I'll paint you mornings of gold, I'll spin you Valentine evenings

September 15, 2021 11:54 AM

The Labyrinth (of Jareth) Masquerade Ball is an annual dance and narrative theatrical event, based in Los Angeles and inspired by the As The World Falls Down sequence from Jim Henson's Labyrinth (Fanfare). Photo galleries of attendees' elaborate costumes from the last seven years: '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19. (The ball is planned to return in 2022 after two years of health and safety concerns.) An article at Cosplay Culture goes into more detail about the ball's evolving storyline and how much work goes into it each year.
posted by one for the books (9 comments total)

Wow, those costumes are a hell of a thing. I imagine the price of admission is $126 plus about a billion hours of time and effort so you fit in.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:20 PM on September 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

My childhood heart is all aflutter!
posted by merriment at 1:15 PM on September 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you for including the FanFare link!
posted by cynical pinnacle at 1:55 PM on September 15, 2021

The Bay Area has, or had, two regular series of costume balls, some of which are also masquerade balls -- PEERS and Gaskells. I think Gaskells is over or in abeyance?

Lower standard of costuming, if the pictures above are representative, but always some glories. They're dances first and masquerades second, so there's a whole second art you'll want to have a handle on, but it's all social dances not performance dances (to wit, you don't have to be able to do a split).
posted by clew at 2:32 PM on September 15, 2021

Like a lot of larps/immersive experiences, lots of people show up at these sort of events in what they can throw together from their closet for the first time, goth gear, a masquerade mask or makeup, maybe a cheap costume cloak, a thrifted suit or dress, or whatever. Then those that go back usually plan a different more elaborate costume for next year.

You can reuse pieces for other events, there are a bunch of larps, cosplay events, masquerade balls, and costume parties, especially if you live in LA or another major metro. Or at least there were, pre-covid. I'm surprised they ran the event this year.

I feel a little weird, because I've never been to LoJ, but I know people intimately involved in it, including at least one performer credited on the TV series they did in the past (The Realms of the Labyrinth).

I also know that many people at LoJ are volunteers, volunteering for LoJ means a lot of unpaid hours, and I'm unclear how much Shawn Strider now makes from the event. Now, lots of artist events don't make money after expenses, and there's plenty of expenses to this event, but there's also at least 600k of revenue each year, before you include sypher currency, the VIP tickets, tea tickets etc.

Maybe there is no profit made, but as someone who volunteers and runs stuff like this, I don't like when some people are paid in money and others are "compensated" only in experience/exposure/free entry/food for an event.
posted by gryftir at 2:44 PM on September 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

I once rented a whole basque-waist-ballgown outfit from one of the big city theaters -- or maybe the opera?? -- in SF, they do it regularly and handle the cleaning, it was less than $200 for more ruffles than you could make from $100 in Goodwill curtains. No idea if most big theaters do this.

Also, the speed and ruthless efficiency of the wardrobe manager who eyed me, brought out three outfits that would fit (they all did), and looked very politely disappointed when I wasn't brave enough to wear the acid-green one.
posted by clew at 2:49 PM on September 15, 2021 [13 favorites]

This looks nice, but I think I'd rather chilly down with the fire gang.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:38 PM on September 15, 2021 [3 favorites]

My wife and I walked down the aisle at our wedding to As the World Falls Down, and it was so, so perfect. Love that movie, love that scene, love that song.
posted by DingoMutt at 9:03 PM on September 15, 2021 [4 favorites]

I saw Jareth and Sarah’s original ball costumes at a traveling Jim Henson exhibit a few months ago. They were smaller than I was expecting up close, especially the dress.
posted by 41swans at 7:10 AM on September 16, 2021 [1 favorite]