After 13 years organizing the renowned and beloved International Queer Tango Festival in Berlin, Astrid Weiske reflects on why she started the festival, how queer tango has evolved since she started dancing, and what’s next on her tango path.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: "Gipsy Vals" by El Cachivache Quinteto Tango | Image Credit: Ksusha Ivanova, © QTFestival Berlin

Show Notes

• Visit Astrid’s website, check out her YouTube channel, then read about the 13th and final International Queer Tango Festival Berlin, held in July of 2025.
• Read a brief summary of Berlin’s queer history.
• Listen to “Roles and evolution - body and mind, with Brigitta Winkler.”
• Watch archival footage from the original TangoMujer tour, then check out a video Astrid filmed of Brigitta Winkler and Rebecca Shulman performing in 2006.
• Learn more about Augusto Balizano (a.k.a. La Marshall, a.k.a. Godfather of Queer Tango) in the first episode of Humans of Tango.
• Browse posts by The Queer Tango Project about Mariana Docampo, another trailblazer of queer tango in Buenos Aires and order her book on queer tango in Buenos Aires!
• From bullying to online censorship, learn more about the biggest challenges to LGBTQ+ progress today.

Read a transcript of Astrid's episode here.

Argentino y lector (así se auto-describe) Emmanuel Trifilio habla de su experiencia tocando bandoneón, componiendo música y viviendo como inmigrante y artista en Washington, DC.

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Argentine and reader (as he describes himself) Emmanuel Trifilio talks about his experience playing bandoneon, composing music, and living as an immigrant and artist in Washington, DC. [In Spanish with an English translation here.]

Creadora/Producer: Liz Sabatiuk | Música/Music: "De Cayetano" grabado por Trifilio Tango Trio y "El Eco de tu Amor" grabado por QuinTango | Image(n): Eric Booth

Notas/Show Notes

• Lee más sobre Emmanuel en su sitio web. Luego escucha sus composiciones para Trifilio Tango Trío y QuinTango y ve el vídeo donde bailamos yo y Rubén.
• Conoce el cuento de Julio Cortazar que menciona Emmanuel, "La noche boca arriba."
• La Casa del Tango en La Plata todavía existe.
• Para descubrir el Rock Argentino de la niñez de Emmanuel, revisa esta enciclopedia!
• Lee la historia de los bandoneones “AA” y mira a Astor Piazzolla tocar su homenaje “Tristezas de un doble A.”
• Lee más sobre Carlos di Sarli, el compositor y pianista que inspiró el tema “De Cayetano.”
• Emmanuel “cita” a un amigo en el episodio; se refiere a Miguel Di Genova de Otros Aires.

Read an English translation of Emmanuel's episode here.

Ve una transcripción del episodio de Emmanuel aquí.

“I change because I can.”

German tango pioneer Brigitta Winkler shares what she's most passionate about 40 years into her tango journey and why she believes in tango's ability to unite.

Producer/Host: Liz Sabatiuk | Music: “Margo,” by Armando Pontier with lyrics by Homero Expósito | Image Credit: Unknown

SHOW NOTES

• Visit Brigitta's website or watch her dance with Rebecca Shulman, Tomás Howlin, and Astrid Weiske.
• Two tango humans previously featured on this podcast consider Brigitta a mentor: Aja Fenn and Mitra Martin.
• Read an interview with Brigitta that includes the iconic black and white photo described in the episode.
• Watch a video of Brigitta's and Angelika's teachers, Gloria and Eduardo Arquimbau.
• Learn more about Eric Jorisson via interviews for Joe's Tango Podcast and DonAgucho.
• Watch clips from Tango Mujer performances featuring Brigitta.
• Learn more about movement systems Brigitta has studied: Body-Mind Centering; Release, Alexander, Feldenkrais, and Klein techniques; contact improvisation; Authentic Movement; Axis Syllabus; the Franklin Method; and Fighting Monkey.
• Read the lyrics of "Margo" in English thanks to the Tango Poetry Project.
• Visit the Queer Tango Project website and read Birthe Havmoeller's "10 Dogme Rules For The Dance Style of 'Queer Tango.'"
• Follow Manu Sanz on Facebook or through her collaboration, "Poetry, Tango y Otras Hierbas." (Bonus points if you nerd out in Spanish about her inspiration for the term "emirecs"!)
• Listen to Brigitta's interview for Joe's Tango Podcast.

Read a transcript of Brigitta's episode here.