I invited my dear friend to see Tango Entre Hombres. When he asked what the show was about I haphazardly described the show to him as queer tango. Truth be told, I didn't really prepare for this show. I was familiar with Art Babayants’s work as a writer and was confident that the performance was going to be special. I was not disapointed.

The show starts at 9:45 pm sharp. We are immediately introduced to Daniel Galicia, who explains to noobs like myself the principles of tango. Through playful interactions with the audience, Galicia details the roles that tango dancers have to play: men are the guides and women are interpreters. This dynamic is immediately subverted by the first dance, where Galicia meets Alexander Latorre. This first dance is dazzling, the two men move like they’ve known each other for years. I could watch them dance for hours.

The show is very tight, lasting only 45 minutes. Time however, is never wasted and you never feel rushed. We move from one dance to the next, in between acting vignettes that describe scenes, all connected by the theme of queerness. The show is in 3 languages: French, English and Spanish with no surtitles. But you never feel lost. Through humor and sincere storytelling, we learn about each performer's first experience with queerness, with othering, and with dance.

The Star of the show was without a doubt Daniel Galicia. His performance was intentional in every move and was a delight to witness. I could watch him unclog a toilet; every one of his moves was controlled and he was oozing with charm.

When we finally meet Art Babayants, he delivers a powerful monologue that at first listen felt out of place. In the middle of stories of tango lessons we get Babayants's story, one where queerness and xenophobia unfortunately meet. This powerful text dares to ask: who gets to be normal?

The show ends with a 3 person tango, with the 3 performers intertwining their bodies with a careful benevolence. We leave the theater feeling like we witnessed an intimate embrace and a brief view of what true freedom could be.

This show was very enjoyable from start to finish. The efficiency to combine multiple dance numbers and monologues without precipitation was really impressive. I am becoming a fan of both Galicia and Babayants, and I am excited to see what they do next.

Tango Entre Hombres is being presented from June 13th to 21st at the Conservatoire d’art Dramatique de Montréal as a part of Montreal Fringe Festival’s 2026 programming. As of this review’s publishing there are three performances left: Friday June 19th at 16:30, Sunday June 21st at 16:00 and 19:15.

Find more information and tickets on the FringeMTL website.