- 2 days ago
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TVTranscript
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00:00:49A
00:00:55The categories are
00:00:57Face
00:00:58Woman's runway
00:01:00Vogue film
00:01:02Butch queen up in drags
00:01:04Femme queen sex siren
00:01:07Are you ready?
00:01:09Are you bitches ready to walk for me?
00:01:11Bring it to the runway now!
00:01:15How do I do this?
00:01:17Me, bitch, mysterious
00:01:22How do I look?
00:01:25Just sweet
00:01:27Mysterious
00:01:34Walk for me
00:01:36Bring it to the runway now!
00:01:54Just sweet
00:01:56Mysterious
00:01:57How do I look?
00:02:01Do it
00:02:05The ball people are black, gay people that were kept out of art society
00:02:10And they made their own arena
00:02:12The ballroom scene is a beautiful place
00:02:14And it's the only place where gay men and gay women and transgenders can all come together
00:02:21As one and do something that they can enjoy doing together as a community
00:02:28The history of balls, how Marie Antoinette had balls and she would toss diamonds to the winners
00:02:35The houses popped up in the early 70s
00:02:38House of La Beja was the first house
00:02:39After Paris is burning
00:02:41After Madonna's Bowl
00:02:43Then people started creating houses
00:02:45There's been over a hundred houses created so far
00:02:51A new school legend would be somebody that began their career in 1990
00:02:56Anybody from 1989 and back is old school
00:03:00So our icons are those people who go way back
00:03:051989 and before
00:03:12There's three ways they could get a ballroom name
00:03:14Original name, a designer name, and a contrived name
00:03:18House of La Beja was the first house
00:03:20In the 60s there were groupings of people
00:03:22The Spanish drag queens were from Spanish Harlem
00:03:25I think they were called
00:03:27The Delightful Ladies
00:03:30And then they had the black drag queens
00:03:32We're called the La Chanel's
00:03:34And they used to go to balls
00:03:36And battle against each other
00:03:38But only as those two groups
00:03:40Not as the house
00:03:41La Beja, La Beja, La Beja, La Beja
00:03:44The house of La Beja will rain, darling
00:03:46It will always rain and there is no shade
00:03:48And for those of you that don't like it
00:03:51Learn it and learn it well
00:03:56We were friends before we got on that runway
00:03:58But once we hit that pinnacle baby
00:04:00You see me, I see you
00:04:02You don't see me, I don't see you
00:04:04May the best man win
00:04:08The perfect ball would be
00:04:09Hot performers
00:04:12Great categories
00:04:13And a great setting
00:04:14And a great opening presentation
00:04:16By the house that's pulling it off
00:04:27The balls are set up where you have a panel of judges
00:04:30Who score you from 1 to 10
00:04:3210 being the highest
00:04:33Balls have maybe 20 categories
00:04:36Some have 50
00:04:37These new cities that are operating balls
00:04:39Like Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta
00:04:42They accept it real quick
00:04:44New York gave Philadelphia a hard way to go
00:04:48When they first came onto the ball scene in 1989
00:04:54When I started walking balls
00:04:56This was years ago
00:04:58And they were up in Harlem
00:05:00It was very low key
00:05:02The balls used to start around
00:05:034 o'clock in the morning sometimes
00:05:09Used to come out at 9 o'clock in the morning
00:05:11When people were born to work
00:05:27The categories vary from best dressed man
00:05:29To best dressed woman
00:05:30To female body
00:05:32To male body
00:05:33To transsexuals
00:05:34Trying to walk and pretend
00:05:37That they are not a man
00:05:44Some of the winnings are cash
00:05:46And some are just trophies
00:05:48The presence that we carry
00:05:51The aura that we have around us
00:05:54It takes charge
00:05:55That you know that
00:05:56It's like if you're floating
00:05:57Like you're an angel
00:05:58And you just walked in
00:05:59And you're the most beautiful thing in the world
00:06:01There's a language
00:06:03Involved in the drag ball
00:06:04Where certain words
00:06:05That are not relevant to anything else
00:06:07There's certain type of music
00:06:09There's certain dress
00:06:10There's modes of character
00:06:12Behavior
00:06:12Look
00:06:13Style
00:06:13Name systems
