Dance on the Runway

Creolo (B. Ames Mix)

2010-11-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

Vogue Evolution: Creolo (B. Ames Mix)

I found this amasing video on YouTube of Vogue Evolution, a dance troupe that competed in Season 4 of the MTV reality series, "America's Best Dance Crew."

Vogue : est Dance Crew

2010-11-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

est 2010 (dance crew es) vogue

Jolin Tsai - Voguing YouTube Copycats

2010-08-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

The Honey Trap music video has inspired Jolin Tsai's fans to create their own vidéo clip versions on YouTube.

We all saw the YouTube phenomenon that happened when Beyoncé's fans made their own versions of Single Ladies, including this famous internet sensation and the one that went very, very wrong. Now, that same social media trend is happening with Jolin Tsai's new music video.

Jolin Tsai's new hit music video for Honey Trap is creating a world-wide community of fans, who have been moved to learn the voguing choreography used by Ms. Tsai's. Here are other fans, who have reinterpreted Honey Trap in the form of their own vidéo clips.

Jolin Tsai - Honey Trap

2010-08-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

The music video "Honey Trap" by Taiwanese pop diva Jolin Tsai : ''Give me your satisfaction.''

Jolin Tsai, a pop singer from Taiwan, has released a new album called, Myself, and a sizzling music video for her equally hot song, ''Honey Trap.''

On MuuMuse, it was reported :

While the song is pure, pumping electronic goodness, the video makes the experience even better. Directed by Korean director Cha Eun Taek (which probably explains why this feels like a K-Pop music video), Tsai goes Vogue-meets-Star Trek on the set of Bad Romance in this very hip, very futuristic dance-infused visual treat. And that dance breakdown at the end? Girlllll.
''According to her Wiki page, Tsai even took lessons with 'vogue teacher' Benny Ninja of America’s Next Top Model to make sure she got those authentic hand moves down. Now that is some realness.''

The influences of the Ball community continue to reach all around the world : to Taiwan and back. It's now been over 20 years since Madonna released her music video for Vogue, and here comes an energetic Taiwanese singer, who is embracing voguing -- and making it fashionable all over again.

It's a Flow Affair

2010-03-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

Are you flowing ?

Flow Affair is an historic art film about the New York City flagging, fanning, and floguing dance communities. The documentary captures the passing down of a 30-year-old Greenwich Village disco dance tradition. Keep coming back for updates. Meanwhile, here is a sneak peek at the documentary :

Mark Stewart flagging on the banks of the Hudson River at dusk.

Mykel putting on a show.

The performance piece entitled, The Red Lion. Art by Davey.

Mykel and David Grosbin are fanning.

Aaron Enigma is Floguing.

The Heavens are joined by one more star: Octavia St. Laurent

2009-05-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

Wonder Woman

Octavia St. Laurent Manolo Blahnik, who The New York Times called a "scintillating performer," died yesterday, May 17, 2009. Wolfgang Busch has reported that the cause of her death was cancer.

According to her Myspace page, Ms. St. Laurent was born and raised in Brooklyn. "My interests are theatrics, arts of all kinds," she wrote in her profile.

After achieving success in Harlem Ballroom competitions, Ms. St. Laurent found work signing and acting outside the Ballroom community. In the 1993 film, The Saint of Fort Washington, Ms. St. Laurent worked with Matt Dillon and Danny Glover. Much later, Ms. St. Laurent would be featured in the documentary, How Do I Look.

Ms. St. Laurent's Myspace page is dedicated to her work to increase respect for a person's sexual identity. The theme song to the television show, Wonder Woman, plays in a continuous loop, equal parts camp and seriousness: for, Ms. St. Laurent wrote in her profile, she was born a eunuch.

Earlier today, Kevin Omni released an announcement in which he wrote, in part :

I first laid eyes on Octavia as Octavia in 1982. She walked against the icons Margo Princess, Doray Princess, and she battled the likes of icon Tenneille Reid Dupree, Pamela Cartier, and others....

Octavia was a winner, she never gave up.... From 'Paris Is Burning' to The Maury Povich Show to How Do I Look, we will always treasure and remember the lifetime achiever/icon, Octavia.

A viewing has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home of R. Stutzman & Son, 224 - 39 Jamaica Ave Queens Village, NY 11428. Please call R. Stutzman & Son at (718) 465-3210 for more information.

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Soundtrack and Score: Robert Urban

2008-12-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

" Bring it to the runway -- now ! "

Robert Urban, a New York based musician and songwriter, who is also known for producing musical events and concerts, answered some of our questions about Ball culture, his contribution to the music in How Do I Look, and highlighting social issues in the arts.

Q. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Have you been to any Balls?

A. I only learned of the How Do I Look film after Wolfgang’s documentary was already filmed (though not finished). I have not been to any Harlem balls, but I have attended several How Do I Look work-in-progress performance events that featured live performances by many of the film’s Harlem ball stars.

Q. What do you find inspiring about Ball culture?

A. First off, it’s genuinely entertaining – as all great art is. It is also a fabulous example of making a lot out of little – that is, ingenuity and inspiration. The sheer originality of the costumes, makeup, moves, attitude, etc. is staggering – especially when one considers the impoverished life circumstances that so many of the Ball culture stars come from.

Q. How does the music you write relate with the music that is played at Balls?

A. Generally speaking, it doesn’t. I compose all styles of music. My natural musical instincts are mostly rock and “classical” influenced. The music I contributed to How Do I Look is “film” music – used mainly as a background to scenes extracted out of the “live” ball runway sections of the film – scenes of people being interviewed and/or alone in daily life situations. Here and there I created or found grooves, loops that accompanied movement in the film – but much of the music that accompanied the documented live runway scenes was popular, canned “house” music from other, earlier sources.

Not all the music I provided for Wolfgang’s film was composed by myself. I hunted for and tapped, as “talent scout” to find music by other LGBT artists that I felt would fit the film.

Another aspect of my work on How Do I Look was to edit and arrange the soundtrack music. For example, the film’s theme song How Do I Look – with it’s hook line “Bring it to the runway -- now!” was composed and originally recorded elsewhere – but edited, altered and enhanced (one might say remixed) here at my URBAN PRODUCTIONS recording studio in NYC.

Q. As a producer of musical events, shows, and concerts, what do you think of the production values that go into the musical aspects of Balls? In other words, are you impressed by the work that goes into producing/staging Ball competitions? If so, what impresses you?

A. I know how much work goes into a large live-event production – especially when resources and finances are slim. There is so much cooperation between all concerned in Harlem Ball shows. Frankly, I don’t know how they do it! Even the audience seems to be in on it – Everyone pulls together to create a smash event – it reflects back on all concerned – producers – stars – audience. They all play off each other with great verve and joy.

Q. As you attended the work-in-progress screenings of How Do I Look, what were your thoughts about the evolution of Wolfgang's documentary?

A. Wolfgang really had sooooo much great footage to work with – in a way, all he had to do was to edit it cleverly… to put all the puzzle pieces together correctly. And that he did. I would see various stages of the film, and could see how he was switching scenes around, and tweeking little clips here and there.

The film really evolved when Wolfgang introduced the AIDS-education element into it – AIDS is an important social and health issue for us all – but is especially so within inner city groups, LGBT groups, African-American groups – all which include the Ball culture. The film gained a sense of gravitas. Before that is was more just artsy and fun.

Q. Could you see an "artistic progression" taking place within the artists in the film?

A. Well… how do I put it… the “stars” (or as Wolfgang lovingly refers to them as “the children”) of How Do I Look were true legends of a sort going into the film – and the same coming out. They are who they are. They didn’t so much “progress” or “evolve” as they really just deigned to allow us into their unique world. (there’s a finger snapping in the air right about here…)

In addition to his own 4 CDs (the album "godless" is available on Amazon.com), Robert Urban's work (especially as guitarist) can be heard on the recordings of many other musical artists. Mr. Urban is also an accompanist, session-musician, arranger/sound engineer and private music teacher. He supports the GLBT music community through producing/hosting Urban Productions BOLDLY Presents, the all-GLBT multi-artist live-in-concert music series (now in its 6th year). Mr. Urban is the author of a poetry collection Abominations and founder of Gay Guitarists Worldwide.

For more of our exclusive interview, please visit the Community Art Education blog.

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BIG birthday party for Lee Soulja, Danielle Ninja and Jonté

2008-10-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

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Wig Out!

2008-10-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Vineyard Theatre presents WIG OUT!

Wig Out! -- the new play written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Tina Landau, which is now playing at the Vineyard Theatre -- hasn't just opened. But it has also made an entrance.

Ben Brantley, the theatre critic for The New York Times, wrote a wonderful review of Wig Out!

Ms. Landau "strikes an admirable balance between clarity and chaos, sincerity and spectacle," while her cast members "create distinctive portraits..." wrote Mr. Brantley.

According to the press information for Wig Out!, "This fierce and intoxicating story tells of competing houses of drag queens and the loves, loyalties and dreams within each that draw their members together and apart."

"I can’t think of another recent play that deals as explicitly and compellingly with how erotic permutations define identity, in ways that both limit and liberate," added Mr. Brantley.

Mr. Brantley noted that the cast includes Daniel T. Booth, who appeared on Project Runway.

The Harlem Ballroom community, the subject of Wig Out!, was also the subject of How Do I Look, the independent documentary directed by Wolfgang Busch.

It will be interesting to see for myself what a stage adaptation will offer, in terms of the visual and musical experience. I've already learned that the play will try to make the Ball experience as real as possible. In order to add a runway to the theatre's stage, expect some seating to have been reconfigured, a theatre review by the Associated Press reported.

