If Ali Gua Gua’s name sounds familiar, it may be because she’s been mentioned on this blog many times in various incarnations: DJ-about-town DJ Guagüis, one-woman electroclash act Afrodyke (a “autopiracy” cover of former collaborator Afrodite), and as the lead singer of our favorite queer cumbia punk band, the Kumbia Queers. If you like Ali Gua Gua’s later work, or if you just like tough-ass chicks with guitars, come see Ultrasonicas play their hits in a queer venue.

Ultrasonicas; Thursday, April 7, 2011, 11pm; Cabaretito Fusion, 77 Londres, Zona Rosa; 5511 1613, no cover for women

One of my favorite lesbian venues in Mexico City, Cabaretito VIP, has reopened after a long closure, bring back their lesbian night on Thursdays for us machas. Cabaretito VIP holds a special place in my heart; it was the location of the first dyke party I went to in Mexico City and was the home of Second Annual Festival Lesbico in November of 2006, my first broad exposure to the growing DF lesbian culture.

Caberetito VIP was closed for over a year, one of the many clubs in Tito Vasconcelos’ “Cabaretito” chain to end up with a CLAUSURADO sticker posted across the door. Walking down Londres, in the heart of the Zona Rosa, it was sad to walk by the gated patio in front of the club, the hedges the ran from the street to the club dry and dead from neglect. In the walk-way, which two years before was filled with festival-goers and tables from local GLBT organizations, was dark and littered with garbage thrown in from the street. With such contrasting memories of the place, I’m pleased to report that VIP has reopened. My sources tell me there have been parties there since mid-March.

The crowd at “Jueves Lesbico” at VIP is one of the few placed in Mexico City where I’ve seen a more visible butch/femme culture, although it certainly doesn’t dominate the space, which hosts a mix of women of all gender expressions. There are passing-butches, their go-go dancing high femme girlfriends, and plenty of young women with jeans, ponytails, and baseball caps. The crowd is generally younger and more middle/working-class than the ladies at Lipstick, with a little less snobbery and a few more bar fights too. Watch out if you dance with someone’s girlfriend by accident; these machas don’t fuck around!

Cover is free and the space reflects a low-cost decor. The music is a mix of faggy house music, remixed English and Spanish pop hits, and occasional grupero songs sprinkled in. Beers are cheap, but other drinks are small and disproportionately expensive. Expect a crowded dance floor on a good night, lots of young tipsy women, and no toilet paper in the bathroom. I recommend Caberetito VIP as a low-pressure place to go people watching or dancing with a group of friends.

Tonight, promoter Martha Cuevas has brought in aerial dancer Draco Art and is billing the event as a circus themed night. I saw this female aerial dancer perform at the Festival Lesbico and recommend checking her out as she flips and spins suspended above a crowd of spellbound machas.

Cabaretito VIP; Londres 104, Zona Rosa, Insurgentes Metro and Metrobus station. No cover.

UPDATE: Festival schedule posted.

The 4th edition of the Festival Lésbico represents one of the few attempts during the year to gather and celebrate the lesbian community in Mexico City. It is organized by the non-profit organization Fundación Género Diverso, A. C. headed by Martha Cuevas, a veteran lesbian activist who has focused her work on young queer community, sexual education, and combatting domestic violence and violent relationships among lesbians. For a long period of time she worked at the now disappeared Cabaretito VIP as the promoter of Lady’s Night on Thursdays.

One of the goals of Fundación Género Diverso is to promote “a better quality of life” among the queer community through cultural activities that involve artists, politicians, and institutions as well as NGOs related to sexual diversity and sexual education. This time, the festival will be held at the Centro Cultural Contempo located in the Zona Rosa. A formal schedule has not being published yet, but a list of the participants already settled for the Festival is as follows:

LECTURES

Ana Francis Mor. Activist and actress, Mor is a member of Las Reinas Chulas, the cabaret group that manage El Vicio, a little theathre in Coyoacán. Ana Francis Mor, recently married in a symbolic ceremony to her female partner, will talk about theatre, women and diversity issues, based on her own experience.

Enoe Uranga. A veteran activist for the human rights is a former independent member of the Legislative Assembly of the Capital. Her biggest strike was the initiave regarding “Leyes de Convivencia”, the legal figure that assembles to a “gay marriage” in Mexico. Her lecture will be on “Positive political experiences and challenges we face to face”

Paulina Millán. Psychologist and sexologist, Paulina is in charge of the research department at the Instituto Mexicano de Sexología. She hosts the internet radio program “Sexo Abierto”. She is also member of Fundación Género Diverso, where she coordinates the group Nueva Generación de Jóvenes Lesbianas. Her lecture will be on sexuality and eroticism.