00:06:14To me the ball is an outlet
00:06:16It is a soap box
00:06:17For anybody who wants to express themselves
00:06:19In the gay community
00:06:21That may not be able to do it at home
00:06:22Thus far that's where the houses come from
00:06:24And you have parents
00:06:25Mothers and fathers
00:06:26The purpose of the mother and the father of a house
00:06:29Is find the right kids to compete with
00:06:32Teach them
00:06:33Work with them
00:06:34Care for them
00:06:35Like if they were actually our own
00:06:44I'm the legendary icon
00:06:46Kenny
00:06:47Nisha Ebony
00:06:49And I'm just here to tell you a little about
00:06:51The ballroom history
00:06:52And how legend statements and stars developed
00:06:55It was that Ira and Dwayne Aphrodite ball
00:06:59At the baseline
00:07:00They were running
00:07:01They were pressed for time
00:07:02And people were coming into the ballroom
00:07:04And the ballroom was packed
00:07:05So they came to me and got very
00:07:07Kenny
00:07:07Could you do something
00:07:09That would keep the kids occupied
00:07:11Until we're ready for grand march
00:07:12So I said okay
00:07:13So I went out there
00:07:14And I told the DJ
00:07:15Give me a beat
00:07:16And while I was sitting there
00:07:18I said well I want to introduce something new
00:07:20To the people
00:07:21Something we're going to call
00:07:22Legends
00:07:25Statements
00:07:25And stars
00:07:27By having the roll call
00:07:29Of Legends, Statements, and Stars
00:07:30Gives everyone a chance to see
00:07:32Who are some of the competitors
00:07:35In the ballroom scene
00:07:39Because it was a matter of need
00:07:42They created this house system
00:07:48It became a creative outlet
00:07:50To live that superstar, supermodel moment
00:07:54Under extreme competitive circumstances
00:08:01Some live this fantasy world every day
00:08:05Some take their talents to the real world
00:08:07Like Jose, Tracy, and Willie
00:08:09And some take it as a form of entertainment
00:08:12And leave it like that
00:08:17Living out on the edge
00:08:19Prepares them for life
00:08:21And through their talents
00:08:22And achievements
00:08:23They build their self-esteem
00:08:30At Balls
00:08:31The entire community
00:08:32Has the opportunity
00:08:34To participate
00:08:35And to showcase their talents
00:08:37On the runway
00:08:43When I take
00:08:44Straight people to Balls
00:08:47I have to let them know
00:08:48That there are men in there
00:08:50That look like women
00:08:51And it is an illusion
00:08:53And sometimes they see
00:08:54Someone who looks good
00:08:55And they'll say
00:08:56You know
00:08:56Jamie, she looks good
00:08:58Can you get her number for me
00:08:59And I'll have to let them know
00:09:00Nice and easy
00:09:01Honey, she's a man
00:09:05I'm 40 years old right now
00:09:07And I think I'm aging pretty gracefully
00:09:09That's why I tell these girls
00:09:11When it comes to being the person that I am
00:09:13Stay off drugs
00:09:15Because you'll be happy in the long run
00:09:16Say hi Bambi
00:09:18This is Picasso extravaganza
00:09:20Oh, he's the next clever too
00:09:22Of course
00:09:22Just like mother
00:09:26I was chosen by only one person
00:09:29To become the mother of this house
00:09:31And that was the mother herself
00:09:32Angie
00:09:33There was no question
00:09:35If it's about it
00:09:36As far as
00:09:37They were going to have a meeting
00:09:39To see who the mother was
00:09:40Angie already knew
00:09:41That she wanted me as mother
00:09:43You go from boy
00:09:44To femme queen
00:09:46I started taking hormones
00:09:48At the age of 16
00:09:50And at 18
00:09:51I got castrated
00:09:52You go through electrolysis
00:09:54If you have a lot of hair
00:09:55In your face
00:09:56I didn't
00:09:56I had peach fudge
00:09:57So I just took care of that
00:09:58And once you get castrated
00:10:00Everything falls in place
00:10:01So if you're a little skinny boy
00:10:03And you're still feminine
00:10:04And you get castrated
00:10:05You're basically a woman
00:10:07Makeup comes with it
00:10:08From within me
00:10:09What I want to create
00:10:12In this face
00:10:12What colors I want to add
00:10:15What beauty I want to bring out
00:10:17Like Octavia always says
00:10:19That wicked beauty
00:10:20My stages of transformation was
00:10:23I was a boy
00:10:24Name?