The play is scheduled to run from September 10 through October 19. For tickets, please visit the online ticket office for Vineyard Theatre.

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Universal Hustle and Salsa Party

2008-09-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

Celebrating a special 50th Birthday Bash for the ICON Kevin 'Ultra' Omni

For more information, call (212) 807-0802 and ask about the David Padilla Universal Hustle & Salsa Party.

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House of Pleasure

2008-09-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

Musical talents of Willi Ninja

Chop N'Chan presents: House of Pleasure, featuring Willi Ninja and Diana Garcia.

Aside from House of Pleasure, Willi Ninja had other connections to the recording industry. He appeared in several music videos for commercially successful pop artists, such as Queen Latifah and Malcolm McLaren.

Here is a pic from a special tribute video to Willi Ninja, which I have motified using Picasa.

House of Pleasure is the name of a dance track single released by Endorfun.

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Painted: Fur is Murder

2008-08-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

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An unforgettable night in Ball History

2008-08-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Greatest Ball on Earth

The Greatest Ball on Earth was held on Saturday, August 2, 2008 at the Frederick E. Samuel Center, 669 Lenox Avenue in New York City. The Greatest Ball on Earth was organized as a Grand Ball and Benefit.

A total of 40 categories were available for competition. Proceeds from the Ball benefitted the House of Manolo Blahnik Scholarship Fund, Harlem United, and the Greatest Ball on Earth Book Project.

Making their entrance at the Ball, Patricia Field and Andre J., among others.

Legendary Andre Mizrahi was among the Legends, Icons, and new-comers who turned out to compete and support the Greatest Ball on Earth, an event organized by Terence Legend International.

Fashion designer Richie Rich attended the Greatest Ball on Earth to show his support for the Ball community.

Andre J., one of New York's celebrated "it" people, showed up. Pictured below, Andre J. is with a friend. During the Ball, Andre J. sat at a prominent table headed by the designer, Patricia Field.

Lifetime achiever and Ballroom Hall of Famer Kevin Omni was on-hand, and he greeted fashion designer Patricia Field, the latter who is credited by Time magazine with helping to introduce the Ballroom scene into mainstream pop culture. Here, Mr. Omni and Ms. Field appear with filmmaker and community organizer Wolgang Busch.

Also at the Ball was the dancer Jose Xtravaganza, who was "Vogue" choreographer for Madonna. Mr. Xtravaganza was one of the principal dancers in Madonna's music video for "Vogue," and he was also featured in her successful documentary, Madonna - Truth or Dare. Patricia Field is a fashion designer, who recently was the distinguished costume designer for the hit series, Sex in the City.

After half of the categories had been judged, Terence Legend International presented awards to various individuals for their contribution to the Ball community. Here, Wolfgang Busch holds his award; standing next to him is Terence Legend International.

Former Mother of the House of Xtravaganza, Carmen Xtravaganza received a tremendous reception from the audience. Carmen Xtravaganza is a transgendered beauty and one of the most respected mothers of houses in the Ballroom community.

Fashion is important at Balls. Wearing a fishnet body suit and in pumps, Omar attracted a lot of attention, even when just making the rounds.

Later in the competition, Omar, who is a member of the House of Field, would go on to win in the category of BQ Runway up in Pumps.

Winner in the category of FQ Legendary Face with an Iconic Attitude was Carmen Xtravaganza.

To find out about other individuals, who are important in the Ball community, please visit the How Do I Look website.

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Moving Fashion Forward: Exclusive Interview with YouTube user J'adore Haute Couture

2008-06-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

'Fashion is art.'

There is a user on YouTube; his profile name is J'adore Haute Couture. His first name is Tomáš, and Tomáš is a student in Slovakia. Out of his passion for fashion, Tomáš has posted over 1,400 fashion videos on YouTube. I reached out to Tomáš by e-mail, and he agreed to give this blog an exclusive interview about his interest in fashion design.

LF: What inspires you about fashion and haute couture?

J'adore Haute Couture: Everything. Fashion is art. Haute Couture is even beyond art. Even the fact that Haute Couture clothes are made of superb materials, and they are products of the highest and the finest quality marked by the most excellent work in the world speaks for itself. Sewing machines are prohibited, so every lining is sewn by hand, every stitch is done by hand. And dresses take from 200 to 1000 hours of manual sewing. The price of a couture item ranges from $20,000 to $80,000 -- and is often more -- but it is very impolite to ask how much the item costs, because that shows that one can not afford it.

Chambre Syndicale makes very strict rules to classify Haute Couture houses. Couture houses must produce 50 new and original outfits of day and evening wear every season, they must make 2 collections every year. And they must employ at least twenty full-time workers in one atelier or workshop.

If one is interested in buying an Haute Couture dress, she has to make an appointment that is followed by about 3 fittings. Fittings are very elegant and exclusive affairs. For example at Valentino, expensive perfume is sprayed into the air a few minutes before the client arrives, so she does not have to breathe the same air as the masses. Only about 3000 women in the world can afford Haute Couture clothes, and less than 1,000 women buy them regularly. For example, Chanel sells around 150 outfits and Christian Dior sells about 20 bridal gowns a year. Haute Couture is a designer's dream: creativity is unfettered, unrestrained by any financial considerations. What a talent it is to be able to conceptualize, design, and produce any garment you can imagine.

Another advantage for designers is that Haute Couture is not influenced by trends at all. Haute Couture offers to busy and exhausted extravagantly wealthy women an escape from a gray reality to the world of dream and luxury. And they do not care about prices. Haute Couture represents perfection and beauty, and fashion without Haute Couture is unimaginable. In order to compensate, business savvy designers and fashion houses are selling perfumes and ready-to-wear clothes at mass market prices and netting a huge amount of money for Haute Couture. There is no reason why not to be impressed by Haute Couture.

LF: What is your background? Are you a designer? Do you buy haute couture for yourself?

J'adore Haute Couture: I have recently graduated from high school. Due to my desire of pursuing fashion design, I am planning to apply for University of Fashion Design next year. I have been interested in fashion for several years and it is still fascinating me. I am drawing and sketching a lot, so that one day my dream may come true. Because of the fact that there are not any menswear haute couture collections, I cannot buy Haute Couture for myself. In addition to that, I do not have enough money.

LF: You have over 1,400 videos on YouTube. About how much of them are dedicated to fashion?

J'adore Haute Couture: I believe that all of them are dedicated to fashion. I have a huge amount of fashion shows, and this is just a part of it. If I had had more time, I would have uploaded more shows. I'm not sure whether one day I will upload all of the videos. I want to keep some of them in my private collection. Only time will tell.

LF: After having seen so many fashion shows, do you have a favorite designer? Who do you think does the best job of designing haute couture? Can you give me an example from one of your videos?

J'adore Haute Couture: When I am watching fashion show, I'm looking for diversity and designer's ability to explore and expand his/her skills. The more creative, the better. There are many great fashion designers, but only few of them are moving fashion forward. For me, one of them would be Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga. If one wants to see some timeless clothes, Balenciaga may be the best choice. So it has. I also admire work of Alber Elbaz for Lanvin and Muccia Prada. It is astounding to see ability of top designers to interpret their view of the woman in various ways. Each season, they design something totally different and new, but one can always tell the outfits are for instance Balenciaga or Prada. Nowadays, there are only few couture designers, and I think all of them are masters of what they are doing. Couturier is the highest possible post in the fashion, and only the chosen by Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture are honored to design masterpieces. Everybody has different style, so preferences depend on customers' tastes. Personally I like Valentino, Chanel and Elie Saab. They are combining flawless constructions and spectacular details. Their clothes are also very wearable -- although this fact is not relevant in designing Haute Couture.

Elie Saab HC FW07 full show

Valentino HC FW06 full show

LF: Are you surprised that even though the videos are about models wearing designer clothes that many of comments that come from your audience are questions about the songs and music used in the fashion shows?

J'adore Haute Couture: A bit, but it is alright. I am also curious about the soundtracks, and viewers provide me with the track lists. It works well.

To watch the many high-quality fashion shows uploaded by Tomáš, please visit his user profile on YouTube at: J'adore Haute Couture. Read the next installment of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II

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J'adore Haute Couture: Fashion is Art Available for Anyone

2008-06-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

'Haute Couture is even beyond art.'

Tomáš, who owns the very popular profile, J'adore Haute Couture, on YouTube, talks about the importance of music in fashion shows and about his favourite models.

LF: What do you think makes the best music for fashion shows? Can you give me an example from one of your videos?

J'adore Haute Couture: In my opinion, music must fit the theme of the collection. It had better be neither too fast nor too slow. It should be presented in a modern way even though the used songs may be older. Moreover, individual songs should not be tacky.

Gucci FW06 full show

Versace FW 2003

Lanvin FW08

LF: What is the feedback you get from your audience to your videos? What do you hope the viewers of your videos will get out of watching the fashion shows?

J'adore Haute Couture: It varies. Many people are grateful, which is very satisfying for me. I started posting videos because I felt so thankful to people who were uploading full shows on YouTube a year ago. So, I wanted to make my own contribution. I strive for bringing as good videos as possible. Many people are not considerate about art in today's society. For me, fashion is art available for anyone. Not everybody can visit famous museums with paintings of Renoir, Picasso, or Basquiat or attend operas, ballets or classical concerts. On the other hand, one can enter the world of art and dreaming while watching fashion shows. That is the reason why I upload all these files.

LF: Do you think that fashion design students can learn something from watching these videos?

