Our Mission
At Tango Nexus – Q Tango, our mission is to unite dancers in a vibrant and inclusive community where the rich heritage of Argentine Tango meets creativity, experimentation, and modern expression.
Through Q Tango (short for Queer Tango), we provide a dedicated queer-centered space that celebrates role fluidity, queer visibility, and authentic self-expression. Tango Nexus, meanwhile, is open to the general public, welcoming dancers of all backgrounds who share a passion for tango’s evolution.
Across all our classes, practicas, and events, we are committed to fostering environments that are LGBTQIA+ friendly and uphold a zero-tolerance policy toward hate or discrimination. Our goal is to ensure every event is a safe, joyful, and inspiring space where tradition becomes the foundation for innovation—and where the essence of tango continues to thrive in contemporary times.
Sandy Ninh
She/Her – Queer
Instructor/Founder
Sandy has always had her eye on partner dancing since she was little, however didn’t get to pursue it until she went to college. At UC Irvine, she started with Latin Ballroom, followed by West Coast Swing, and ultimately found her passion in Argentine Tango in 2010.
She took a short break for grad school and restarted in 2018 as an instructor at Bridge City Tango. This was also the start of her leading and dual role journey. She loves the playfulness and challenge of switching roles and how to incorporate that to one-up her dancing.
Inspired after attending Conexion – Miami’s International Queer Tango Festival in Spring 2024, Sandy came back to Portland with the motivation to build up Portland’s Queer Tango dance scene alongside with providing more alternative tango events.
Steve Carruthers
He/Him – Ally
Instructor
Steve began partner dancing in 1990, majoring in tango beginning in 2012, learning both roles concurrently. He keeps a learner’s perspective by joining all levels of tango classes, routinely participating in introductory beginner-level classes, both to support new learners and to hone and refine technique for partner-connection.
Relaxedness and axis-control support partner connection and make possible in the dance musicality, fun dynamic moves and being “in-the-moment” with the other human as two bipeds may become like one quadruped. Steve is oriented to facilitate, guide and support any and all dancers on their tango odyssey,
