Alfie Sosa is a very flexible guy — and not just because of his ability to adapt to different situations, like moving to a new country, having a partner in politics or launching a new business.
We’re talking real-life Gumby-type flexibility. For those of you who aren’t familiar, pole dancing/fitness is one of the fastest-rising sports in the country. There’s a National Pole Fitness Association with chapters all throughout the world and there’s a real push to add it to the Summer Olympics. A newcomer to the sport, Sosa has developed a passion for twisting himself like a Philly pretzel and hanging onto an 8-foot pole sideways like a pride flag blowing in the wind.
PGN: I love your accent. Where are you originally from? AS: I was born and raised in the suburbs of Buenos Aires.
PGN: What was life like in Buenos Aires? AS: There was a time when we lived in an apartment, which for a kid was kind of boring. But then we moved to a house and I loved it. They couldn’t keep me inside: I spent all my time outside hanging from trees.
PGN: It must have been the precursor to your hanging from poles! What was your favorite game? AS: We always had computers, so when I wasn’t outside playing during the day, at night I’d play a lot of computer games. It was a while back, so they were still on floppy disks!
PGN: Tell me about your family. AS: I have a brother and two sisters. My mother works in the health-care industry and I have no idea about my dad. My parents got divorced when I was 1, so he wasn’t in my life.
PGN: So, do you hate the song? AS: I’m starting to, though it comes in handy. Sometimes when I introduce myself, people don’t understand my accent and they’re like, “Elfy? Elsie? Halpie?” So I just say, “Alfie, like the song,” and they get it.
PGN: What was your favorite subject in school? AS: Literature. I used to read a lot. They used to have these books where you’d create your own adventure. It would say something like, “If you want to go through the door on the left, skip to page 32” or “If you want to see what’s in the box, jump to page 45.”
PGN: That sounds really cool! AS: [Laughs.] Yeah, but it was hard not to cheat. Then I discovered Stephen King and suspense novels.
PGN: Where did you go to school? AS: I was in high school in Argentina and then I decided to pursue a career in the arts. My mom always kept me busy during high school with things like piano lessons. When I graduated, I joined an acting company. It was sponsored by the government and they taught us workshops on acting technique. Then a woman who ran a different acting school I attended cast me in a Samuel Beckett play, “Endgame,” at an independent theater. We got really good reviews and, as a result, I got an agent. I went to a lot of auditions but heard a lot of, “You’re too short. You’re too tall. You’re too dark. You’re too white. You’re too young. You’re too old.” It was frustrating. I decided to get a regular job and started working for an American company. I ended up in Boca Raton, Fla., doing reservations at a resort. That’s where I met my partner.
PGN: The fabulous Chris Hayes. AS: Yes, we met when I first got to the States and we’ve been together ever since.
PGN: How did you first know you were gay? AS: I think I knew since I was 13, though I dated girls here and there. [Laughs.] I was just telling Chris that for some reason I had a thing for girls with big boobs!
PGN: Don’t we all … AS: [Laughs.] I know! Even though I knew I really liked guys — I had a thing for jocks — I didn’t officially come out until I was 19, though I had my first experience at 16. I told my mother much later and I remember she kept crying, “Oh my God, you’re never going to be happy!” Now she’s cool about it and tells me all about her gay hairdressers.
PGN: Were you a jock? AS: Not really; I always liked going to the gym, but it was only recently that I discovered pole fitness and really got into sports. Now it’s taken over my life. I spend most of my day either practicing it or thinking about routines and tricks I could do.
PGN: How did you and Chris meet? AS: I needed a computer so I could keep in touch with my family back in Argentina. I went to a Sony store and Chris was the salesperson that helped me. We connected and started going out. I never did end up with a Sony, though — I went with an HP.
PGN: Other than the fact that he knew a lot about computers, what first struck you about him? AS: He was into sports. He is a referee for track and field events and other sports. Back to my thing for jocks …
PGN: And what brought you to Philadelphia? AS: I was bored to death with Boca. I don’t drive and there’s not really any viable public transportation system. The few buses they have take forever. Chris had been in Florida and was also teaching at the Boca [Raton] Elementary School. His father passed away and we both decided it was time to move to a big city. We were deciding between New York and Pennsylvania because they both had Sony stores, and Pennsylvania won out. We’ve been here about six years.
PGN: I thought we just got the Sony store in Philly? AS: Yes, his store was actually in Pottstown.
PGN: What are some of your favorite things to do? AS: I’ve always been a big movie buff. When I was a kid, my mother let me watch it all, from “The Muppets in Space” to “Basic Instinct.” When I moved here, I decided to do something that had to do with my passion for the arts. I ran into Elicia Gonzales, the executive director of GALAEI, and offered to help them do some video presentations for their 20th-anniversary event. They came out well and since then I’ve been doing video production. I got editing equipment and cameras, etc., and taught myself the business. I just launched my company, Mighty Head Entertainment.
