Voguing: Old Way & New Way
August 19, 2012 7:41 PM   Subscribe

Two short documentaries about voguing - 1989 and 2011. An evolution of a dance form and a subculture.

Voguing: The Message traces the roots of this gay, Black and Latino dance form, which appropriates and plays with poses and images from mainstream fashion. Voguing competitions parody fashion shows and rate the contestants on the basis of movement, appearance and costume. This tape is a pre-Madonna primer that raises questions about race, sex and subcultural style. [Dir. Jack Walworth, David Bronstein & Dorothy Low 1989 13 min.]

VOGUE: A Twist on the Dance Floor is an intimate look into modern day voguing and how it's leaving a big impression even today. Starring legendary vogue fem Dashaun Evisu. [Dir. Danilo Parra, Produced by Dashaun Wesley; 2011 11 min.]

Paris Is Burning is a 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the poor, African American and Latino gay and transgendered community involved in it. Many consider Paris Is Burning to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the "Golden Age" of New York City drag balls, as well as a thoughtful exploration of race, class, and gender in America. [wikipedia]

Bonus Videos [Previously][All videos potentially NSFW - use your discretion]
posted by Anonymous (11 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble



 
I love the videos. I can remember reading about vogueing for the first time as a teenager, probably some puff piece in a magazine. But in my ignorance, I assumed that the "houses" meant that they all lived together in, you know, old and slightly run down fancy mansions.
posted by Forktine at 7:57 PM on August 19, 2012 [1 favorite]


Skipping around, lots of good tunes. What is the track playing at 9:11?
posted by phrontist at 8:13 PM on August 19, 2012


Great post-Paris is Burning is a fabulous film and I enjoyed the other links.
posted by Isadorady at 9:36 PM on August 19, 2012 [1 favorite]


Oh, handy, a mefi thread where I can drop a link to a video of this Bar Mitzvah from 1992.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:28 PM on August 19, 2012 [2 favorites]


phrontist, if you're asking about Voguing: The Message I think it's "No Way Back" by Adonis.
posted by Lazlo at 11:45 PM on August 19, 2012 [1 favorite]


Oh god. As soon as you give it a name it's old.
posted by Goofyy at 8:10 AM on August 20, 2012


Neat. Just last nite watched Josell Ramos' Maestro (SLYT 86m) about 76-87 NYC club scene. Fascinating how these different cultures emerge.
posted by Twang at 1:07 PM on August 20, 2012


Far as I'm concerned, none of these "new school" Voguers can hold a candle to Willi Ninja. (RIP.) (He's the main interview subject in that "Voguing: The Message" video and also heavily featured in "Paris Is Burning.")
posted by dnash at 6:54 PM on August 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Great post, thanks
posted by 13twelve at 10:24 AM on August 21, 2012


I know I'm super late to this particular thread-party, but I'd just like to announce that I <3 the fuck out of vogueing.

Coincidentally, Berlin just had its first proper vogue ball two weekends ago. Hector Xtravaganza even make an appearance as a judge.
posted by LMGM at 11:36 PM on August 21, 2012


As much as the "suicide drops" popular in new-way vogueing are very impressive, I've always been mesmerized by a good sissy-walk. (Mind you, the slow-motion suicide drops at about 2:20 in the "Fem Queen" video are GORGEOUS).
posted by LMGM at 11:41 PM on August 21, 2012


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