Ball Culture

**Ballroom**, **Ball culture**, or **Ballroom Scene**, is the term to describe an underground LGBTQ+ subculture originated by young African-American and Latin American in New York City, USA, in which people walk (or compete) for prizes and status at events known as balls.

Ball culture consists of balls, events that mix performance, dance, and modeling categories.. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, members of the underground LGBTQ+ community in large cities began to organize masquerade balls known as "drags" in defiance of laws which banned individuals from wearing clothes associated with the opposite gender.

Participants were and are mainly young African-American and Latin American members of the LGBTQ community. Although some balls were integrated, the judges were always white, and African-American participants were often excluded from prizes or judged unfairly. In the early 20th century, African Americans and Latinos started their own balls. Ball culture then grew to include primarily gay, lesbian,bisexual, and trans Black people and Latinos.

Attendees dance, walk, and support one another in the categories, which are designed to simultaneously epitomize and satirize various genders and social classes, while also offering an escape from reality.

The culture extends beyond the balls as many participants in the scene also belong to houses, where chosen families of friends live in households together, forming relationships and community to replace families of origin from which they may be estranged.

## Houses

**Houses** serve as alternative families, primarily consisting of Black and Latino LGBT individuals, and are meant to provide shelter, solace and safety for those who have often been kicked out of their original homes due to being LGBT.

Often named by fashion brand names, houses are led by "mothers" and "fathers" who are usually older members of the ballroom scene, who provide guidance and support for their house "children". The children of a house are each other's "brothers" or "sisters". Houses that win a lot of trophies and gain recognition reach the rank of "Iconic" or "Legendary".
*Example: Iconic House of Chanel, Legendary House of Prodigy*

### House Hierarchy

1. **Founding Parents:** Mothers and Fathers who create and open a house.
*Example: Founding Father Omari Oricci*
2. **Overall Parents:** Mothers and Fathers who have the authority and responsibility for the administration of the house.
*Example: Overall Mother Jacen Supreme Moncler*
3. **Regional/Chapter Parents:** Mothers and Fathers of a certain area, state or city.
*Example: Russian Father Djaba Oricci, New York Father Arturo Miyake Mugler, Parisian Mother Keiona Revlon*
4. **Godparents:** Mothers and Fathers present in absence of the overall and founding parents, they are in charge of providing instances of house practices or administrative tasks.
*Example: Godmother Isla Ebony*
5. **Overall Princess/Prince:** Daughters or sons in the house who help the parents with the management of the house. They can receive the house dues, organize house practices, help with the costumes, etc.
*Example: Princess Egypt Garçon*
6. **Chapter Princess/Prince:** They have direct communication with the overall princesses/princess as they have the same role as them, but in a determined territory where the house is present.
7. **Overseers:** People in the house in charge of the communication between a regional chapter with the overall parents of the house. Usually, overseers speak two or more languages as they manage several territories, they can or cannot be any of the roles mentioned above.
*Example: Brazilian Overseer Brianna Oricci*
8. **Children:** Every other son and daughter in the house.

## Scenes

* **Mainstream Scene:** Also known as **Major Scene**, is the most serious and prestigious scene as it is where all started. Most houses are recognized nationally and internationally and often partner with main organizations.
*Example of a representative of the mainstream scene: Legendary Mother Gillette Oricci from the House of Oricci*
* **Kiki Scene:** This scene originates from social gatherings at health outreach organizations. A kiki, by definition a lowkey function, includes friendly and fun- oriented competition, also focused on community. As the kiki scene imitates the major scene, members walk kiki events to practice for the mainstream balls. The kiki scene allows newer performers to harness their craft in a smaller setting.
*Example of a representative of the kiki scene: Japanese Mother Chise Mõõn (ex Mulan) from the Kiki House of Mõõn*
* **Kitten Scene:** Sort of unofficial scene, more informal than the previous two ones, oriented to teenagers and young adults enetering the scene, who are looking for fun.

## Ballroom Status

Regarding your impact and contribution to the scene, you are deemed with a title:

