Vogue (dance)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other meanings, see vogue.
 This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (May 2007)
This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Vogue ("Performance") or "voguing" is a highly stylized modern dance characterized by photo model-like poses integrated with angular, linear and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. Popularized by Madonna's song and video of the same name (see Vogue), the unique inner-city dance subculture was brought to international mainstream attention.

Contents

[edit] History

Voguing arose from the Harlem bathrooms back in the early 1930s as a part of the underground gay culture. It was first called "performance" and has since evolved into the more intricate and allusory form that is now commonly referred to as "vogue." It has since become an intrinsic part of the life for people involved with drag houses across North America.

[edit] Competition

Main article: Ball culture

Formal competitions occur in the form of balls held by "houses", a term used to describe collectives of dancers and performers usually headed by a matriarchal figure or "mother" and in homage to the fashion industry.

In a traditional ball there are categories announced in advance, often dozens. For each round with titles like "schoolboy/schoolgirl," "face," "fem queen" and "banjee realness." Each house that attends the ball would prepare to enter as many of the categories as possible and many of the dancers will enter multiple categories. A panel of judges will watch along with the audience as the category is called and all the contestants enter the floor and try to convince everyone in the room that they are the very definition of that category. If there are two or more contestants who are clearly tied for the trophy then a dance-off quickly ensues with the crowds approval swaying the judges' decision. The trophies can be awarded right then or bundled at the end with an overall trophy.

[edit] Influential houses

Main article: Ball culture

Some influential Houses to note include the House of Mizrahi, House of LaPerla, House of ManoloBlahnik, House of Balenciaga, House of Xtravaganza, House of Allure, House of Revlon, House of Ninja, House of Infiniti, House of Christian/Princess, and the House of Milan. Furthermore, distinct styles of this art form have been directly associated with voguers such as Alyssa LaPerla, Kristina Tsunami, Roxy Prodigy, Leiomy Mizrahi, Dashaun Evisu, Pony Zion, Willi Ninja, Alloura Zion, Jose Xtravaganza, Kevin Prodigy, Mystery Dior, Yolonda Allure, Tim Princess, Prince Milan, Malechi Allure, Aviance Milan, Stiffy Revlon, Ricky Allure, Jamal Milan & Sinia Ebony.

[edit] Styles

There are currently two distinct styles (or "schools") of vogue: Old Way (pre-1990) and New Way (post 1990). Old Way is characterized by formation of lines, symmetry, and precision in the execution of such formations and graceful, fluid-like action. New Way is characterized by a more rigid, geometric pattern movement coupled with "clicks" (limb contortions at the joints) and "arms control" (sleight of hand and wrist illusions, which usually include "tuts" or "tutting" and locking). New Way can also be described as a modified form of mime, where imaginary geometric shapes such as a box are introduced during motion and moved progressively around the dancer's body to display the dancer's dexterity and memory.

Vogue also encompasses other forms of dance and movement, namely modern jazz, ballet, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, martial arts, breakdancing, yoga, and others. Some dance historians even point out that breakdance and vogue evolved together in a state of mutual borrowing, with artists from both sides interacting with each other in New York City's Central Park, West Side Piers, Harlem, and Washington Square Park during the 70s and early 80s.

[edit] Spreading through the US

Voguing has evolved since its beginning and continues to be developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in gay dance clubs in New York and other big cities throughout the United States--mainly Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Detroit and Chicago. The ballroom scene has evolved into a nationwide underground sport with major balls being held in different regions (East, Midwest, South, West). The major cities to walk are, New York for the East, Chicago in the Midwest, Atlanta in the South, LA in the West.

[edit] OhioKentuckiana scene

There has been a movement in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana area known to the ballroom community as the "OhioKentuckiana" scene producing some promising talent. There is also a unique form of "fem vouge" called "Ohio gloves" that involves dramatic soft feminine gestures, in a pantomime fashion in which the voguer is using movements to tell a "story" of "shade."

The OhioKentucky'ana scene has its own legends and statements as well some who are still walking, and some who have gotten their status from walking in other states before the scene evolved in the area such as, Sir Richard (Ford) Evisu, Drama (Omni) Evisu, Amy Cavalli, Neo x Moschino, Nestle Rodeo, Mother Raven Mizrahi, Covahboy Rodeo, Kim Mizrahi, Tony Galliano x Ebony, DL x Rodeo Channel, Dee x Dutch Mugler, Pretty x Prodigy Allure and Mother Theirry Rodeo. Also newcomers like Corey Rodeo, Lil Jay Blanik, Kiddy x Blanik Balenciaga have made strong statements in the scene as well.

The balls in this region are held in the cities of Louisville, Kentucky, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana collectively. Louisville and Columbus currently have the most semi-major balls at this time giving away prizes between one and five thousand dollars for respective categories.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links