J'adore Haute Couture: They may avoid being stuck in just one style. Designers are always making something new every season. They are very flexible and creative. These two things are crucial to make it into the industry. People are not interested in something they have already seen before. In fashion, there are no rules. Fashion design students, on the other hand, have to be careful not to start to copy designers' outfits or accessories from the videos. They have to find their own signature or they become pseudo-designers who don't know what to design next season.

LF: Do you think that new fashion models can learn to walk with poise and confidence from your videos?

J'adore Haute Couture: They might. Although walk is not one of the most important things in the fashion industry, it can be an advantage of a model.

LF: What have you learned from having watched so many fashion shows?

J'adore Haute Couture: Many things. I am not going to mention them all, just couple of them. I realised what fashion is all about. Art and customers. One has to learn the entity of art and to become creative but he/she also has to satisfy customers and find a good balance between these two opposite things.

LF: Do you have a favorite female model? Can you give me an example from one of your videos?

J'adore Haute Couture: Too many. To name a few: from the middle generation* of supermodels I like Daria Werbowy and Hana Soukupova. There are many fresh faces but I like Ali Michael and Heidi Mount. I like models with great personalities who are very down-to-earth.

Other models that I like:

* old generation: Amber Valletta, Caroline Murphy, Nadja Auermann, Stella Tennant, Linda Evangelista...

* middle generation: Gemma Ward, Gisele Bundchen, Karolina Kurkova, Liya Kebede, Karen Elson...

* new generation: Hilary Rhoda, Doutzen Kroes, Caroline Trentini, Catherine McNeil, Lara Stone...

First Face Talks FW07 – Daria Werbowy

Models Talk SS08 – Ali Michael

Models Talk SS08 – Heidi Mount

LF: Thank you, Tomáš, for taking the time to answer my questions. Good luck with your studies, and I wish you all the best in fashion design. We hope to see you present your own line of Haute Couture. With all of the inspiration that you have had (and offer to everyone) from your videos, we are sure it will be very soon.

To watch the many high-quality fashion shows uploaded by Tomáš, please visit his user profile on YouTube at: J'adore Haute Couture. Read the previous installment of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II

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Haute Couture on YouTube

2008-05-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

YouTube user builds impressive collection of Fashion Show videos

If you want to know what the world's fashion designers are up to, check out the videos being posted on YouTube by J'adore Haute Couture.

With over 1,100 videos uploaded onto his YouTube account, the YouTube account user, identified as Tomas, is presenting what could arguably be one of the most exhaustive collections of fashion show footage available over the Internet.

Here is a recent upload of Versace's Fall Winter collection as presented at Fashion Week in February 2008 in Milan.

Not only can you check out the fashions that designers are creating for their shows, but you can also listen to the songs and music they select for the runway.

UPDATE: Read our exclusive, two-part interview with the user who has posted over 1,100 videos on YouTube; his profile name is J'adore Haute Couture.

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Willi Ninja: YouTube Video Tribute

2008-04-22T04:17:00.000-07:00

The Legacy Continues...

A video tribute to Willi Ninja, the extraordinarily talented dancer and trend-setter, was posted on YouTube last week. Produced in collaboration with the House of Ninja, the video features music by DJ Chip Chop and video by Wolfgang Busch and Eileen Ninja.

From what I've learned about Willi from people who knew and worked with him is that Willi was highly respected and admired for his talent. And as I keep adding on to this blog, I continue to see examples of his influences in dancing. I hope you enjoy this video tribute, because it pays hommage to a very gifted man.

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Fashion and Innovative Dance: Runway for the Ballet

2008-03-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Dancing off the Runway

The law firm of Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP sponsored the second annual Runway for the Ballet program, a fashion show benefitting the North Carolina Dance Theatre. An edited video presentation of the benefit was posted on YouTube.

During sections of the video, the "innovation part" of art direction, music editing, and choreography came together by exhibiting excerpts of the North Carolina Dance Theatre's popular works inbetween segments of the fashion show. This mix of great music carried over nicely from the fashion show portions to the ballet portions. I found this video of their March 2008 benefit extremely inspiring for its ingenuity.

According to Runway for the Ballet, the Spring 2008 fashion was provided by Neiman Marcus.

For awesome photographs of the March 2008 fundraiser, please visit Christopher Record Photography's blog.

In 2006, the first Runway for the Ballet program produced an inspirational video

In 2006, the North Carolina Dance Theatre launched Runway for the Ballet as a benefit program. Here is their first video presentation of that benefit program.

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A Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam, the Queen of Comedy: Part 1

2008-03-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

One Sunday evening earlier this month, before her popular show at New York City night club, Escuelita, the actress, singer, and female illusionist Harmonica Sunbeam sat down in the dressing room at Escuelita with the activist and director Wolfgang Busch and I for an interview about her beginnings, artistic development, and gratitude.

LF: Wolfgang has told me so much about you. I looked on your website, and I see that you have this history in show business. What was your start in show business?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I don't know the exact year, but, when I first came out, I got involved with the Ball scene. I walked a Ball at the Paris is Burning Ball at Trax, First Time Up In Drags. And that started my drag portion. I won, and then I would do it occasionally. Sometime after that, I went to a show, and I decided to give that a shot. And that worked out well, which usually does. Anytime you do anything for the first time, your friends are there for support, hopefully. So, I would do a show from time to time in addition to the balls, and then I started hosting the shows, and that's where it blossomed from there.

Wolfgang Busch: What year was that?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I'm going to say it was about 16 or 17 years ago.

Wolfgang Busch: So, 1990-ish?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah.

LF: Where do you find inspiration for what you do? Like hosting, you saw somebody else do it, and you said, "I can do that as well?"

Harmonica Sunbeam: No, that's not how it happened at all. I saw the show, and I said, "I can do that." But as far as the hosting part, I was just always just a guest in the show at this small bar in Newark called First Choice. And one day, the hostess didn't show up. So, I was just kind of thrust into the position, because I was the only one that wasn't as shy to do it. But my inspiration, I enjoy comedy, I enjoy making people laugh, because I just feel that there's so much – even back then, we have so many burdens on our shoulders to bear on a daily basis that it would feel great to take some time away and forget our problems and just enjoy ourselves. So, I approach my performance from that part: making everyone feel welcome and in a festive mood.

LF: How did you come to be known as the Queen of Comedy?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, it's kind of self-proclaimed, because I used to call myself the Queen of the West Village, because I had a long-running show in the now-defunct Two Potato in the West Village. And I thought that it localized me, and it made me too location specific. So, I wanted to make it more general, where it wouldn't be so Point A to Point B.

LF: How did you get to know Wolfgang?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I guess from How Do I Look. I didn't meet you before How Do I Look?

Wolfgang Busch: It was for How Do I Look, but through whom and where and when, I have no clue.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah, I'm sorry. At sex parties, O.K.?

LF: LOL! Do you remember how you were selected for How Do I Look? How did that happen that you got to be in the film?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I guess I'm going to assume that after Wolfgang talked to people, my name probably popped up a few times, he decided to seek me out from that point on. I would say that.

LF: Tell me about the filming.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, we shot – I think we shot here. I think we shot here, yeah we shot here. It was pretty short, and it didn't take a lot of time. Basically, it was me speaking from the heart and my thoughts on the Ballroom community and how it's progressed or what needs to be done to make it better.

LF: Was that your first experience in film?

Harmonica Sunbeam: No, I've done some film and TV work.

Wolfgang Busch: What was your film work before?

Harmonica Sunbeam: The first film I did was one called, Party Girl. It was an independent film with Parker Posey. And then I've done Honey, The World Trade Center, and --

LF: -- and you've been on TV, too?

Harmonica Sunbeam: -- there's a movie called, Uptown Girls, that I did, but got cut out of, with Brittany Murphy. So, I'm unionized and everything like that.

Wolfgang Busch: That's an accomplishment.

LF: You know, Wolfgang had a purpose for How Do I Look, which was to empower the Ball community and to give some respect and acknowledgment to them. How do you contrast that – that purpose – with the personality that people come to expect of you , which is to be quick-witted, sharp, have panache – like, it doesn't really meld?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, I think so, because the personality gathers their attention. And from that point, once you have an attentive audience, you can tell them anything. And if people respect you, they will listen. And the whole thing about educating people – like, when they have the Balls that are sponsored by these big AIDS organizations. It's like an entertainment situation, but they are also throwing in some educational value, as well. Putting out their message, that they want to get across, as well, in a subliminal way, so as not to turn people off or make people think twice like, "Oh, here it goes again."

Read the next installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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Artistic Progression: Our Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam: Part 2

2008-03-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

In our last part, Harmonica Sunbeam spoke about acting in several movies. Here, she sees opportunities for the Ballroom scenes in other major U.S. cities to empower themselves through independent filmmaking.

LF: Wolfgang's film had a work-in-progress segment, meaning, when he started it, he showed it in different stages before it was completed. In all your other film and TV work, there is no such thing. Like you said, you were in Uptown Girls. It was shot, it was edited, and then it was the end result. And with Wolfgang and his film, it sort of evolved.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, it was because it was a documentary. And if you want to document something, you need enough information to support the message you are trying to get across and also to offer the different views that come along with that setting. And you can do How Do I Look in so many different formats, and I think Wolfgang – his attempt was to try to include as many people as possible, so certain people didn't feel left out. And now that the Ball scene has branched to so many different cities and states, you can actually do a How Do I Look: California Style. Kind of like the Real World, how it evolved: Real World: Miami, Real World: Philadelphia. Everyone, they all have their own history now, at this point, where they started, and how they filtered into the New York City scene.