00:10:26Name?
00:10:27You want my name?
00:10:28My boy's name?
00:10:30Never
00:10:32I would never give you my boy's name
00:10:34And I'm a junior
00:10:35Mind you
00:10:40The gay kids
00:10:41And different house families
00:10:42We want to do this
00:10:43Because this keeps us together
00:10:45Angie always told me
00:10:46Keep the flame going
00:10:47Don't let it die
00:10:48You know
00:10:48So I try to do that
00:10:49For my house
00:10:50The House of Extravaganza
00:10:51Was the first Latino house
00:10:52You just have to look
00:10:54That essence
00:10:56We see it
00:10:57We feel it
00:10:58We smell it
00:11:06Why does it end up
00:11:07So many talented people
00:11:08In the Boa community
00:11:09Because it just comes out
00:11:11People want to be creative
00:11:12People want to show
00:11:13What they can do
00:11:18Do you feel comfortable
00:11:20With your sexuality?
00:11:21Oh my god
00:11:22You just don't know
00:11:22How comfortable
00:11:24I am so comfortable
00:11:25I am happy
00:11:27Very comfortable
00:11:28To be a film queen
00:11:30And to come off
00:11:32To come off
00:11:33Unclockable
00:11:34That is over
00:11:37That is complete
00:11:38Over
00:11:46How we received
00:11:48Our status
00:11:49Is
00:11:50Is
00:11:50Through
00:11:51Being drags
00:11:54From drags
00:11:55Converting into
00:11:56Transsexuals
00:11:57From transsexuals
00:11:58Converting ourselves
00:11:58And being labeled
00:12:00Femme queens
00:12:00Because we are
00:12:01What people come to see
00:12:14I am truly proud
00:12:16To be what I am
00:12:17I wouldn't be a female
00:12:19I wouldn't be a man
00:12:20If I had the choice
00:12:21And if I
00:12:22And God willing
00:12:23If I have to come back
00:12:24On this earth
00:12:24I want to come back
00:12:25A third gender
00:12:26I refuse to come back
00:12:27Anything else
00:12:28Because I am so
00:12:29In tuned
00:12:29With who I am
00:12:32They are afraid of me
00:12:33Because I am
00:12:34Much more extraordinary
00:12:35I am much more exciting
00:12:36I am much more beautiful
00:12:37I am much more enchanting
00:12:38I have powers
00:12:40Of a man
00:12:40And the charm
00:12:41Of a woman
00:12:42And that is dangerous
00:12:43Octavia is my first
00:12:44Gay daughter
00:12:46That little bitch
00:12:47Used to give me
00:12:48A hard time
00:12:54I am strong
00:12:54And I keep saying
00:12:55You know
00:12:56The devil is always
00:12:57Trying ways
00:12:58To make me
00:12:59Feel like
00:13:00I am nothing
00:13:01And I won't allow it
00:13:02I am a boy
00:13:02And a girl
00:13:05Queen of the underground
00:13:15The day that you are born
00:13:17A candle is lit
00:13:18To guide and protect you
00:13:20To give you wisdom
00:13:21And wit
00:13:21The past you must choose wisely
00:13:24You must follow them right
00:13:25It is up to you
00:13:27To choose the past
00:13:28Into the darkness
00:13:28Or into the light
00:13:30Beyond sight
00:13:31Body and soul
00:13:32A power is past
00:13:34God's powerful voices
00:13:36Shall reveal thy task
00:13:37If you should succeed in life
00:13:40Your task has just begun
00:13:42For you shall now know
00:13:44God has claimed you to be
00:13:47The chosen one
00:13:49Transsexuals was a New York City deal
00:13:51I was only 18
00:13:54And Carmen was 19
00:13:55This is me in 1985
00:13:57That's Cindy Crawford
00:13:59That's me
00:14:00That's Diane DeWitt
00:14:02The doctors were better
00:14:05The surgeons were better
00:14:07The hormones were better
00:14:09And the transsexuals
00:14:11Were considered
00:14:12The most beautiful
00:14:12In the world
00:14:13So because of this
00:14:16Lots of transsexuals
00:14:17From other countries
00:14:18Was coming here