PGN: What’s a favorite video job? AS: I did a piece for the 10th anniversary of Kiyoshi Kuromiya’s death: I’m really proud of that one. I’m starting to direct, too, and learn story boarding, etc. I think my acting background is helpful because it allows me to get the most out of my actors, knowing where they’re coming from.
PGN: Tell me about your pole dancing. AS: It’s actually pole fitness. I was introduced to it by Joseph Liana; you did a great profile of him about a month ago. I got started a little under a year ago and I’m hooked. It’s so difficult but so rewarding.
PGN: I saw a little of the National Pole Championships for women on TV and it was amazing what people were doing. It looked like Delilah’s Den meets Cirque du Soleil. Ahem, not that I’ve been to Delilah’s … AS: Yeah, it has a little of everything, but it’s mostly about balance, strength, flexibility and artistry. Figuring out a new trick is part physics, part gymnastics. Sometimes you watch the top performers and try to imitate what they’re doing and how they did it — people like Edouard Doye. Look him up on YouTube and you’ll be amazed by what he does. I love it: I’m torn between my greater passion now, films or pole fitness.
PGN: Is it a “gay” sport? AS: No, it’s gaining popularity across the board. If anyone says anything, I tell them I lift my body weight for hours five times a week. Do you really want to mess with me?
PGN: You must get some serious pole burns. AS: [Pulls up the edge of his shorts to show large bruises.] Oh yeah, I get pretty beat up. I’ve got bruises on my thighs, arms and ankles. [Laughs.] Chris is always saying, “I hope you tell people what you do or they’re going to think I’m beating you!” I tell him I just put on a sad face and tell them I fell down the steps. [Chuckles.]
PGN: Have you done a private dance for Chris? AS: No, unfortunately we don’t have space for a pole!
PGN: Are politics a big subject in the house? AS: For sure. We read the newspaper to each other every day. We’ll take turns sharing articles.
PGN: What item of your partner’s would you like to get rid of? AS: All the little pieces of paper with addresses and contact info. He meets so many people, we have little pieces of paper everywhere.
PGN: What deceased superstar would you bring back for one last performance? AS: Johnny Cash. I just discovered him recently. I’d heard his music before but never really listened to the lyrics or got into his life story.
PGN: What’s a favorite line from a movie? AS: “Don’t cry for me Argentina!”
PGN: Favorite Argentinean food? AS: Anything barbecued: It’s totally different there. They use different cuts of meat and slow-cook it with embers.
PGN: What’s a photo op you missed that you wish you had a picture of? AS: A picture with my dad. That would be nice.
PGN: A favorite family tradition? AS: Pasta Sundays.
PGN: Huh, I never associated Argentina with pasta. AS: Well, Argentina is a huge melting pot. We have immigrants from Italy and all over Europe. All over the world, in fact, and just like here, we’ve adopted the foods and traditions of many of them.
PGN: What else don’t I know about Argentina? AS: We go to bed really late. [Laughs.] We wake up late too!
PGN: What’s a must-see tourist stop in Buenos Aires? AS: You can’t say you’ve been to Buenos Aires if you don’t take a picture of the Obelisk. The Obelisk is associated with the nightlife and entertainment of Buenos Aires, similar to Times Square in New York.
PGN: I read that on World AIDS Day in 2005, they covered it with a giant pink condom. Pretty cool. Tell me about your first kiss. AS: With a boy? Well, it was more than a kiss! It was with a schoolmate and, of course, I was drunk and he was drunk too. I think I was 16 at the time. Anyway, I was wasted and while I was sitting next to him, my head fell onto his shoulder. He got jumpy and said, “Oh, don’t do that.” I asked him why and he said I wouldn’t understand. I didn’t move and the next thing I knew, he made a move. I knew at that moment that everything was going to change for me. My relationship with him was going to change forever and the trajectory of my life would never be the same. I was kind of a little depressed, because in that moment I was confirming who and what I was and it was scary. I was afraid it was going to lead to trouble and hardship, so though it was exciting, I kind of had a sinking feeling at the same time.
PGN: Was it difficult coming out in what is supposed to be such a machismo-charged atmosphere? AS: Not really; in Buenos Aires they’re very open-minded. Everyone has gay friends and no one cares what you do in bed — it’s not important. We are also the first Latin American country to have legal same-sex marriages. We have a female president, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who made it her mission to take on the Catholic Church, which has a big influence in Argentina, and legalize same-sex marriages.
PGN: Wow, well viva la Argentina!
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