Video (1:18:04): Zoom interview, queer tango teacher August Balizano talks about his tango story and queer tango in BA.

“Informal Tango Interviews is a new series on YouTube involving all kinds of tango people like you and me, who tell a bit about the story of their tango life and if applicable, also about a particular aspect they are especially known for or knowledgeable about.

This time I [DonAgucho] spoke with a true giant of tango history and teaching, Augusto Balizano, who is based in Buenos Aires but is also popular as a teacher abroad. Augusto tells us about how he started dancing 30 years ago as a graphic design student and ultimately chose to become a professional tango teacher instead. He went from not even realizing the possibilities of ”gay” or ”queer” dancing as a tango beginner to becoming the first person to organize a publicly advertised special milonga for that audience. Augusto helped foster the public acceptance of same-sex and reversed role dancing in Buenos Aires and around the world, and yet after so many years he keeps reinventing himself, for example by teaching tango to disabled people in a special class.”