00:14:19Because where they're from
00:14:20They weren't getting
00:14:21The satisfaction
00:14:22Of becoming women
00:14:23As they were
00:14:25But when I was growing up
00:14:27There weren't many
00:14:28Transsexuals
00:14:29There were more
00:14:30Third genders
00:14:30And this is what
00:14:32I was brought up to learn
00:14:33Now there are very little
00:14:35Third genders
00:14:35Because half of them
00:14:36Have already died
00:14:37From AIDS
00:14:38Because of their
00:14:39Lack of education
00:14:40Because of their
00:14:41Lack of family values
00:14:42Because of their
00:14:43Lack of morals
00:14:44And principles
00:14:45And family and friends
00:14:46Support
00:14:47These people had
00:14:48No knowledge of anything
00:14:49And anything they had
00:14:50To learn
00:14:50They had to learn
00:14:52By learning it
00:14:53A lot of these girls
00:14:55Think that if they get
00:14:56A vagina
00:14:57Or they go to some doctor
00:14:58And let them cut off
00:14:59Their penises
00:15:00And make it into a hole
00:15:02That they can live
00:15:03Their lives as a woman
00:15:04And they can get married
00:15:05And maybe adopt children
00:15:07This is every transgender's
00:15:08Fantasy
00:15:10To have a rich white man
00:15:12I don't understand that
00:15:13But they fail to realize
00:15:17Truth does not change
00:15:20No matter how much
00:15:22You cut it up
00:15:22No matter how much
00:15:24You camouflage it
00:15:25No matter how much
00:15:26You deny it
00:15:27Truth cannot change
00:15:29And that sends them
00:15:32Over into a
00:15:33Self-destructive pattern
00:15:35After they've decided
00:15:36To do the things
00:15:37In their life
00:15:38And they realize
00:15:39That now after the operation
00:15:42They're nothing
00:15:44As opposed before
00:15:45They were special
00:15:47And no one was to help
00:15:49Them recognize that
00:15:50No one was around
00:15:52To let them know
00:15:53What you are
00:15:55Is magnificent
00:15:58You're so busy fighting
00:16:01Hating yourself
00:16:04Because society has
00:16:06Made you believe
00:16:08That you are nothing
00:16:10That you actually
00:16:11Became nothing
00:16:12By having this operation
00:16:16I declare the floor
00:16:18We are here
00:16:20To serve it more
00:16:22There our house stands
00:16:24From back to door
00:16:25Children watch us grow
00:16:27You cannot help you endure
00:16:32Me being a third gender
00:16:33I don't know what it is
00:16:35To be a man
00:16:35As far as
00:16:36A physical attribute
00:16:38I never looked like a man
00:16:40And trust me
00:16:41My whole life
00:16:41I've tried
00:16:43Until it got to a point
00:16:44Where I had to accept myself
00:16:46For who I am
00:16:47And was what I am
00:16:48I don't know what it's like
00:16:48To grow a mustache
00:16:49I don't know what it's like
00:16:51To grow a beard
00:16:51I don't know what it's like
00:16:53To be big
00:16:53I don't know what it's like
00:16:55To have a muscular body
00:16:57And trust me
00:16:58My whole life
00:16:59I have worked at it
00:17:01I couldn't stand myself
00:17:03For being this freak of nature
00:17:05That everybody so visibly
00:17:07Reminded me of
00:17:08Every day of my life
00:17:09When I was growing up
00:17:11Balls meant something
00:17:12It meant that you were the best
00:17:14It made you work hard
00:17:16At everything
00:17:17It taught you about
00:17:19Discipline
00:17:20And respecting yourself
00:17:22And having ambitions
00:17:24To do something
00:17:25That you thought
00:17:25Would be impossible
00:17:32Third gender is basically
00:17:34You born with more female hormones
00:17:37Than male
00:17:38And you don't have to do anything
00:17:39To make yourself look like a woman
