The Rise of Queer-Friendly Social Dances

On any given night across the country, queer people can be found dancing hand in hand, arm in arm, cheek to cheek in bars, bowling alleys, and convention centers. From line dance classes to salsa parties to Irish dance céilís, social dance culture is becoming increasingly queer-friendly, often flipping the script on the strict gender binary these genres have traditionally upheld. And while the recent surge in LGBTQ+ social dance is undeniable, so too are the progressive—and, in some cases, queer—roots of many of these dance styles.