The Birth Of The Growing Pacific Northwest Ballroom Community
“1001… 2002… 3003, now hold that pose for me…”
I find myself sitting and watching the competitors of “En Vogue”, a new and upcoming local vogue ball that happens monthly in Seattle. The vogue competitors hold their poses, hoping to hear the phrase, “10’s across the board; step to the side!” The hypnotizing chanting, the addictive beat, the dancers pouring their heart and soul into each duck walk and drop… I felt like I was one of the lucky ones to catch this moment at its rawest and purest.
The vogue scene in the Pacific Northwest is starting to find a louder voice in the dance community. In the past couple of months, an online video featuring voguers from Portland and Seattle, shopping through a local grocery store and vogueing while finding their items has become viral — being featured on Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, and many other popular internet sites. Originating from the East Coast, voguing evolved in the Harlem neighborhood of New York in the 1980s, primarily being an expressive dance form performed by gay and transgender African Americans and Latino men to deal with Homophobia, racism, socio-economic status, and the AIDS epidemic. Houses would compete with each other in categories such as Runway, Sex Siren, Face, and Vogue (…for more on this topic, please refer to the film “Paris is Burning”). So, why is the Pacific Northwest just catching this scene 20 years later?
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The scene in the PNW established its roots four years ago in Portland, OR. I had the pleasure of learning its history through the talented and knowledgeable Daniel Giron. Giron shared that the first ball in Portland was a “look ball”. Unlike the traditional ball scene that we think about now with the dance elements, Portland had many drag queens that competed in elaborate costumes, competing in categories such as Hollywood, Movie Star, and Vegas Showgirls. Dancers joined the competitions and, even though their specific look weren’t as strong as their dance skills, would slay the competition with their energy and win these titles. Giron reflects on the foundation of the Portland scene. We were hungry. We wanted to create a scene. We didn’t know the rules for the balls, but we wanted to learn. Giron remembers the event that took the scene to another level. Kumari Suraj (originally from Portland, OR, ambassador of preserving the culture of waacking, punking, and vogue) hosted the Black and White New Year’s Eve Ball in 2014. We had workshops from the legendary Dashawn Wesley and I learned so much about the fundamentals. Fast forward two years later, Giron is the first dancer to have a regular vogue class in the PNW and is the founder of the House of Ada. Many houses can be found in Portland; such as the House of Flora, House of Aquarius, and many others. When asked about what tears the PNW vogue scene apart from the East Coast scene, Giron shares that the PNW is very fashion heavy since its initial stages focused more on building a look. We have a very interesting style. Meanwhile in Seattle, the vogue scene is still creating its foundation and slowly growing.
Keelan Johnson, aka “Android Allure”, is a dear friend of mine and winner of last month’s “En Vogue” ball in Seattle. Johnson shares that the Seattle vogue scene is still very fresh. I feel that vogue has been more appreciated in Portland and isn’t necessarily considered mainstream here in Seattle. Although the East Coast has the presence of Houses, we are still building a foundation in Seattle. Many of us are still representing ourselves independently. It is a very positive community since we are all learning and being supportive of each other. One thing that stood out to me in my conversation with Johnson is his emphasis on the sense of community that the scene provides. It is an exclusive community, but inclusive to the different styles like hand performance, floor performance, duck walks, dips, and runway. Whether you have a passion for fashion, art, dance, or make-up, there is something for you. I recall being mesmerized by Johnson’s performance which led me to ask the question, “Why the name “Android Allure”?” Funny that you ask that, I picked the word Android for a couple of reasons, mainly a play on the words “androgynous” and “android”. A robot doesn’t need to have a gender. Allure was chosen because it exuded a sense of beauty and grace. The explanation is very fitting to Johnson’s persona and movement on the floor.
The wealth of knowledge that I received from these two individuals was very inspiring; both hoping that supporters continue to recognize the history of this art form. Both individuals have also felt very lucky to utilize their local resources (specifically Kumari Suraj and Stephaun Blahnik). As I reflect on the feeling that I had at the end of watching “En Vogue”, I was in a room filled with dancers with so much passion. I was wrapped in an energy and space that made me feel so alive. This is a scene with a rich history, founded during a period where people were feeling discriminated, yet felt the need to turn their anger and frustration into something so beautiful. This is THEIR way of creating a community. This is THEIR statement. This is THEIR scene.
I am honored to continue watching the movement, whilst showing you, the Purple Lemonade audience, how our collective will actively support the growth in the Pacific Northwest through our art.
Balls continue to happen in the PNW. “En Vogue” is the up and coming vogue event in Seattle, “Nostalgia”, hosted by Kumari Suraj, is a monthly ball in Portland; the next opportunity to attend is on August 4, 2016, 10pm-2am, Club “Dirty Nightlife” in Chinatown. -Zsa Mae
Above Photo: Giron, Johnson and Tracey Wong (featured in #gimmedatchallenge viral video) from the Nostalgia competition; Giron and Johnson tied for vogue and Tracey won the title for waacking.
“BOYeurism: House of ADA”, choreography by Daniel Giron
“En Vogue” Seattle feat. Android Allure, Tracey, and Hydrangea Strangea