00:17:41Because only God knows
00:17:43You're a man
00:17:44But you look just like a girl
00:17:46People are still concerned
00:17:47About what's between my legs
00:17:49Instead of knowing
00:17:50And I said to him
00:17:51You know
00:17:51We could just be friends
00:17:53He was even too conservative
00:17:54To be my friend
00:18:13I don't understand people
00:18:14And how weak and insecure
00:18:16Men are
00:18:17Or women are
00:18:18But they can't even
00:18:19Confront me as an individual
00:18:21Without looking at me
00:18:23As some sort of sex toy
00:18:24That they're attracted to
00:18:25And they're trying to avoid it
00:18:26By treating me like
00:18:28I'm absolutely nothing
00:18:29And I was totally overwhelmed
00:18:31It really took me for a loop
00:18:35I'm strong
00:18:35And I keep saying
00:18:36You know
00:18:37I can't let that
00:18:38Bring me down
00:18:46When you're young
00:18:47You have no fear
00:18:48Because you're naive
00:18:48To a lot of things
00:18:50But as I started making money
00:18:53In the fashion business
00:18:54And became more and more popular
00:18:57Slowly an insecurity set in
00:19:00Is today the day
00:19:02That people will find out
00:19:05About Tracy
00:19:06And who she really is
00:19:08And if so
00:19:10How will they accept that?
00:19:17Back in the 70s
00:19:19I started out as a model
00:19:22And I was discovered
00:19:23By Irving Penn
00:19:24And my first contract
00:19:26Was with Clairol
00:19:27And I was on their hair color boxes
00:19:30And I signed another contract
00:19:32With Ultra Sheen Cosmetics
00:19:39The third contract
00:19:41That I signed
00:19:42Here in New York
00:19:43Was with the Avon
00:19:45Skincare products
00:19:47When they were promoting
00:19:49A new line
00:19:49For women of color
00:19:51I lasted for
00:19:53At least two and a half years
00:19:55In New York City
00:19:56Before someone
00:19:57Actually found out
00:19:59And what happened
00:20:01Was a part of the history
00:20:03The doors close
00:20:25A house is like a family
00:20:27You know, a home
00:20:28I mean, for us
00:20:30It's always been that
00:20:31I mean, we always
00:20:32Have been
00:20:33And tried to be
00:20:34Very family orientated
00:20:35Whereas
00:20:36Okay, this one
00:20:37Doesn't have a place to go
00:20:39Here, come with me
00:20:40You know
00:20:41You don't have an outfit
00:20:42Here, wear this
00:20:43Or
00:20:43You don't have any money
00:20:44To get into the ball
00:20:45Or for whatever
00:20:46Here
00:20:46You know, you're hungry
00:20:47Here
00:20:48You know, let's eat
00:20:49A lot of kids
00:20:50You know
00:20:51Their parents
00:20:52Don't accept
00:20:53The lifestyle
00:20:54That they've chosen
00:20:55To live
00:20:56And which is
00:20:57Where we come in
00:20:58And we try to
00:20:59We try to fill
00:21:00Voids for each other
00:21:04I may have an emptiness
00:21:05Inside of me
00:21:06Maybe of a
00:21:07Of a brother
00:21:08That I never had
00:21:09One of my
00:21:10Danza brothers
00:21:10Will fill in
00:21:11You know
00:21:12To the fullest
00:21:12And it'll make me feel like
00:21:15Wow, this is really my family
00:21:17I'm all about love
00:21:19Peace and respect
00:21:20I love helping people
00:21:22And that's what makes me
00:21:24You know
00:21:24Want to come back
00:21:25Besides just
00:21:26Voguing, dancing
00:21:28And carrying on
00:21:28Because these people
00:21:30Supported me
00:21:30And you know
00:21:32They gave me
00:21:32Attention
00:21:33And love
00:21:34And respect
00:21:34And that's what
00:21:36I usually don't get
00:21:37In the outside world
00:21:40A house
00:21:41Is an organization
00:21:43More like
00:21:44A gang
00:21:46It's a gay
