Bay Area Argentine Tango Association

EVERY SATURDAY
The Late Shift Milonga with David & Mariana
8pm-9pm –Argentine Tango Lesson (intermediate level)
9pm-3am – Milonga
Cheryl Bruke Dance. 1830 17th St, San Francisco, CA
www.davidymariana.info

Tango Con*Fusión "Fun"raiser #4
Come shop at our Tango Boutique!

The women of TC*F are clearing out their Tango Closets! Imagine what
Tango Treasures are in store...Clothing & Costume Items, Shoes (for
women & men), Accessories, Posters, Cds, Books, Gifts & Trinkets.

Located inside The Late Shift Milonga

Saturday, August 9th 8pm-2am
Cheryl Burke Dance, 1830 17th St , SF.

Please support Tango Con*Fusión in accepting a tremendous opportunity
to perform, teach and host a San Francisco-Theme Práctica at the 2nd
Buenos Aires International Queer Tango Festival, at a pivotal time –
to open minds and shape history! (more info below)

www.TangoConFusion.com

2nd Buenos Aires International Queer Tango Festival

December 1-7, 2008

Please support Tango Con*Fusión in accepting a tremendous opportunity
to perform and teach in Buenos Aires at a pivotal time – to open
minds and shape history!

Tango Con*Fusión: Who We Are

"As women trained and versed in traditional Argentine Tango, we
deeply respect traditional tango, cherish the experience of dancing
with men, and love to lead. To the objection `Women who lead are
destroying the dance,' we say: We in no way diminish what exists and
will always exist. Male leaders and female followers will forever
pair and enjoy tango. But this dynamic disallows women a leadership
role, and denies the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT)
community a partnering resonant with identity. We counter this
exclusion. We contend that in the 21st century, tango, like all
living art forms – like all living beings – will evolve. We wish to
be part and parcel of that evolution."

The Invite

Tango Con*Fusión is honored to receive a second invitation to perform
and host a San Francisco-Theme Práctica at the Festival. In addition,
Christy Coté &

Chelsea Eng have been invited to teach in the official Festival line-
up.

Mariana Falcón, co-chair of the Festival, explains that the event has
two sides. On the one hand, it addresses tango within the LGBT
community; on the other, it addresses the still controversial idea of
women partnering women in tango. Virtually non-existent in the
mainstream tango scene in Buenos Aires, such partnering is, to a
palpable degree, even taboo in the eyes of many gay porteños! By
contrast, Europe and the US have been somewhat more hospitable hosts
to women partnering women.

Why?

Falcón notes that foreigners regularly flock to Buenos Aires to study
tango at the source. Within the same-sex tango community in Buenos
Aires, she advocates a `reverse-flow' – that is, Argentines looking
abroad – especially to Europe and the States – for insights on
partnering less rigidly defined by gender. In this context, Tango
Con*Fusión views the invitation as a potent opportunity to open minds
and shape history.

How? – With your help!

The Festival will cover Tango Con*Fusión's accommodations and per
diem. The company requests support of their round-trip air travel
(SFO to Buenos Aires Ezeiza) via monetary donations (preferred)
and/or 100,000 mileage increments (toward Standard Award tickets on
United, American or Continental Airlines). The company's acceptance
presently hinges on donor support! (Tango Con*Fusión is part of a
501c3 non-profit and will provide official receipts for tax
deductions.)

Text © 2008 Tango Con*Fusión