Queer Tango Festival

This past weekend I went to Miami for the Conexión International Queer Tango Festival, and I had a blast!

Due to tornadoes in Florida, my flight was delayed, so I missed the opening performance, but I made it to the opening night milonga (dance party) and met some new friends there.

Friday, I really overdid it. I took like 5 dance classes and then went to that night’s milonga and stayed until I don’t know what time at night. In any case, walking down the hostel stairs the next day for breakfast was painful. I decided to have a more relaxed Saturday; I took a musicality class, went to the beach, came back for a panel discussion, then had dinner and a cortadito before that night’s milonga. That cortadito was very helpful since they decided to keep the milonga going until 3am instead of the scheduled 1:30.

Sunday, there was a gap in the schedule for Miami Beach Pride, so I went down there for a bit then got brunch with a group of folks from New York City I met the night before. Then, of course, more dance classes, more coffee, and another milonga. Just before midnight, one of the performers asked me to dance, which was super cool, and then I decided to end the night on that high note since I had a 7am flight to catch home.

The difference between being in a queer tango space and a mainstream one was notable. It’s like, the women danced with me there because they wanted to, not because we’d run out of men to dance with. I like it.