00:21:47Gang
00:21:48They protect each other
00:21:50They watch each other's backs
00:21:51It's a really good place
00:21:53Good
00:21:53You know
00:21:54People to be with
00:21:55And it's very important
00:21:56And to know who legends are
00:21:59Because they teach you
00:22:01How it's done
00:22:02I think I'm like
00:22:03One of the youngest
00:22:05People of my age
00:22:06And I'm like
00:22:07Really doing it up
00:22:08In the ballroom team
00:22:09I'm not bragging
00:22:10But I think it's true
00:22:12And it makes me
00:22:13Kind of feel good
00:22:14Because you know
00:22:15Like I have people
00:22:16Out in public
00:22:16Oh, that's Roxy
00:22:18A lot of kids
00:22:19Don't get along
00:22:20With their parents
00:22:21So we're like foster parents
00:22:22So they're able to come
00:22:23Talk to us
00:22:24About their problems
00:22:25And we like to give them
00:22:26Guidance in life too
00:22:27Like making sure
00:22:28They have a job
00:22:29Making sure
00:22:30They go to school
00:22:34My advice to parents
00:22:35With a child like Octavia
00:22:38Is not to fight them
00:22:40It's not going to help
00:22:42Help them in every way
00:22:44And love them
00:22:45As they love
00:22:52I call my mom
00:22:53I'll get in contact
00:22:54With my father
00:22:54And we always start
00:22:56And end our conversations
00:22:57With I love you
00:22:58And that is right there
00:22:59Just I love that
00:23:00Because I need
00:23:01That support in my life
00:23:02I would do anything
00:23:03For her
00:23:03Because she's done
00:23:04Everything for me
00:23:06She's given me
00:23:07Inspiration
00:23:10Why?
00:23:11Because my mother's
00:23:11Wheelchair bound
00:23:12But she's never stopped her
00:23:15The first ball I ever walked
00:23:16She was there to support
00:23:17It was my sophomore year
00:23:191995
00:23:20Roughly
00:23:21February
00:23:22When I ran away
00:23:23From my mother
00:23:24And for that whole year
00:23:26Of 1995
00:23:27She was so upset at me
00:23:29She couldn't believe
00:23:29That her baby left her
00:23:31And I felt bad
00:23:32That I did that to her
00:23:33But I had to do it
00:23:34Because I wanted to
00:23:35Follow my dreams
00:23:37I wanted to educate myself
00:23:39Better
00:23:39And I felt like
00:23:40I was going to be able
00:23:40To do that in New York
00:23:41My own family
00:23:42Had thrown me out
00:23:43And you know
00:23:45They weren't really
00:23:47You know
00:23:48My parents
00:23:49Or my brothers
00:23:49And sisters
00:23:50But to me
00:23:51They were
00:23:51You know
00:23:52In life
00:23:52You learn that
00:23:53Your friends
00:23:53Are your family
00:23:55And they're the ones
00:23:56Who made me
00:23:59Who I am today
00:24:00My dad on the other hand
00:24:01Was a little rough on me
00:24:03He didn't understand
00:24:04What was going on
00:24:04Too much
00:24:05But he's fine now
00:24:06My mom
00:24:08Always knew
00:24:09You know
00:24:10My dad
00:24:12Also
00:24:12Even though
00:24:13It was
00:24:14It was
00:24:14Never discussed
00:24:16Never
00:24:17Never been disrespected
00:24:18Either
00:24:19My father was black
00:24:20He was a Muslim
00:24:23And he was very open minded
00:24:24He was in the military
00:24:25He traveled the world
00:24:27He's been around the globe
00:24:28So he was very open minded
00:24:29As far as friends
00:24:29They accepted me
00:24:30Right away
00:24:31So I had a pretty
00:24:32Pretty easy life
00:24:33As far as my parents
00:24:34Were concerned
00:24:35They were very supportive
00:24:36Of me
00:24:36After seven years
00:24:37Of being a transsexual
00:24:38That's when I received
00:24:39The respect and the love
00:24:40From my mom
00:24:41And my dad