LF: I like that. So, you are sort of looking at the progression: like, the Ball community started, and then it's become something bigger, and it's spreading out, like you said.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yes.

LF: Like Giselle, she's now getting into modeling.

Wolfgang Busch: She got a job because an agent at Elite saw How Do I Look, contacted me, I put them together, and she just told me she got a job.

Harmonica Sunbeam: I think it's great. And I think it can be like that for more people in the Ballroom scene, but they have to put themselves out there in more ways than one. It's great that more mainstream people are coming to see it, and it may be able to offer the opportunity to have those individuals who are creative and talented enough to be pulled out. But don't just let your talents rest here. Continue to take your talents elsewhere, so they can be appreciated and compensated for. The bottom line is the whole thing with the Balls: the most you are going to walk out with is possibly some cash and a trophy, and notoriety – but eventually in the end, the real world comes into view, and you still have to survive in that.

LF: Sort of like with you. You said you started out doing shows, and then hosting, and now you are in TV and film.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Right.

LF: So, do you see a parallel in that?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, yes, because I think that most of the kids in the Ballroom scene don't – I've always looked at it as a hobby, and then I've parlayed it, so to speak, into a career for me. And not everyone has that mindset to do so, but the potential is so easy. You take what you do best in the Ballroom, and you see how I can take it into the real world and make it happen for me. When I was in high school, in my yearbook picture there's no sign that says, "Most likely to be a drag queen" underneath. This all just happened. I took it, and I ran with it. And I made it my own. And if more people can do that, it would really be an exciting thing. And it would also bring attention back to the Ballroom scene, because this is where your roots are. It would make other people focus: "Well, if these three individuals came from there – if Giselle the model came from there; and Harmonica the comedian came from there; and this one, the dancer, came from there, who else can we pull out from there?" So, I spread the message all the time. This is where my start was as far as the Ball scene was concerned.

LF: What do you think How Do I Look has done for you?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I think it has broadened my horizons, and it has exposed a lot of people who may have heard of me or who may have never heard of me and to see me in a different light, especially for people who have seen me perform but who have not gotten a chance to meet me personally or see another side of me offstage, casually talking to the camera, as opposed to the diva on stage. I guess it exposed the human side as opposed to the star side of Harmonica.

LF: What is the feedback that you have received from your fans about How Do I Look?

Harmonica Sunbeam: For people who do not know that I am actually in it, they are quite surprised when they watch it. They just had a screening last month in Jersey City, and one of the people from JCLGO, which is the organization that hosted it, he said, "Oh, we are showing your movie tonight." I was like, "My movie?" I said, "No, I'm just one of the few in there." He said, "Yes, but we are all going to see it, because you are in it." And that made me feel good, it made me feel special and proud, especially because I live in Jersey City. It's my hometown, and JCLGO is my hometown organization.

Read the next installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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Roll With It: Our Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam: Part 3

2008-03-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

Harmonica reveals how she approaches female illusion with originality: through a personality she can call all her own.

LF: How do people from the Ball community relate to you?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I guess a lot of people, the ones that know me, they look up to me. They recognize me as someone who's been there from the old school days, so to speak, and also as someone who has made my way through the ranks there, and as someone who has taken the art of female impersonation and brought it to another level, and brought it to a more mainstream level.

LF: So, you have been in other films and TV, how did that happen? How did you get unionized? How did you discover this opportunity to go into acting?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, it came to me. Right, it's not very often. There was a customer, who had a friend, who worked for an agency. The name of the agency that represents me is Hans Walters, and they brought one of the representatives to the show. They liked me a lot, and they felt that they could use me for some of the calls that they get. It was just as easy as that. I know a lot of times people go looking for agents, but I didn't have to do that footwork.

LF: Oh wow, that's good. Congratulations.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Just being somewhere and putting yourself out there, you just never know....I don't know who's going to be in the audience tonight, who might say, "Hey, I could use this individual to market tampons."

LF: LOL! So, where is it that you get this comedy?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I guess I've always had it for quite some time. I've always been kind of like – not necessarily a class clown, but always just quick-witted and sharp-tongued to an extent. The sharp tongue part of it you kind of need in this scene, because people always have something to say. So, I guess it all stems from that, and just finding a way to capture it and make it entertaining without being offensive to an audience. There's a fine line.

Wolfgang Busch: How much is improvised, and how much is scripted?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Improvised: 99%, scripted: 1%. Basically, I may think of what I want to say, but once I get out there, the whole show may take another course, because of the audience, because of their energy, and no audience is ever the same. I may plan the same show, but it will never be the same.

Wolfgang Busch: One comment can change everything?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Right, one weird person. Like the lady who was Crystal Gayle, yeah, you see, you know what I mean? One of the many characters who happen to show up at the show when you least expect it. And you just go with the flow. Someone else may get thrown off base or become upset by someone else. I roll with it. That's what happens when you are so scripted that something like outside in the audience happens that you can't get back on track to your script, that's not a good thing. Even when people say, "You know, it's so-and-so's birthday." I say, "You've got to write it down." Because if it is written down, I can come back here in-between sets and think…but to just tell me something before the show starts and think I'm going to retain that? Because once the show starts, I'm on, and I'm in show mode. And my goal is not to try to remember things that I was supposed to do. It's just, "Okay, let's just do this show." And what happens, happens. Sometimes, after the show, I come back here, I'm exhausted, I sit down, and I think, "Damn, I forgot the joke about….!" Oh, well, you know?

LF: You don't seem to be impersonating somebody else. You are who you are: you are into comedy.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Right, Harmonica Sunbeam is a personality.

LF: Right, you are not imitating somebody else?

Harmonica Sunbeam: If I do someone's song, it's Harmonica Sunbeam doing a Whitney Houston song – not me trying to be Whitney Houston. Times have changed have a lot, but I remember when I first started out, people would always say, "Who do you do?" It's always about characters, about you imitating someone else, so to speak. Because I don't feel like I particularly look like anyone, I had to find my own niche. That's the whole thing about the whole drag industry, in a nutshell, is that in order to survive in this scene, you're going to either look exactly like someone and you'll always find work, you know, La Cage-type stuff, you know, plus in a lot of straight venues as well, because it's easy. Or you have to have some gimmick to your act, and that creates the longevity, because if you don't have that gimmick, you don't stand out. With so many people saying, "Oh, I'm a drag queen," it's like what do you have to offer that's going to make us say, "Let's hire her instead of her."

Read the next installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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The Sky's the Limit: Our Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam: Part 4

2008-03-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

Fans are posting some of Harmonica Sunbeam's comedy material on YouTube, we discover.

LF: So, how hard is it for you to keep this individuality and creativity?

Harmonica Sunbeam: It's not hard. You know, you get inspired. As far as the comedy portion of it, anything can be – I enjoy doing different things just to gather the experience of being somewhere. And I can take that same situation, no matter how wonderful or how bad it is, and use it as a story on the stage. So, that's why I never turn down any new experiences, because you never know what you can get out of it.

LF: Being who you are, you are this personality, I looked on YouTube, and I found a couple of videos. One of them, that is my favorite, is your Bedtime Story. It's on YouTube. I don't know if you remember it?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yes.

LF: It was really funny, I loved it. So, you have this fan base that take video of you, and then they go home and put it on YouTube.

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah, I mean, the YouTube stuff is great, because it is great for exposure, but the only thing is that sometimes you don't have any control over what people are putting up there. It might be, like, "Oh, gosh, I looked a mess that day." You know, I would not have personally put that up there. None of the stuff that's on YouTube I personally put up myself. I'm such a perfectionist that if it was something that I wanted to put up there, it would have to be right-right. But nowadays, I mean what can you do? With technology comes great things, and also things that can backfire on you.

LF: How do you feel about that? There are all these people out there, talking about you? They see you as a public person, because to a lot of people you are. You live a public life.

Harmonica Sunbeam: It comes with the territory. There's not much you can do with it. The only thing that I can say is that you don't let it get to you where it gets out of hand, or where you are taking it the wrong way. As long as it is not, like, a malicious situation, then I am fine with it. But people are going to have their views. When you post something on YouTube, two people might say, "Oh, it's fabulous, she looks great." And another one says, "Oh, I've seen better." It's like, Okay, these are people's opinions. That's what happens.

LF: What would you like to do in your career? You are based here. You've been doing this now for 10 years.

Harmonica Sunbeam: A little bit more.

LF: So what do you see next?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well...?

LF: Or what do you see that you can do now?

Harmonica Sunbeam: What I would like to do – because I am approaching 40 next year, and I enjoy performing, but I would like to take it to the next level in terms of Broadway or more film/more TV. I'd like to get my old cabaret type stuff and not necessarily clubs stuff, and not as often. I don't want to be 43 doing 2 am shows for 20-year-olds, and I don't want to perform because I have to perform. I want to perform because I like performing and I enjoy it. So, I would like to broaden my horizons in that respect, like possibly a TV show or with the advent of gay cable shows, to progress my career even further.

LF: With this explosion in reality TV, is there something in reality TV, or were you thinking of a comedy show?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Like a Mad TV-type show. They have something like that, it's called Laugh Out Loud, a big gay sketch comedy show on Logo. Something like that, or people always say, "I think you'll do very well with talk show. I don't know if mainstream TV is really ready for a drag queen hostess doing a talk show?

LF: RuPaul did that for a while, didn't she?

Harmonica Sunbeam: She had a cable show.

LF: Right, on VH1?

Harmonica Sunbeam: On VH1, yeah.