**2010 Ballroom Status Criteria** *(from least to most experience)*
* **STAR:** You are a beginner in your talent/category!
	+ Anyone that walks virgin and/or regular categories for 1-2 years or more.
	+ You are just learning your talents (DJing, Commentating or Category)
	+ You have won MAJOR balls in that time frame.
	+ You have made it to the last battle and/or left a memorable impression on the runway.
	+ You have created a ballroom buzz about yourself and people are noticing you.
* **STATEMENT:** You are admired for your talent/category!
	+ You have walked 1 or more categories or have been doing your talent for 3-5 years or more.
	+ You have won A LOT of MAJOR balls in that time frame.
	+ You may have or may not have received honorary ballroom awards for your contributions in the scene.
	+ You have made it to the last battle and/or created memorable moments on the ballroom runway within that time frame.
	+ You are becoming well-known in the ballroom scene.
	+ You may have or may not have judged a major/mini ball.
	+ You are paying your dues, earning respect and recognition within the ballroom scene for your wins and the moments that you have created on the runway for your talent/category.
* **LEGEND:** You are a master of your talent/category!
	+ You have conquered your talent or 1 or more categories for 6-10 years or more.
	+ You have won MANY MAJOR balls in that time frame from STATE to STATE.
	+ You are looked at as a Leader by your peers.
	+ You are very well-known in the ballroom scene for the MANY wins and MANY moments that you have created on the runway for your talent/category.
	+ You may have or may not have been a parent of a house or a parent in a house.
	+ You may have or may not have judged major/mini balls.
	+ You may have or may not have thrown major/mini balls.
	+ You may have or may not have accomplishments outside of the ballroom scene that pertain to your talent/category.
	+ You may have or may not have received honorary ballroom awards for your contributions in the scene.
	+ You can STILL walk and WIN balls OR make it to the last battle over the old/new competition in your category to this day.
	+ Your name is a ballroom household name based off of the things that you have done on the runway.
	+ You are often imitated by others, spoken highly of and/or even feared when it comes to your talent/category because of all that you have accomplished with it.
* **ICON:** You are the blueprint of your talent/category!
	+ You have been involved within the ballroom scene for 20 years and beyond.
	+ You go above and beyond the affiliation of your house and concentrate on bettering the overall ballroom community.
	+ You have won countless trophies throughout the years for 1 or more categories.
	+ You DO NOT have to walk balls anymore if you do not want to because you have created a ballroom LEGACY of your own within the ballroom scene.
	+ You have received honorary ballroom awards for your contributions in the scene.
	+ You are often imitated by others, spoken highly of and/or even feared when it comes to your talent/category because of all that you have done with it.
	+ You have created a LEGACY within your talent/category and/or you have created a LEGACY within the ballroom scene and/or the LGBT community.
	+ You are VERY well-respected and looked at in the highest regard by many of your peers.
	+ You are a PIONEER within your talent/category and/or the ballroom scene.
	+ You have gone above and beyond for your talent/category and/or even changed the game when it comes to your talent/category.
	+ Your name is and will FOREVER be stamped within ballroom history based on the wins, moments, accomplishments and LEGACY that you have created within the ballroom scene for your talent/category.

Other higher statuses, that are not given by criteria, but because of the legacy someone has are (in order from least to most):

* **Hall of Fame:** Present in the "Dorian Corey Hall of Fame"
* **Pioneer**
* **Blueprint**

In the Kiki Scene, years and status criteria can change according to each territory. Most kiki pioneers are the ones who started the ballroom scene in their countries.

If one member of ballroom has accomplished the criteria of a status but is too young to achieve said status yet, they are named **Up and Coming**.
*Example: Up and Coming Legend Dolores Ninja*

## Competition

To compete against each other, the houses walk in **balls**, which are judged on the category requirements, costumes, appearance, and attitude. Participants dress according to the category in which they are competing, and are expected to deliver what the category is calling for. Some of the largest balls last as long as twelve hours, with dozens of categories in a single evening/night.

In order to battle in a category, contestants must get their **10s** first, which is a pre-selection where competitors have to show the basic elements of said category in order to be approved by the judges; if not, contestants get a **Chop** and are not allowed to move on to the one versus one battles.

### Categories

*See Glossary of Ballroom Categories and Categories in Legendary*

Some balls include:

* **Performance Categories:**
	+ Old Way
	+ New Way
	+ Vogue Femme
	+ Realness with a Twist
	+ Hands Performance
	+ Arms Control
	+ Commentator vs Commentator
	+ Production as a House
	+ Shake That Ass
* **Fashion Categories:**
	+ Runway
	+ Best Dressed
	+ Bizarre
	+ Labels
	+ Urban Streetwear
* **Sex and Body Categories:**
	+ Realness
	+ Face
	+ Body
	+ Sex Siren

## Competitors Classification

In order to keep the competition fair, categories are often divided according to gender, types of body, or status in the scene.

### Gender

* **Open to all (OTA):** The category is open to all types of gender identities and expressions.
* **Female Figure (FF):** Umbrella term to gather all femme presenting individuals
	+ **Femme Queen (FQ):** Transgender women, transvestites or transfeminine individuals
	+ **Women:** Cisgender women
	+ **Butch Queen up in Drag (BQUID):** Cisgender men who dress and presents as women
* **Male Figure (MF):** Umbrella term to gather all male presenting individuals
	+ **Butch Queen (BQ):** Gay, bisexual or same-gender-loving cisgender men or transmasculine individuals
	+ **Butch:** Masculine presenting lesbian, bisexual or same-gender-loving cisgender women
	+ **Transmen:** Transgender men
* **Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) / Non-Binary (NB)**

Initially, only four categories of gender were considered: butch queens, femme queens, butches and women.

#### Realness

The "realness" aspect is centered on being able to parody and "pass" as a heterosexual individual.

* **Schoolboy/Schoolgirl:** Person able to blend as a high school or college student
* **Pretty Boy/Pretty Girl:** Person able to blend as a beautiful young individual
* **Thug/Banjee:** Person able to blend as someone from "the hood"
* **Executive:** Person able to blend as the CEO of a company
* **Drag Realness:** Person able to blend as a person of the opposite gender
* **Twister:** Realness male presenting that vogues as a FQ

### Body

* **Open to all (OTA):** The category is open to all types of bodies.
* **Big/Luscious Body:** Overweight body
* **Senior:** BQ with buff athletic body, ressembling weightlifters
* **Junior:** BQ with fibrous athletic body, ressembling swimmers
* **Catboy:** Femme presenting BQ

### Experience and Status

* **Open to all (OTA):** The category is open to everyone who wants to walk.
* **Virgin:** The category is open to people who have never walk the category before
* **Baby:** The category is open to people who have been walking the category usually for less than a year
* **Beginner:** The category is open to people who have been walking the category usually for less than two years
* **Legendary:** All-star category for legends only.
* **Iconic:** All-star category for icons only.