00:24:45I get a lot of support
00:24:47More from my mother
00:24:47And my brother
00:24:48More or less
00:24:49Than my father
00:24:49But he do accept
00:24:50My homosexuality
00:24:53No deposit
00:24:54No sunbeam
00:24:55Break it down
00:24:56I have always been
00:24:58And always will be
00:24:59Her daughter
00:25:02I remember the first person
00:25:03In my family
00:25:04I told that I was gay
00:25:05Was my sister Michelle
00:25:07And I used the example
00:25:09Of a TV program
00:25:11That was on
00:25:12There was a character
00:25:14Who was gay
00:25:14And then I had to explain
00:25:16To my younger sister
00:25:17That I'm like Jody
00:25:18It was called
00:25:19Soap
00:25:20Harmonica Sunday
00:25:21Is about to pump
00:25:27Ow
00:25:28Parents that have children
00:25:30That are going through
00:25:32Transformationists
00:25:32To give them all the love
00:25:34And all the support
00:25:36Harmonica Sunday
00:25:39If you don't give them love
00:25:41And support
00:25:41You're gonna lose them
00:25:42They're just gonna go wild
00:25:44They're gonna be lost jewels
00:25:45They're gonna need all the love
00:25:47Of all the support
00:25:48That you can give them
00:25:53When I was rock bottom
00:25:54And I had no money
00:25:55Nowhere to go
00:25:56I had to do what I had to do
00:25:58In order to maintain
00:26:01Angie, Mother Infinity
00:26:02She has helped me so much
00:26:04Even when I didn't have a place
00:26:06To stay
00:26:06She was like
00:26:07Come here
00:26:08Come to my house
00:26:08She gave me my first hormone shot
00:26:10So that's a mother
00:26:14I think I make a good mother
00:26:16I support my kids
00:26:17I try to guide them
00:26:18The right way
00:26:20It's really hard
00:26:21To be transgender
00:26:22Because you have to deal
00:26:23With a lot of criticism
00:26:24And a lot of judgment
00:26:25And if you don't do it right
00:26:28People will put you down
00:26:29When I began hormonal treatment
00:26:31I went to Cal and Lord
00:26:33It's the health center
00:26:34For the GLBT community
00:26:36They didn't want to give me hormones
00:26:38Straight off the back
00:26:39They just wanted me
00:26:40To go to therapy
00:26:41And get counseling sessions
00:26:43And I did
00:26:52I've always had a passion
00:26:53Wanting to attend college
00:26:55Ever since I was little
00:26:57Like someone
00:26:57Like my teachers
00:26:59My mom
00:26:59My father
00:27:00My family
00:27:01Everyone
00:27:01They would always say
00:27:02That college
00:27:02Is the key to success
00:27:07Welcome to Syracuse
00:27:09University
00:27:11I wouldn't be able
00:27:12To show them
00:27:12That I'm in school
00:27:14Right there
00:27:14Next to you
00:27:15Sitting right next to you
00:27:16In your classroom
00:27:17I try to stay strong
00:27:18Because I want my head
00:27:19Into the books
00:27:20You know
00:27:21Like a boyfriend
00:27:22Will so distract me
00:27:23And so if my head
00:27:24Is in the books
00:27:24I can just keep
00:27:25Stay focused
00:27:26And until at least graduation
00:27:34Walking balls
00:27:35Boosts me up
00:27:36In terms of self esteem
00:27:38I'm still nervous
00:27:39Even to this day
00:27:40I walk the category
00:27:41That I slayed and conquered
00:27:43And I still get nervous
00:27:46Realness
00:27:46Can I get all the street boys
00:27:48In front of me
00:27:49Now
00:27:50Cooling gum too much
00:27:52Or swaying their arms
00:27:53Or if they act like
00:27:54They can't really do nothing
00:27:55With their hands
00:27:56Like if they keep
00:27:56Fondling with their hands
00:27:57And stuff
00:28:00That's not something
00:28:01A heterosexual male
00:28:02Would do
00:28:03So I would chop them
00:28:04For that
00:28:04Or you know