Wolfgang Busch: And the one from Australia, what's her name, the one with the big glasses?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Dame Edna. I mean, the sky's the limit. You never know. And I always use RuPaul as an example, too, because, she started out as a drag performer, and then she did the song, and she had a recording career. And then from the recording career, she came to the acting career. She used to host on a radio station. She was a jockey on one of the radio stations for some time. The cable show. The film and TV part. So, you just never know. If people think you are marketable enough, they will hire you. Look at how many rappers turned actors. Put them in the role, and the role works. People respond to it, and the next thing you know they have more and more. I went to school with Queen Latifah. We went to high school together.

LF: You did?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah. It's just amazing to see from when we were in high school.

Read the next installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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Around the World: Our Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam: Part 5

2008-03-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

Harmonica talks about going to high school with Queen Latifah and about other celebrities, who come calling on Harmonica at Escuelita.

LF: Did you know Queen Latifah back in high school?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Uh-huh. We hung out. Sitting in the lunch room, with her rapping and doing the beatbox, and stuff like that.

Wolfgang Busch: You did beatbox?

Harmonica Sunbeam: No, her. And years later, for her to be this, you know what I mean, this woman of all this: where she started with just a little rapping, to her own TV show, to producing, directing – it's just wonderful, wonderful. Spokesperson for all these commercials. Wow! It makes you know that it can happen to the little people, because everyone thinks that, "Well, it all happens overnight." And I think it's a journey, and that journey makes everyone humble. And in that, there are going to be ups and downs and trials and tribulations. And it just keeps you humble.

LF: Did you know that Queen Latifah did a video where she had vogue dancers? She hired Willi Ninja for the music video for Come Into My House.

Harmonica Sunbeam: I've seen quite some stuff, because she's always been gay friendly. Even in some of her lyrics, you can hear some gay slang. In some of her earlier lyrics, you hear some gay slang, which shows that she was in touch with the community. And then we lost – she lived in Jersey City for some time, and we would run into each other – and we kind of lost track with each other, and stuff like that. But it would be nice to hear from her.

LF: What kind of celebrities come visit you hear, to see the show?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, we've had a few and far between – just people in the industry, like there's a stylist that comes every once in a while, his name is Phillip Bloch. And also Frenchie Davis has been here in the past, Freddie Jackson. And people just pop in. You know, I try not to make a scene, because I know when I go somewhere, and I'm just trying to enjoy myself, I don't want to be noticed. And some people don't mind, and some people do mind. The director of Noah's Ark comes through every once in a while, as well as the cast members of Noah's Ark.

Wolfgang Busch: What's the director's name?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Patrik-Ian Polk.

LF: Where did you find influences in your stage performance and in your music?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, comedy wise, I've always been a fan of Carol Burnett and Rita Rudner. And show-wise, there's a lot of great female entertainers that I feel really give a show and put in 110% into a show, like Tina Turner, and who just go all-out for their audience. And that's my aim each and every time I get on the stage. I'd rather not do a show than half-way do a show, because the audience will never understand. If I came out, saying, "I'm not feeling that great tonight, so I'm not going to do this, this, this, and this." Some people will say, "O.K., we understand. You give us 120% each week." But there will always be somebody in the audience who will say, "Then, bitch, why did you come out?"

LF: You don't only play in New York?

Harmonica Sunbeam: No, I go wherever the money is.

LF: Where have you gone that's been interesting for you? Where has your career taken you?

Harmonica Sunbeam: To Bermuda. To Manchester, England; there's a festival up there called It's Queer Up North. And I've performed in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, as well as Lyon, France.

LF: Lyon, France?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah, because I tour with a dance company called Evidence.

LF: When you go on the road, do you do your show from here over there, or do you do something else? With Evidence, you are doing dancing?

Harmonica Sunbeam: No. My friend, who is the choreographer and director, Ronald K. Brown, he wrote a piece called, Dirt Road: Morticia Supreme's Revue. And I play Morticia Supreme, and I host the show. And I kind of like fill the audience in as to what is going on, with the dance piece. So, basically, when I travel, I'm either doing my own one-woman show, so to speak, or I'm a guest or a part of a show with other people involved.

LF: For all the time that you've been here at Escuelita, over 10 years, obviously you have a very loyal following. How does that feel to have people who are very loyal to you, follow you, and support you?

Harmonica Sunbeam: It feels wonderful. It's nice to know that you have people on your side, people who care, people who will be there for you in more ways than one. Even some of the, quote-unquote, fans, I develop friendships with them on a more friendship level than opposed to me entertainer, you fan. A lot of people invite me to their different family events, and I can't always go because of my own schedule, and they understand that, as well, but it feels nice that people want to get to know more of you than just the stage persona.

Read the next installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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Power of Community: Our Conversation with Harmonica Sunbeam: Part 6

2008-03-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Backstage at Escuelita night club with Harmonica Sunbeam

Harmonica tells us about the marketing aspects of being a famous female impersonator; she also gracefully lets us know who Willi Ninja was to her.

Wolfgang Busch: How is Myspace affecting your audience?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I've heard of Myspace for quite some time, and I was totally against it only because I had my own website, and I was like, "Well, that was sufficient enough." And I didn't know the whole workings of the whole Myspace site.

LF: And wasn't there someone at some point trading on your name?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Right, there was someone who had opened up a profile with my name and my pictures from my website – on Myspace. And people were saying, "Oh, I sent you a message on Myspace." I said, "Well, I'm not on Myspace." And they said, "Oh, yes you are." And in order to get that person off, I joined. So, that's why my Myspace is under the Real Harmonica Sunbeam. And I didn't realize that Myspace was a community within a community. It really helps to get you in touch with long-lost people. And as an entertainer or artist with something to offer, it works out well for anyone, because it's free exposure. And who doesn't want that?

Wolfgang Busch: It helps to build an audience.

Harmonica Sunbeam: It's 24 hour exposure. You know, Myspace has also gotten me some bookings, so it works out.

LF: What does gay pride mean to you, if I can ask that kind of question?

Harmonica Sunbeam: It means accepting what you are and who you are, and not letting anyone bring you down about those two facts.

LF: How do you relate to other performers, other drag queens? Do you see yourself competing, always having to be better?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Well, I don't compete with other people. I compete with myself. I'm always trying to improve myself. I don't worry about other people, necessarily, with what they're doing. I focus on myself and making my own situation better. I think that there are a lot of people who use the term drag queen or female illusionist or female impersonator, and you have to do what you need do to in order to stay on top and keep your name out there. And keep the people – the managers and the owners of these clubs – calling you. And I think I try to be a better drag persona, because I opened doors for people. I helped other people, who are just coming into the business. I give them the chance that I had to fight for when I was just coming up. Some people are very insecure and don't want their light, so to speak, stolen from them, and so they won't give you a chance. There's enough light and stardom and money for all of us. And whatever you're going to get is what's coming to you. So, if you stop me from being in your show because you're jealous of me, you're not going to get the accolades if you don't deserve them, anyway.

LF: Just one quick follow-up: what you said about helping other people, didn't you help organize or host a mini-ball here?

Wolfgang Busch: That was in reference to the Eric Christian Bazaar -

Harmonica Sunbeam: - right.

LF: - yes, what did you do there to support the Ball community? What happened? Was that you being an example of - ?

Wolfgang Busch: - because there was a team from the BBC, and we needed an event, and we kind of tied that in?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Look, we are all part of the community, and it's all about us helping us. And if no one is going to help us, then we need to help ourselves. And there are many people who have come and gone and … we need to acknowledge and remember that it could be us. And you would want the same treatment for yourself as you would give to someone else. We all want to be loved and remembered and supported, and in order for that to happen, it has to be a give-and-take type of situation. So, I am always doing what I can. I can't always do much, but it's the thought that counts. So, we had this event. And it was a mini-ball, and we had the ball here.

Wolfgang Busch: And Willi was working coat check. And I don't know who was M.C.-ing, Kevin or somebody, called him out. And he came out.

LF: So, did you know Willi Ninja?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Yeah. Willi worked here on Thursday nights as one of the door people. Well, I had known him from the Ballroom scene before I started working here.

LF: What did you think about him?

Harmonica Sunbeam: I think he was an inspiration and a role model for a lot of young kids in the scene, and for many more to come. And I think his name and legacy will always live on. And it's good that we remind the upcoming kids of who paved the way – the people who helped pave the way, that were there. I'm not one of the people. When I first started coming out – I graduated high school in 1987 – and I started coming out about '88, '89, these were the people that I saw when I was just going to the Balls and sitting in the audience, as opposed to before I stared walking. This is back in the days when everything was basically located in Harlem.

LF: What Balls did you go to up there?

Harmonica Sunbeam: Pretty much it was at the Elks Lodge. It was such a fascinating culture for me that, as often as I could and being a young person having a mediocre-paying job and stuff like that, I couldn't always afford to go. And transportation, curfew, and so many other issues, that when I did go, it was a fun and enjoyable event.

LF: Good. Thank you for allowing Wolfgang and I to come visit you here at Escuelita.

Go back and read the previous installments of this exclusive interview:

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI

For another unique experience with Harmonica Sunbeam, please watch the independent documentary, How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch.

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Jonté's 'Make-Up:' Pop culture trends begin by being inspiring

2008-03-13T03:12:00.000-07:00

After the dancer and singer Jonté performed to the song Make-Up by Vanity 6, he began a new trend in dance, fashion, and performance.

Inspiring performance by Jonté to Make-Up at Webster Hall in 2007

I invite you to watch this video from 2007, and to see for yourself how performance can be a fusion of dance, fashion, and attitude. Watch as Jonté turns it out. And then see how he has been able to influence others with this song, his fashion, and his style.

