What follows is one of the many articles in the Mercury‘s 2026 Queer Issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds. Partner dancing, at least traditionally, follows a strict gender binary: who leads and who follows, who asks who to dance, and who wears lace-ups and who wears heels.