The Geopolitics of Queer Tango From Buenos Aires to a Community of Translocal Practice

Abstract

This proposal, developed under the queer theory, seeks to study tango dance between people of the same sex, specially between professional dancers who identidy themselves as queer, lesbian, bisexual and transexual community (LGBT). As a musical scene, this comunity has established the realisation of a annual international event as the most important space of visibility and consolidation of LGBT groups. The festival, held in Buenos Aires, is part of a network of similar annual events developed in the US, Europe and Latin America. Like this, the social practice of the queer tango manages to get cultural recognition and legitimacy, coming from a dynamic of communication and circulation of geographically distant subjects. The following work will concentrate on the functioning of the international queer tango festival, which is focused on the connection between foreign participants. Heere I take in consideration their previous experiences and the problems that emerges from the interaction of subjects who are situated in different sociocultural contexts. I will also analyze the notion of a ?translocal musical scene? developed in the studies of popular music and will look on its operativeness in this musical practice, since it is essential for the articulation of transnational social relations.