Music Video for Make-Up by Jonté

Having met so much success, Jonté recorded his own music video for Make-Up, increasing the connection his fans make between Jonté's dancing and fashion with the song.

"Make-Up not only combines dance with creative styling but it is daring and so inspiring and it raises the bar for the people in the scene that would like to venture in the same area (video making)." Read the complete interview with Jonté by Gazelle.

Fashion model Marco da Silva shows the influence Jonté has had in his dance and choreography

Marco da Silva posted a video on YouTube, showing himself in a dance studio, where he was learning a choreographed dance set to Jonté's popular song, Make-Up. That a model takes Jonté seriously enough to study dance is recognition that Jonté's act is original enough to be inspiring the most recognised form of flattery: immitation.

On this video, possibly made sometime in 2007, de Silva credits the routine to Shaun Capewell (Dance2xs); however, the influence is undeniable. The video was taped at Pineapples Pineapples London.

Do you think a trend is created only if other celebrities pick up on a new dance or fashion style? Or do you think the mass culture has to be in on it from the beginning?

KOOan s/s 2008 collection

And then at a fashion show for KOOan, not only did the designer feature dancers on the runway, but there was the song Make-Up playing as music during a segment of the fashion show. Can you guess who showed up?

I invite you to check out a beginner page on Squidoo that aims to track new trends in Pop Culture Trends. Post your comments if you think Jonté's performance to Make-Up has already started to show signs of becoming a pop culture trend on its own.

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Old School Balls

2008-02-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Old School stars from New York Drag Balls

Here is a video I found on YouTube, which shows examples of some of the "Old School Balls" and of some of the stars that helped to start artistic trends in dance, fashion, and runway.

"A look at how it was done back in the early 90s. Milan, Xtravaganza, Pendavis, Revlon, LaBeija, Richards, and many, many more."

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What a commentator offers dancers and models on the runway: energy and inspiration

2008-02-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

RuPaul as a 'Commentator'

I think part of the reason that RuPaul's hit song, Supermodel of the World, was such a big hit was because the listeners of the song were inspired to see themselves "work" the runway. If having a singer like RuPaul can make her music fans imagine themselves as models at the sound of her lyrics ("wet your lips and make love to the camera"), you can imagine that her lyrics can also be encouraging to an actual model working during a fashion show.

In essence, RuPaul's lyrics act as instruction or direction to models (real or imaginary), and in a fashion show, that commentary can be performed by a commentator (a master of ceremonies, of sorts).

RuPaul, in her own way, was doing in her song what the commentator (and to a certain extent, the audience) does at ball competitions: motivate and inspire the models. Because, in every sense of the word, it can be said that the dancers and performers at ball competitions are "models" working on a "runway."

will.i.am as a 'Commentator'

In another video I found on YouTube, I found a portion of the CBS broadcast of the 2007 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. In the video (at 2:30), the singer will.i.am begins to sing in the style of a commentator (like RuPaul, if we can call her that for the purpose of this blog post, for we know that she is much more than just that).

(I also liked the novice "hands" performance that the Victoria's Secret angel Izabel Goulart turns out (at 3:09).)

There is a way to distinguish what will.i.am did to make the models walk with more energy and enthusiasm than when Seal took his turn to sing on the runway. Whereas will.i.am's lyrics were set to the a thumping beat (that can be matched by the strut of the model's gait, Seal's song was more of a ballad whose storyline was competing with the pace of the action and movement on the runway. This isn't to say that Seal added nothing to the fashion show, but his energy level was different.

Kool-Aid Mizrahi: the best 'Commentator'

Well, if you can imagine someone along the lines of RuPaul and will.i.am, an MC who would animate, cheer, and incite performers as well as an audience, then you would begin to imagine what a really talented commentator could do to rise and swell the passions of dancers, models, and performers on the runway in the Ball community.

And one of the best commentators there is in the Ball community is Kool-Aid Mizrahi. There are many examples of his work, including in the documentary How Do I Look. But here is one video I found on YouTube, which an example of his skills and talents. Kool-Aid Mizrahi adds both energy and inspiration to a ball.

In this video, Kool-Aid Mizrahi inspired a dancer to take to the dance floor and perform to the meter of Kool-Aid's commentary.

The job of the commentator is to challenge dancers and performers. His commentary adds another level of creativity to the performance that is taking place on the runway, and this combination of verbal and visual can be very influential to the spectators. If the commentator changes the meter of his rhythm or speeds up his beat, he is asking the dancer to show the audience the dancer’s skill in performing to new beats or rhythms. What the commentator adds is like a whole other performance: The commentator brings to the runway his own improvisational commentary, and the dancer must keep up with that improvisation, separate to any music that may be playing in the background. The commentary is another aspect of the pure creativity that is at the heart of Ball competitions.

And just last week, Kool-Aid Mizrahi was in the news about a ball competition in Oakland, California ("Gay and Transgender Divas Battle for Stardom in Bay Area's Ballroom Scene").

I would have loved to have seen what Kool-Aid Mizrahi would have done had he had been the commentator at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show....

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Paris video: Dancing to tribal music

2008-02-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

House music dancing

After filming a Paris dance battle, someone posted this video on YouTube of the house music dancing portion of the event. The type of house music in the video is tribal.

Juste Debout ("just upright") is an annual dance competition originated from France which focuses on upright street dance styles. The four main categories are hip hop new style, house, locking and popping (wiki/Juste_Debout).

For more information about this dance competition in France, please visit the Juste Debout website.

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When the Runway is the Subway: New York Street Dancers in Times Square

2008-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

What I love most about living in New York City is how people embrace life, culture, music, dance, and art. Here is a fusion of that flair: an urban dance performance in New York City's Times Square subway station.

Performing to Michael Jackson's classic, "Don't Stop 'Til you Get Enough," these dancers prove that dancing is a showman's sport. You do it because you have a passion for it, and your audience always likes the show you put on.

I am posting this video, in spite of a bigotted comment that can be overheard at one point. I'm overlooking that pejorative in favor of highlighting all the more the talent, spirit, and courage it takes to dance before a public both eager for inspiration and sometimes peppered with bigotry and ignorance.

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Passionately dancing on a stage, and invoking of a runway

2008-01-31T17:44:00.000-08:00

Since I started this blog, I have found myself really inspired whenever I come across a dance performance on the Internet that shows creativity, artistic progression, and professionalism among dancers. Here is an example of such an inspirational dance performance.

Entitled "Passion Dance Runway," this dance performance was choreographed by Julianne Diaz. In this dance number, I appreciated the use of the stage, so that all five dancers could have the space to dance. The music is great ("SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake), and the ladies dance with a powerful confidence.

For more information about these talented dancers, please visit the official Myspace page for Passion Dance Company.

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Giselle Xtravaganza: Working the Runway

2008-01-30T18:48:00.000-08:00

I came across a Ball personality, Giselle Xtravaganza, on YouTube. Appearing in a compilation video of her runway work, Miss Giselle is seen here showing her modeling talents.

While there is no dancing in this video, I selected it, because it represents another positive dimension of the empowerment that can be achieved by members of the Ball community.

Miss Giselle, who is the Mother of the House of Xtravaganza, is recognized for her accomplishments in the categories of: FemQueen Runway, FemQueen Realness, FemQueen Face, and FemQueen Body. When combined, you can imagine how these qualities about Miss Giselle contribute to her confidence on the runway. Take a look:

For her contributions to the Ball community, and for her work in opening the door to inspire others to take their talents outside the Ball community, Miss Giselle was featured in the documentary How Do I Look.

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Underground Dancing: Inspiration for Developing New Dance Moves

2008-01-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

I found a few dance videos on YouTube, which show dance students demonstrating their dancing talents. What I like about the Internet is that you can find so many sources of inspiration about dancing.

The name of the dance company performing in all three videos is the Underground Legendz Dance Team, which is a dance troupe from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.

If anyone has examples of new forms of dancing choreography, especially "underground dancing," I invite you to post comments with links.

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1989: The year 'voguing' began to reach the mass media

2008-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

I have created a list of newspaper and magazine articles, which document the early history of voguing. These articles make it clear that 1989 marked the critical year when news about the vogue style began to spread across the United States. I hope you find this historical information useful and educational. This post only contains reference information that can be independently verified by visiting a news website. On the Squidoo page for How Do I Look, I assembled a list of music videos (based on an interview with Willi Ninja conducted by the filmmaker Wolfgang Busch) that chart the artistic progression of voguing in pop music. Please leave comments to this post, if you know of other links that record the early history of voguing. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Thierry Mugler took 'voguing' to his Paris fashion show

In 1989, Paris fashion designer Thierry Mugler invited two vogue dancers* from New York to perform at his Parish fashion show, so reported Time magazine.

With background training in ballet dancing, Mr. Mugler was one of the first fashion designers to incorporate the vogue dance style into his runway show.

Read the Time magazine article that refers to Thierry Mugler's 1989 fashion show.

* Note: I promise to try to identify who were the dancers who performed in Mr. Mugler's fashion show. If anyone knows who these dancers might be, please leave a comment to this post.

The New Yorker magazine features a sketch of 'voguing'

According to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, even The New Yorker magazine was able to recognize a national trend forming around "voguing" when it featured a sketch about the dance style.

Read the news digest that refers to The New Yorker magazine's sketch.

In May, the New York fashion industry organized the "Love Ball," an AIDS benefit, featuring a 'voguing' performance

The Design Industries Foundation for AIDS organized a fundraising event at the Roseland Ballroom on May 10, 1989. According to The New York Times, the event was to have featured "an extravagant presentation of 'vogueing,' a stylized version of runway modeling based on poses from Vogue magazine."

