What is Ballroom Culture?

After Crystal LaBeija formed the House of LaBeija, other houses soon followed: Chanel, Ebony, Mizrahi, Revlon, Mugler, Extravaganza, Dupree, Pendavis, Corey, and LaWong.

So many of these houses were founded by Black trans women who created spaces of power, resistance and love.

Houses are chosen families with anointed ‘mothers’ and ‘fathers’ who guide and support their ‘children’. House parents become grandparents and godparents to the next generation, and ascend in the house’s hierarchy, becoming legends and, eventually icons

Ballroom categories include high fashion sportswear, realness with a twist, butch queen face/femme queen face, GC (gender non-confirming) face, best dressed, runway, labels, and many more.

Ballroom began in New York. In the different neighborhoods of the Village, Harlem, and the Christopher Street Piers. While Ballroom and New York have changed, New York is–always will be–its birthplace. 

Some of the first balls were hosted at the Harlem YMCA in the 1970’s, as seen in this photograph by Gerard Gaskins.

Ballroom is now in Paris, Berlin, Moscow,  Tokyo, Mexico City, and Jerusalem, providing LGBTQ+ communities a space for freedom. Like Jazz and Hip Hop, Ballroom is part of the larger story of Black genius that has created cultural and global revolutions.

The cultural power and history of Ballroom is also part of Black history and LGBTQ+ history. Ballroom cannot be cut off from those larger movements of  liberation--and played a critical role in actualizing new found rights in what it means to be Black, queer and trans

Popular culture has always taken from Ballroom's genius--in language, dance and fashion.Too often the taking is done without giving credit to the community. But it all belongs to Ballroom, and it's time to give honor to the culture and its pioneers.