Musas de Metal. I know this group because of a couple of parties they organized few years ago. The environment was a little awkward since it seemed that one of the main purposes was to meet someone. But it called my attention that the crowd was pretty diverse, including the whole array of variety in the queer world. The organization has worked on case studies of discrimination and violence against lesbians. Their lecture will be about their experiences and projects.

Fundación Género Diverso A.C. Based on their 11 year-experience, this organization will talk about their campaign against violence among lesbians. The lecture is called “Let’s Make Constructive Relationships”.

LECTURES ON LITERATURE “Literature, creation… and then what?”

Gilda Salinas. Author of short stories, play and film scripts. She teaches workshops on literature and drama. She has written six novels, 22 plays, and three film scripts. She has received many awards due to her work.

Carolina Villanueva (Newvillage). Even though her actual career has to do more with tourism, life lead her to get involved with the world of TV, movies and publicity, where she started working as a script writer.

Odette Alonso. Poet, narrator, and literature promoter. Her short story “Nocturnal Animal” won the literature contest “Mujeres en vida” in 2008. She works as editor at the Dirección General de Publicaciones y Fomento Editorial of the UNAM.

Bertha de la Maza. She is manager of the internet bookstore LesLibros, a very interesting project that aims to distribute queer literature in Mexico (and around the world, I guess) through internet., She is also the distributor of Voces de Tinta, and publishing houses Egales and Topka, as well as of independent writers in Mexico. During 9 years, she has worked as a literature promoter in order to take the LGBT literature out of the closet.

CONAPRED and Dirección General de Igualdad y Diversidad Social del DF.. I still don’t know if representatives of these two institutions will participate at the same lecture, but it seems that they will be part of a space opened to lesbian organizations in order to listen to their proposals. In the case of the second governmental organization, they will describe their activities regarding programs and campaigns addressed to the lesbian community and sexual diversity. Something like a report from the government for the LGBT community.

THEATER

Las Hijas de Safo. We’ve mentioned this group before. This is a great opportunity to see them performing. I have only listened to them from a backstage, but they sounded agile, funny, and neat. Also, as far as I can remember, their make up was great.

Drag King México. They define themselves as the first drag king group in Mexico, which I think is an interesting enough reason to take a look at what they are doing. Their show will be about facing discrimination in Mexican society, especially prepared for this occasion.

Art Draof. They will perform twice. The first play is named “Historias en minutos” which is based on the stories of lesbians of different ages, social backgrounds and experiences. The stories converge to the same point throughout the play, with music as an important element. The second performance of this group is more of a comedy. They will play various famous Mexican singers from the eighties. They themselves say you can’t miss the experience…

SHOWS

Burlesquimeras. Institutrices de Belleza Universal. The first queer Mexican neo-burlesque troupe, the Burlesquimeras use their bodies as means of expression, combining humor, strip-tease, satire, and camp to create a fun and sexy show. The group members are Chichis Glam, Gabina Estrella, Glitter, Islandia, Lupe Tequila, and RiberQueen. What can I say about this show? You will have a blast…!

“Emocional”. by Ana Carolina. A stand-up comedy performed by an Argentinean girl who, if the writing on her blog is any indication, has created a show that is very funny and smart. She gives workshops on stand-up comedy and also works as correspondent for an Argentinean radio station.

“Efimeros Goces e Inés yo con tu amor“. by Artemisa Tellez and Fabiola Jiménez. Based on poetry text by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and other contemporary writers/poets, this literary show fuses music, poetry and lesbian experiences in poignant and funny ways.

LITERATURE
There will be also, readings of lesbian short stories and poetry. Part of the literature activities include the opening of Dos Orillas, a book that compiles short stories and poetry written by lesbians from America (yes, the continent) and Spain.

And last but not least, it seems that the big show will feature Aurora y la Academia, a rock-pop band that was famous during the late nineties in Mexico. The members of the group are three women (now in their thirties) that define their style as “Flower Pop”. Check out their myspace if you want to take a look a t them and listen to a little bit of their music.

4o. Festival Lésbico, from November 20th-23th. Centro Cultural Contempo. Plaza del Ángel, Londres 162, 1st. Floor. Free entrance.