The Love Ball featured a rising star in the voguing dance movement: Willi Ninja. "The average person can do it, just using the hand movements," Willi Ninja, a top voguer, told The New York Times.

A couple of years later, The New York Times looked back at the original Love Ball and noted:

"The original Love Ball in May 1989 introduced voguing to a wider public and featured the spectacle of poodle-walking voguers from Barneys New York competing against staff members of Metropolitan Home magazine dressed as telephone tables and --setees. The event raised $400,000 for the Design Industries Foundation for AIDS."

Read the benefit's teaser and the recap, which were published by The New York Times.

Time strikes a pose

Following the success of the Love Ball, Time magazine reported about the role of Patricia Field in helping to spread the success of voguing:

Myra Christopher, a salesclerk in designer Patricia Field's New York City boutique, helped vogueing flourish after she went to a ball in the winter of 1987. Says she: "Here were these kids getting prizes and trophies for things they get made fun of for in the real world." She persuaded her boss to start a vogueing group called the House of Field.

The article also noted that:

... Teens are getting glimpses of vogueing in a music video playing on MTV, singer Taylor Dayne's Tell It to My Heart. The craze has already spread to Chicago. Predicts New York City video producer David Bronstein: "I see a lot of choreographers who could be influenced. I see a big crossover there for stage, for TV, for film."

Read the complete Time magazine article.

Voguing goes to Kansas

Word about voguing reached readers of The Wichita Eagle before the end of May 1989, in an article that reported that voguing was New York's latest "in" thing.

Read a digest of The Wichita Eagle article.

In June, the St. Louis Post-Disptach published an article on the new 'voguing' trend eminating from New York

Read a digest of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

In July, The New York Times published an article about Malcolm McLaren's dance hit

Before Madonna released "Vogue," Malcolm McLaren had created buzz for his dance hit, Deep in Vogue.

"An exercise in dramatic stylistic juxtaposition similar to Fans, Waltz Darling blends sweeping symphonic waltzes with jagged pop-funk rhythms, and was partly conceived to accompany the fad called vogueing, in which dancers parody the poses of runway-fashion models. Mr. McLaren has been touring Europe with a five-member vogueing team recruited in New York City. And Deep in Vogue, a single from Waltz Darling, is the most played 12-inch single in dance clubs around the country." **

Read the complete article in The New York Times.

** Note: If anyone knows who the five dancers were, who toured with Mr. McLaren, please leave a comment to this post.

In September, the Chicago Sun-Times reflects on the latest dance craze

In an article, the reporter Richard Roeper reflected back on the summer of 1989 as the "summer of dweebs, Batman and Vogueing."

Read the news digest of the Chicago Sun-Times article.

Vouge dancers performed in St. Louis

Vogueing was performed by the Willie Ninja Troupe.

Read a summary of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

Madonna

And in late 1989, Madonna began recording the song, "Vogue."

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Poses on the Runway: Another early example of voguing: 'Deep In Vogue'

2008-01-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Willi Ninja was featured in the music video for the song 'Deep In Vogue'

"In 1989, [Malcolm McLaren released] the album Waltz Darling, a funk/disco/vogueing inspired album. Waltz Darling ... helped to spread the news about the previously underground practice of vogueing" (see the Wikipedia page for the complete, unedited information about Malcolm McLaren).

The music video for 'Deep In Vogue' (from the album Waltz Darling) featured the dancer and choreographer, Willi Ninja. In this music video, dancers paraody the poses of runway-fashion models.

Ballet Neo dance company also performed 'Deep In Vogue'

The dance company BalletNeo performed Malcolm McLaren's hit with a troupe of 6 dancers, using vogue choreography, in an undated video posted on YouTube.

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Awesome spontaneous voguing, including a brief attitudinal "Umbrella face-off"

2008-01-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

"Clashing egos" demonstrated by dance

Supposedly, some interpretations of voguing can take the form of throwing shade. Here, you can see some of that attitude among dancers during a public gay pride event in Jersey City, NJ. (Look for the acknowledgement of the audience to the flashes of attitude in the dancing.)

Look for a brief shoulder/arm/hands dance movement that is highly reminiscent of a trademark of Willi Ninja's (at 3:13-3:16).

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Jumpstyle tutorial video: how to jump to the beat of the music

2008-01-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

Searching on YouTube, I found a great video that is a tutorial of a style of dancing called Jumpstyle. I wish I could dance like this, it looks so exciting.

I also found a nifty blog that is dedicated to posting dance video tutorials. The Dance Tutorial Blog promises to show you how to learn to dance different styles, such as breakdance, hip-hop, and freestyle.

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Early example of voguing: Queen Latifah's music video for 'Come Into My House'

2008-01-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

I found the music video for Queen Latifah's hit song "Come Into My House" on YouTube. The music video for "Come Into My House" was released before Madonna's music video for "Vogue," according to the dancer and choreographer Willi Ninja. Queen Latifah's music video features Willi Ninja and some early examples of vogue dancing.

Unfortunately, embedding of the video was disabled, so the only way you can watch the video would be to open the link for "Come Into My House" in a new window.

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The Associated Press: Tandi Iman Dupree makes the "greatest" entrance of all time

2007-12-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

This year, the fabulous Tandi Iman Dupree attracted the attention of an entertainment reporter, Jake Coyle, who works for the Associated Press.

In a round-up of interesting Web sites that gained notoriety in 2007, Mr. Coyle wrote about the dangerous stunt that was Miss Dupree's stage entrance at the 2001 Miss Black America drag pageant. In his article, Mr. Coyle described Miss Dupree's performance as among the most interesting items on the Internet, which "deserve notice."

Watch Miss Dupree's acrobatic entrance and performance at the Miss Black America pageant. Set to the tune of Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out for a Hero, Miss Dupree delivers an entrance -- and performance -- of a lifetime.

Look for the dips (dance move) by Miss Dupree (the first at 3:02) and by her dancing partner (at 4:33), which are highly characteristic of the dips in "Ball" dancing. Also notice Miss Dupree's use of the runway.

A little bit about Tandi Iman Dupree

UPDATE: Please read this entry on Lady Bunny's blog, where Lady Bunny shares some sad news about Miss Dupree.

Since I posted this message about Tandi Iman Dupree, I've received a few comments asking about biographical information about Miss Dupree. I was able to reach out and get some information about Miss Dupree's life. A friendly member of the Carrie Fairfield community provided me with the following information, which I'm summarizing here:

I haven't been able to confirm any between Miss Dupree and the Ballroom scene. As far as my source knows, Miss Dupree was always a pageant girl. She actually started her dance career in high school, being the co-captain of her high school majorette squad until graduation. She started competing at N-Cognito night club in Memphis, TN, where she created original talents and routines with other dancers in the area. Word of her talent soon got out.

Miss Dupree was dedicated to becoming Miss Black America. She traveled from drag mecca to drag mecca: such as Texas, Florida, DC, Atlanta to promote her self and her dream of becoming Miss Black America. Unfortunately, she passed away before she could realize her dream.

According to my source, Miss Dupree's father is Shun Monro Dupree, and she was the grandchild of Niesha Dupree (a legend in Atlanta) with connections to Tamisha Iman (former Miss Gay USofA), Tanisha Cassidine (former Miss Black America, Miss Black USofA) and has numerous children sisters and brothers.

SIDEBAR: As I try to collect more information about Miss Dupree's life, I promise to keep you updated.

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The 'How Do I Look Ball' in Chicago

2007-12-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

I found some videos on YouTube, showing the How Do I Look Ball that took place in Chicago with the star Mo'Nique in attendance. In this pair of videos, you can catch a glimpse of the filmmaker Wolfgang Busch shooting his own video footage.

Renaldo Blahnik vs. Raven Mizrahi (dancing) at the How Do I Look Ball.

Legendary Mother Milan MB doin' her "thang" (dancing) at the How Do I Look Ball.

I promise to collect and add more information about the How Do I Look Ball on this post.

Dance and Fashion Show at the Red Ball on World AIDS Day

2007-12-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

On World AIDS Day 2007, dancers from the "Ball" community were invited to perform at the Red Ball fundraiser and awards event of the Fifth Annual New York AIDS Film Festival. Before the guests were seated for dinner, Wolfgang Busch (director of the documentary How Do I Look) posed for a picture with two dancers from the House of Ninja.

As some of the personalities arrived, photographers were given an opportunity to snap pics. Here Busch stood next to celebrity designer Richie Rich, of the fashion design house Heatherette.

At another opportunity, the celebrity fashion designer Marc Bouwer joined Busch for a photo-op.

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Pop culture references to the "Ball" community

2007-11-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

On a forum that was pointed out to me, I saw an interesting post by Mizz Nicky LaLa, in which Mizz Nicky wrote that there are references to the "Ball" community (or "Ball" culture) in some of the songs performed by RuPaul.

Another intresting fact is the inspiration for RuPaul's "Supermodel of the World" album was a statement that Legendary Mother Octavia Laurent (Manolo-Blahnik) made in which she wanted to be the "supermodel of the world."

Mizz Nicky claims to have another source, which is based on the "Ball" community, for another one of RuPaul's songs.

RuPaul also cut a track called "Superbitch" for the South Park movie soundtrack a while back, in which she "summoned" the spirit of Venus Xtravaganza (who was featured in Paris is Burning) by reciting her midnight pier shadyness: "Touch this soft skin honey, Touch all of this skin dahhhhhling."

Classic... I love that if you scratch beneath the surface just a little bit, you find all these great historic moments of ballroom roots.

