GMHC presents the 25th Annual Latex Ball
"YEAR OF THE LEGENDS"
July 25, 2015
8pm-4am
Terminal 5
610 West 56 Street
NYC
The Latex Ball
“Year of the Legends”
25th Anniversary
“Listen, and you will hear the footsteps of all the houses that walked there before” - Chi Chi Valenti
The history of ballroom can be traced as far back as the 1920s. Since then, ballroom has evolved but is still as fascinating as ever. The spirit of ballroom erupted into mainstream in the late 80s, when Details Ma...
GMHC presents the 25th Annual Latex Ball
"YEAR OF THE LEGENDS"
July 25, 2015
8pm-4am
Terminal 5
610 West 56 Street
NYC
The Latex Ball
“Year of the Legends”
25th Anniversary
“Listen, and you will hear the footsteps of all the houses that walked there before” - Chi Chi Valenti
The history of ballroom can be traced as far back as the 1920s. Since then, ballroom has evolved but is still as fascinating as ever. The spirit of ballroom erupted into mainstream in the late 80s, when Details Magazine wrote an article about the houses and Malcolm McClaren gave us a dance song titled ”Deep in Vogue” featuring Willie Ninja. The Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS gave us the now legendary ”Love Ball” and this was the beginning of what would become the Golden Era of the Ball. The year1990 blew in and Madonna’s song ”Vogue” hit the airwaves becoming the number one song and topping the charts in over 30 countries. The documentary ”Paris is Burning” took it to another extreme level, collectively introducing ballroom culture to the world. The houses came downtown; mixing with the fashion world, the music industry and the club-kid era. With the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic ravaging the ballroom children, GMHC gave birth to the Latex Ball 25 years ago. Without a doubt, the late 1980s and the decade of the 1990s are definitely the Golden Era of Ballroom.
In the Golden Era of Ballroom, we witnessed the supreme mothers Dorian Corey, Pepper Labeija, Angie Xtravaganza, Avis Pendavis and Paris Dupree battling it out in just one category. Iconic beauty and face battles gave us the same excitement of a Michael Jackson concert in his prime. Junior, Kenny, Eric, Jack and Selvin chanted our names to a rhythm that rang in our minds after the ball was over. Tonight we pay tribute to all the ball walkers who found the nerve to be a part of our wonderful world of Ballroom. Let’s make the pioneers proud and TAKE IT BACK TO YESTERDAY!
#TheCategories
Vogue/Performance (7 Trophies)
Voguing has been celebrated in and out of ballroom for over 30 years. We remember those forever-memorable 1990s battles between Kristina, Ashley and Sania; the way Tim, Andre, Jamal and Derrick would pop, dip and spin; and the stretching and clicking of Stiffy, Stanley and Jose X. We’re looking for that rock-socking voguing diva whose performance can light the city on fire. You know the elements to voguing, we want to see them all. Rock the 25th anniversary of the Latex Ball by integrating HIV prevention messaging in your gear or performance. Will we remember tonight’s performance for another 25 years?
*Fem Queen Performance- in a Legendary Cat Suit $500 Sponsored by Callen-Lorde’s HOTT Program
Drags Performance- Covered in Gems $150
Women’s Vogue- Warrior Effect $300
Butch Queen Performance- Glitz and Glitter $300
Pop, Dip and Spin- Tracksuit $200
Twist- In a Cunty Effect $250
Sponsored by Callen-Lorde’s HOTT Program
New Way Vogue- Body Paint $200
*Team Sex Siren (2 trophies) 1 male figure, 1 female figure $200
Think Leon Khan and the lovely Barbie Mizrahi. In the spirit of the sexy, safer sex Latex Ball’s 25th anniversary, bring it in silver. SEXY!
*Body (5 trophies) $250 Sponsored by Callen-Lorde’s HOTT Program
Body, body, and body! We are looking for the ultimate specimen of body. Pick a country and represent that country’s traditional garb but show us some skin.
BQ Muscular vs. Models
Trans man Body
Fem Queen Body
Women
*OTA Best Dressed (2 Trophies) 1 male figure, 1 female figure
Year after year folks have pumped the legendary Latex Ball runway in their best. You know what we’re looking for. Bring your Best Dressed look to the judges.
*OTA Labels (2 Trophies) 1 male figure $200, 1 female figure $200
Head-to-toe Ovahness! Let’s make it hot! We love a good labels battle. From the days of labels on top of labels, bring it in the name of our legends that have walked and turned it time after time. Who will be King and Queen of the ball?
*OTA Bizarre (1 Trophy) $250
We’re taking it back to the 1994 Latex Ball. We’re taking it back to a time where a bizarre creation was one of a kind! In non-fabric: Brillo pads, wires, astro turf, and aluminum siding anything you can imagine. Think outside the box.
BIZARRE!!! In the name of Icon Ross Infiniti.
*Realness (4 trophies) $400
Mixing it up! In teams of four, doesn’t have to be in the same house. We know the traditional look for realness. Tonight we want to see it. Take it back to yesterday! Realness point blank! Banjee Boys and Bangee Girlz! Bring it!
School Boy
Pretty Boy
Thug
Executive
Butch
Trans Man
Drags
Fem Queen
*Runway (7 trophies)
Avant-garde designers have fascinated the runways in New York, Paris, London, Milan, Barcelona, Berlin and Los Angeles. Tonight we want to fascinate the spectators at the Latex Ball. We are looking for a look inspired by one of the greats: Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler, Yohji Yamamoto, Viktor and Rolf or Vivienne Westwood.
Small Boys Runway $300
Tall Boys Runway $300
Big Boys Runway $200
Fem Queen Runway $300
Drags Runway $200
Women Runway $300
All American Runway $200
*Face (5 trophies)
Face was one of the most exciting categories in ballroom. The battles between Octavia St Laurent, Carmen Xtravaganza and Danielle Revlon… WAIT! Throw in Tracy Africa and Porsha Labeija in the mix and the crowd would go insane with excitement. It was pure entertainment to see the representation of beauty displayed like a timeless piece of art at a museum. We could only sit and watch. Over time we’ve had many great beauties in ballroom. Tonight let’s make face exciting again.
We want to see style and grace in your face. Bring it in any look you wish. We just need you to make the crowd go crazy over your beauty.
Butch Queen Face $300
Butch Face $100
Drags Face $200
Fem Queen Face $300
Women’s Face $200
2015 Latex Ball Award Recipients
The Octavia St. Laurent Trans Activist Award – Nicole Icon
The Ross Infiniti Creativity Award – Charly Dominguez
The Avis Penda’vis Angel Award – Alani Ebony
The Marcel Christian Historian Award – Athena Khan
The Pepper Labeija Image Award – Gia Mizrahi
The Luna Khan Youth Leader Award – Scooda Balenciaga
The Willie Ninja Supreme Award – Monet Ebony
The Hector Xtravaganza Xcellence Award – Kia Labeija
The Arbert Evisu Wisdom Award – Charles Chilie Omni Waters
The Eric Christian Bizarre Leadership Award – Kenneth “Symba” Soler
The Ball is also about respect for and in our community and how we respect one another. Please take care that your enjoyment of the Ball does not interfere with anyone else’s. GMHC and the organizers are not liable for any claim arising out of your or another’s actions at the event, and you agree to this condition (and the others referred to on your ticket) by your attendance. Anyone causing a disturbance at the Ball will be removed immediately.
RIGHT OF ADMISSION RESERVED