Ballroom originated in the trans and racialised communities, and celebrates all identities. Vinii Revlon, a voguing legend, immerses us in this flamboyant culture, and honours the bodies that fight relentlessly for their rights.
With its stylised outfits, fluttery hands and eye-popping death drops, voguing is the most flamboyant articulation of the ballroom scene. But this culture, though now widely featured on TV, has its roots in the exclusion experienced by black trans women banned from beauty contests. And so, in 1980s New York, these drag queens set up their own contests and dances – imitating poses from the pages of Vogue magazine. They also provided a roof for young people who were discriminated against because of their gender expression and cast out on the street, thus forming substitute families called “houses”. Voguing legend Vinii Revlon here devises a full immersion in this culture, reminding us who invented it and for whom. Workshops, talks and screenings will accompany a ball showcasing those who, even today, must still fight for their rights. Rebellious and fired up, houses and participants will face off to win trophies, fists held high.
PROGRAMME
11h-12h Masterclass Workshop Performance with Legendary Asia 007
11h-12h30 Danced lecture Décoloniser le dance floor
with Habibitch Gorgeous Gucci
A danced lecture that theorises the systems
that shape our everyday social relationships.
Racism, privilege(s), domination(s),
resistance, creation, community(is) and
core concepts are acerbically dissected
through an agile decolonial magnifying
glass, in a staging where movement literally
gives the words their rhythm.
12h15-13h15 Masterclass
Workshop Runway with Legendary Kiddy Gorgeous Gucci
13h-14h Round table
Past / Present / Future: what challenges
does the ballroom scene face at a time
when pop culture is strongly spotlighting
the scene with Legendary Asia 007, Legendary Kiddy Gorgeous Gucci, Legendary Jack Gorgeous Gucci
Up & coming icon : Nikki Gorgeous Gucci
Modérateur : Vinii Revlon
14h30-15h45 Projection
Tongues Untied by Marlon Riggs
17h-22h Fight For Your Rights Ball
Catégories
– Hands Performance / Arms control
– Body (FF Female Figure / MF Male Figure) -> Executive Realness (FF Female Figure / MF Male Figure)
– Thug Realness (MF Male Figure / FF Female Figure)
– Best dress
– Face (Woman face / Male figure face / Femqueen face / Drag face / Non Binary Face)
– Old Way / New Way / baby Oldway
– Lipsync
– Pretty Boy Realness / Pretty Girl Realness -> Transmen Realness
– Sex Siren (FF Female Figure / MF Male Figure)
– School Boy / Girl Realness
– Runway (All American / European / Virgin Runway)
– Performance (Femqueen performance / Drags performance / Women performance / Butchqueen Vogue fem / Twister / Baby Vogue)
MC : The Legendary Vinii Revlon et The Icon Jack Gorgeous Gucci
Juges : Legendary Asia 007, Legendary Bruna Revlon, Legendary Kiddy GG, Legendary Matyouz Ladurée, Legendary Kennedy Garçon, Roy Mugler, Legendary Charly Gaultier Brown
DJ : Missy West
22h-2h After party at Club Bingo
DJ Missy West + Guest surprise
Credits
- Artiste
Participatory event — 2023
Art direction Vinii Revlon & Benii Revlon Coproduction La Gaîté lyrique
With amateur artists