like specifically to point out that single persons can register as well. With pleasure we’ll organise dance partners. If there are further questions don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail or give us a call. We gladly send the printed programe to you on request.
For the first time Martin Maldonado and Maurizio Ghella will dance and instruct at the festival. They are both outstanding dancers and will surely electrify you with their competent and captivating manner. We are especially looking forward to welcoming Lexa Rosean from New York in Hamburg. She was one of the first woman who danced the leading role at the Mundial by official invitation of the Government of Argentina. For the first time as well Helen LaVikinga and Javier Guiraldi from Buenos Aires will take part, who set a lot in motion for the queer tango scene in Argentina, amongst other things with their open minded milonga Mano a Mano in the dignified Salon Canning. After a two year break Stravaganza from Berlin will charm you again. With Mariano Garces you can slide agravicly like last year. Ute Walter and Eliane Rieger provide you with exciting tango toys, while Marga Nagel with Swedish support by Charlotte Rivero will give you rhythm.
About the queer and other backgrounds of the instructors you can inform yourself on our website.

We are already looking forward to seeing you and wish you a wonderful time, see you!

With very best wishes
your Queer Tango Team
Marga, Ute and Timm

ENGLISH VERSION BELOW

Liebe Tangueras und Tangueros, liebe Queer Tango Fans,

gerade ist ein wunderbares erstes Queer Tango Festival in San Francisco verklungen und zum naechsten Festival in Kopenhagen werden einige von euch schon unterwegs sein. Wir freuen uns auf die daenischen Naechte …
Und natuerlich auf ein schillerndes, inspirierendes Wochenende gemeinsam mit euch Anfang Oktober in Hamburg.

Das 8. Queer Tango Festival vom 2. bis 4. Oktober 2009 in Hamburg praesentiert sich ab sofort unter www.queer-tango.de

Dort findet ihr detaillierte Informationen zum Programm. Fuer die Workshopteilnahme ist aufgrund der TeilnehmerInnenbegrenzung eine baldige Anmeldung empfehlenswert. Erfahrungsgemaeß sind einige der Workshops recht schnell ausgebucht. Ausdruecklich moechten wir darauf hinweisen, dass sich fuer die Workshops auch Einzelpersonen anmelden koennen. Wir vermitteln gerne eine Tanzpartnerin oder einen Tanzpartner. Falls Fragen offen bleiben, zoegert nicht, uns eine E-mail zu senden oder anzurufen. Die Printprogramme versenden wir gern auf Anfrage.

Erstmalig tanzen und unterrichten auf dem Festival Martin Maldonado und Maurizio Ghella. Die beiden aussergewoehnlichen Taenzer werden euch mit ihrer kompetenten und herzlichen Art sicher mitreissen. Besonders freuen wir uns auch, Lexa Rosean aus New York in Hamburg willkommen zu heissen. Sie war eine der ersten Frauen, die auf offizielle Einladung der argentinischen Regierung den fuehrenden Part bei der Mundial getanzt hat. Ebenso neu dabei sind Helen LaVikinga und Javier Guiraldi aus Buenos Aires, die u.a. mit ihrer open minded Milonga mano a mano im altehrwuerdigen Salon Canning einiges für die queere Tanzszene in Buenos Aires in Bewegung gebracht haben. Stravaganza aus Berlin werden nach zwei Jahren Pause wieder ihren praezisen Charme verspruehen. Mit Mariano Garces koennt ihr wie im letzten Jahr schwerelos gleiten. Ute Walter und Eliane Rieger regen zu kreativem Spielen an. Waehrend Marga Nagel mit schwedischer Unterstuetzung durch Charlotte Rivero euch Rhythmus schenken wird …
Ueber die queeren und sonstigen Hintergruende der LehrerInnen koennt ihr euch auf unserer Webseite informieren.

Wir freuen uns schon auf euch und wuenschen euch bis dahin eine schoene Zeit.

Herzliche Gruesse
euer Queer Tango Team
Marga, Ute und Timm

*** Soon you will be receiving emails from @queertangoboston.com so be sure to whitelist or teach your computer that it’s not spam! ***

Current Sunday, Monday and Wednesday classes and privates with Duro y Vio continue through Monday May 25.

_______________________________________________________

The new schedule STARTING May 28

Queer Tango weekly practica
Mondays 7-9 starting June 1
at the Democracy Center, 45 Mt. Auburn Street in Harvard Square

1st6weeks instruction for absolute beginners
Will be provided one-on-one by the Queer Tango Boston trained teaching team at the practica EVERY monday
7-9 pm. Absolute beginners are welcome any time and may drop in. No preregistration required. No partner needed.

Queer Tango Class for continuing beginners and intermediates
Thursdays 8:30-10:00 starting May 28
at Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth Street in Jamaica Plain
You must have completed 1st6weeks series to come to this one!

! ! Luc is arranging carpools. Please contact him at info AT queer t ango  boston DOT com or 617.344.5550

Sunday May 10
Tango dancer Anne Atheling’s 79th Birthday Tango Dance Party
SpringStep, 98 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford (http://www.springstep.org/)
7pm-11pm
FREE . festive attire requested.

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Friday May 22  through Monday May 25
Providence Tango Alternative Tango Festival
Homer Ladas will be teaching. He is also a teacher at the San Francisco Queer Tango Festival
Duro y Vio will be going to all the milongas if you want to carpool with us! There is a Monday afternoon milonga starting at 4:30!
preregistration ends this Friday but you can pay at the door.
http://providencetango.com/alternativefest/index.html

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Providence Tango special workshop “Gay Men’s Tango Adventure”
Absolute Beginners Workshop Saturday May 16 at 7 pm.
men only.
price is $22 per person but will get cheaper if more people show up.
contact tom (tjfronczak@aol.com) to register or sign up on the meet up adventure group site: http://www.meetup.com/Providence-Gay-Adventure/

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Jackie Wong’s inclusive monthly TangoPulse Milonga in Lenox MA
Saturday 16 May
Class 8 - 9 pm
Milonga  9pm - 1am
Rhythms Dance Center, 55 Pittsfield Rd Lenox MA
Afterwards a Chocolate Party  1am - ?
For overnight arrangements and other questions, contact Jackie at 413 281 9722