What is Voguing?
Voguing is a dance style that originated in the early 1970s in Harlem, New York, among queer, especially trans*, African-American and Latinx people - in the so-called ‘ballroom scene’, which is a safe(r) space. The inspiration for the name comes from the fashion magazine Vogue. It's all about posing to music. There are 3 different voguing styles: Oldway, Newway and Vogue Fem.
At so-called balls, a kind of competition, different people compete or "vogue" against each other to then be crowned the winner of the evening. This form of expression is a rebellion against the heteronormative society and structures. It celebrates and gives a voice to people who identify as queer and/or BIPOC.
Who is Ray?
Ray has been part of the ballroom scene since 2014. He trained with Icons and Legends such as Stan Devaughn, Leiomy Maldonado, Dashaun Wesley, German pioneer Leo Saint Laurent and many others. From 2015 to 2019 he was a member of the "House of Melody", Germany's first voguing house. While experiencing the ballroom scene in New York up close, he met Stan Devaughn and decided to embark on the ballroom journey with him. Today he is a member of the House of Elle.
Over the years, Ray has competed successfully at Voguing Balls, winning international trophies in the Vogue Fem and Butch Queen Vogue Fem categories, among others. He is invited to voguing balls as a judge and teaches voguing workshops throughout Germany and internationally.
Workshop References