I will promise to continue my search for more references to the "Ball" community in our pop culture.

Dance on the Runway on Technorati

2007-11-28T17:41:00.001-08:00

Over on Technorati, you can now read the Dance on the Runway blog. Inspired by the film How Do I Look, this blog will focus on the cultural trends created by the "Ball" community in dance, fashion, music, and runway.

You can learn more about me by reading my Technorati Profile.

Willi Ninja: Grandfather of Vogue

2007-11-27T16:58:00.000-08:00

Although it wasn't a line that was used in my favorite movie, "Desk Set," I immediately thought to myself, "When in doubt, check The New York Times." I looked up the obituary published by the NYTimes following the passing of Willi Ninja. Willi was a star in the "Ball" community. In fact, The New York Times referred to Willi as the "Grandfather of Vogue" . Here is some more information from that same obituary:

Vogueing had been around for years, but Willi Ninja brought it to a level of visibility and perfection in performance that no one had ever reached before, said Sally Sommer, a professor of dance at Florida State University (See NYTimes obituary tribute for Willi Ninja).

From what I know about Willi from the documentary How Do I Look, I know that he was an inspiration to a lot of people. And it was no doubt through connecting with so many people (including celebrities and personalities) that Willi helped popularize "Vogue" as a dance form. I promise to keep looking for more references to how "Vogue" was popularized.

Some quick Wikipedia information about "Vogue" dancing

2007-11-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

I did a quicky search on Wikipedia (27-Nov-2007), and I saw that there was a music video for the song "Deep In Vogue" by Malcolm McLaren, and on a page dedicated to dancing fads, here is what I read:

Vogue (dance), a popular style in New York gay discos in the late '80s, evolved from a much earlier style known as "performance". In this flowing freestyle mode, dancers punctuate their movements with an improvised series of static poses which, as the name implies, are meant to evoke the poses seen in classic fashion photos in publications like Vogue magazine. This style was first popularised/exploited internationally by entrepreneur Malcolm McLaren, whose single and music video for the song "Deep In Vogue" was the first to namecheck the style in the mass market. Vogue enjoyed its widest recognition in 1990 with the hugely successful single and music video "Vogue" by Madonna (See Novelty and fad dances).

The interesting thing for me was that when I then looked up the singer, Malcolm McLaren, I found no reference to his vogue dance hit on his personal Wikipedia page:

In 1989, he returned with the album Waltz Darling, a funk/disco/vogueing inspired album. Waltz Darling incorporated elements of his former albums, ie spoken verses, string arrangements and eclectic mix of genres but featured such prominent musicians like Bootsy Collins or Jeff Beck with a glitzy, LA-style production aimed at the US market. The singles, "Waltz Darling," "Something's Jumpin' in Your Shirt" became top-20 radio hits in Europe. While for once McLaren's instincts failed him (there was no sudden interest in waltz music) it still helped to spread the news about the previously underground practice of vogueing (See the Wikipedia page on Malcolm McLaren).

How odd. I guess Lady Bunny is right when she wrote that there is some confusion about who popularized "Vogue" as a dance form. I promise to keep doing some more research.

Madonna's music video for 'Vogue'

2007-11-27T16:10:00.000-08:00

"Beauty's where you find it"

Of course, there is this video, which was responsible for bringing the "Vogue" style of dance from the runways of "Ball" competitions and onto the dance floors around the world:

According to Wikipedia (as of 27-Nov-2007), with the release of the music video for "Vogue:"

Madonna brought the hitherto underground "vogueing" culture into the mainstream with the release of her song (See Vogue_(song).

Meanwhile, Lady Bunny, a New York City night life personality, claims that it is not entirely clear who should be credited with bringing "Vogue" the dance form to the masses:

There are disputes over who first brought vogueing to the mainstream, but Willi definitely played a large part in it (See Lady Bunny's blog post about the Willi Ninja Benefit).

1989: A critical year for 'Voguing'

Update (20-Jan-2008): I have assembled an early history of voguing, as reported across newspaper and magazine articles in 1989.

History of 'Vogue' dance style in American pop music videos

Using the commentary by Willi Ninja in the documentary How Do I Look, I have assembled the history of how voguing progressed through mainstream American pop music on the Squidoo page for the 'How Do I Look' documentary.

Where are Madonna's vogue dancers?

Who were Madonna's vogue dancers? One of the men who dances in the music video for "Vogue" is Jose Xtravaganza, who also appears in the documentary, How Do I Look.

History of 'Vogue' according to How Do I Look documentary

A perfect example of what it means to, "Dance On The Runway"

2007-11-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

The "Dip" by Nino Mizrahi

2007-11-20T06:26:00.000-08:00

In this YouTube video, Nino "Boots" Mizrahi dances in a highly stylized fashion that is typical of dancing among "Ball" dancers. In Voguing, there is a spectacularly dramatic move called the "dip," which, from what I know about "voguing," is a standard, yet dramatic, dance move. The challenge that comes from it being a move that many people can do is that you got to make your performance unique. In this video, Nino Mizrahi performs a "dip" that is fearless.

How "Voguing" still inspires some dancers today

2007-11-20T05:51:00.000-08:00

I was on YouTube this morning, and I found this great video of a guy who calls this a "virgin Vogue." In spite of his humility, it is a very good dance sequence. The song to which he is dancing has got a marked rhythmic beat, and it is augmented by the chant (or "commentary") by the commentator. It includes some profanity, but that is keeping with the tradition of some of the commentary that is used at Balls.

The 12th Annual Dorian Corey Awards Ball

2007-11-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, Philadelphia Weekly wrote an article which covered the 12th Annual Dorian Corey Awards Ball. The article also provides some historical references to the roots of earlier Ball scenes, including information about the Ball scene in Philadelphia.

The article in Philadelphia Weekly mentions these "houses" from the Ball community: the House of Prodigy, the House of Blahnik, the House of Ultra Omni, the House of Ungaro, the House of St. Clair, and the House of Ebony. Other houses and many of the performing artists and dancers are also mention. This article also touches upon many of the health, social, and economic issues, which are facing the Ball community. Overall, it's a very informative article. I invite you to please read the article about the 12th Annual Dorian Corey Awards Ball.

There is also some interesting video footage about the Dorian Corey Awards Ball, which Philadephia Weekly posted on its website.

The Greatest Ball on Earth!

2007-11-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

Michael, Tim, and Terrence PRINCESS present:

The Greatest Ball on Earth!

To be held on August 2, 2008, in New York City, The Greatest Ball on Earth! "is an actual grand ball produced jointly by Michael, Tim and Terrence Princess. We have met several times this past year and agree an event produced by the three of us is the perfect way to pay cross-generational homage to our ballroom heritage. It is also an appropriate tribute to our pioneers, icons, legends, stars and new statements. This is a ball for ALL GENERATIONS. So put on your best FACE and bring it to THE GREATEST BALL ON EARTH!"

Listen to a podcast interview with Kevin Ultra Omni, one of the artists featured in "How Do I Look"

2007-11-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Podcast of Pink Mafia Radio Episode No. 72, May 22, 2007, dedicated to the documentary, How Do I Look.

Coverage of the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival begins with our guest Kevin Ultra Omni founding father of the House of Ultra Omni and Co-Director of How Do I Look. His film is the answer to the questions left by the classic Ball Scene documentary Paris Is Burning. Kevin with Wolfgang Bush and Luna Khan directed this new film with much more input from the people active in the NYC Ball community. To find out more about the film please go to www.HowDoILookNYC.org.

Click on this link to listen to the podcast interview with Kevin Ultra Omni.

Blogs about Dancing are Very Rare

2007-10-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

In an interesting blog post, someone asked a very good question: “Where is all the blogging about dance?”

I wonder how much more rare will a blog be about the union of dance and fashion?

The above link was helpful on a couple of points: (a) it points out the shortage, and (b) the author of the blog post named a few favorite blogs about dancing. I'm adding those links to my blogroll.

The role of a "Runway" in a "Ball"

2007-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

Filmmaker Wolfgang Busch screened his documentary, How Do I Look, at the Love is the Message Ball in Los Angeles in 2006. Here is an excerpt from a film review written by Jasmyne Cannick, an important cultural leader in the Los Angeles community:

* "WHAT IS A BALL? Several times a month, predominantly black/latino gay social groups (called houses) get together at events where they compete in a variety of categories. The house that is hosting presents the theme and categories, circulating information, well in advance, so that people can prepare. At the event, houses submit a variety of contestants to vie for recognition or defend titles earned previously. A hall is set with chairs and tables on either side, leaving a 'runway' that leads up to the judges' table in front. The deejay is in place with all the right records, old and new, to create various moods needed throughout the show. The emcee has the wit and the control to keep the program flowing, as well as keeping the audience entertained. It all begins with a Grand March (or 'Legends, Statements and Stars'), to introduce the members of the hosting house, as well as the judges and other noteworthy attendees. Sometimes a new house or individual will make a debut, or even change membership for shock value. As the program progresses, winners are awarded trophies, and the evening finishes with a Grand Prize category, usually offering cash and a trophy. This is what it means to have a 'Ball,' a tradition that has continued to flourish and mutate since the early 1900s." -- Jasmyne Cannick -- Excerpt from Ms. Cannick’s description of ball culture and her preview/review of "How Do I Look." Ms. Cannick also discusses, "WHAT IS A HOUSE?" "THE RICH HISTORY OF BALLS," "THE CATEGORIES," and "WHAT IS VOGUE?" Her web page dedicated to "How Do I Look" also provides educational links.