[Tango-L] Gender roles in tango

[melvillefox@aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990 at hotmail.com>
To: Tango-L List <tango-l at mit.edu>
Sent: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 4:25 pm
Subject: [Tango-L] Gender roles in tango

> In other instances two men are dancing together (according to 
tradition) but
they both have masculine roles: the result can be a beautiful tango as 
well, but
it will be a different kind of tango, with different feeling all 
together.

> See the Macana Brothers for instance  : 
http://vidslib.com/index.php?view=3625948

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This is so hilarious because both leader and follower are so masculine 
in their dance. The subtlety of their humor is apparent when at about 
2:30 the 'leader' is led by the follower to a planeo.

I searched on YouTube and found a good example of two men dancing where 
the follower, always the same man, is definitely more feminine than the 
leader, even if perhaps not as feminine as most women:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBmjQfp1glo

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>Many times groups come from a Queer milonga to a regular milonga,   
men wearing
long dresses with side openings from where hairy legs appear.  Nobody 
seems to
mind their presence, they are treated with utmost respect.

Many times?? Over the last 5+ years my work has brought me to Buenos 
Aires 3 or 4 times a year and I have been to well over 100 milongas, 
perhaps more than 150, in all parts of the city and I have never seen 
men dressed in drag at a regular milonga. Perhaps you could tell us 
Sergio where you have seen this.

Mel