00:28:05Just a little stuff
00:28:06Probably their eyebrows
00:28:06Probably arch
00:28:07Or they probably wear
00:28:08Baseball kept down too low
00:28:09Those are signs
00:28:10That they hot
00:28:11And something
00:28:11So I would chop them
00:28:12For that
00:28:20When you judge a ball
00:28:22You're supposed to know
00:28:24Exactly what the flyer
00:28:27Is asking for
00:28:28I am a stickler
00:28:30For reading the flyer
00:28:31And bringing it
00:28:33As the flyer says
00:28:34When someone asks me
00:28:36To judge their ball
00:28:37I usually have the flyer
00:28:38Right in front of me
00:28:39So when you walk
00:28:41I read the flyer
00:28:44And if it says
00:28:46Teeth
00:28:47Skin
00:28:48Structure
00:28:50Nose
00:28:50And I tell you to smile
00:28:52And you're missing
00:28:54Some furniture
00:28:54In your living room
00:28:55And I spin you
00:28:56On your way
00:28:59Don't get upset
00:29:00With me
00:29:01Because you didn't
00:29:02See the dentist
00:29:03Read the flyer
00:29:10When they're going there
00:29:12When they're going there
00:29:12To compete
00:29:13Amongst one another
00:29:14They're no longer
00:29:15Gay people
00:29:17Competing for a trophy
00:29:19They're in their minds
00:29:21Competing for respect
00:29:23They're competing
00:29:25For homage
00:29:27They're competing
00:29:29To be the best
00:29:30Of the best
00:29:32That's why they
00:29:33It's so
00:29:34It's such an exciting event
00:29:36Because
00:29:38This is not
00:29:38Out of fun for them
00:29:40This is a part
00:29:41Of their lives
00:29:43Thank you y'all
00:29:44It's a trap
00:29:45Thank you y'all
00:29:51It's the first ball
00:29:53That I've ever walked
00:29:54I believe
00:29:55And I remember
00:29:56Being so scared
00:29:57Of losing
00:29:58That I wanted
00:29:59I was moving so fast
00:30:01I mean I was like
00:30:02A machine
00:30:02Like a robot
00:30:03And I remember
00:30:04Okay I'll just do
00:30:05Everything really fast
00:30:05So I won't get chopped
00:30:07So they'll be
00:30:08See everything
00:30:08That I've been working
00:30:09On and practicing
00:30:10And not giving
00:30:11The chance
00:30:12To put up a nine
00:30:13Because they'll see everything
00:30:14So I remember
00:30:15Vlogging at like
00:30:16150 miles per hour
00:30:18At the speed of light
00:30:19And people would just
00:30:20I don't think
00:30:21It was so much
00:30:22The voguing
00:30:22I think it was like
00:30:23Oh my god
00:30:23He's voguing so fast
00:30:25That they were like
00:30:26Overwhelmed by
00:30:27You know
00:30:27It was almost like
00:30:28I was gonna take off
00:30:29Like a helicopter
00:30:36When somebody's first
00:30:37Walking a ball
00:30:38And they get chopped
00:30:40Or they don't win
00:30:42They get discouraged
00:30:43And you know
00:30:44You gotta be there for them
00:30:45And I tell them
00:30:46It's just a ball
00:30:47And you go and
00:30:48Tap that person
00:30:49And you tell them
00:30:49Guess what
00:30:50I'll see you
00:30:51On the runway
00:30:53If the commentator
00:30:54Doesn't know who you are
00:30:56That's one thing
00:30:57What a person needs to do
00:30:58Is when they hit that floor
00:30:59They have to show
00:31:01The confidence
00:31:01To make the commentator
00:31:02Realize and recognize
00:31:04Who they are
00:31:04If not
00:31:05Then that could affect
00:31:06Your whole confidence level
00:31:10A good judge
00:31:11A good judge is someone
00:31:11That's actually read
00:31:13The ball flyer
00:31:14People that have
00:31:14Experience
00:31:15In the ballroom scene
00:31:16That has been walking
00:31:17For years
00:31:18That has been judging
00:31:19For years
00:31:21When I'm asked to judge
00:31:23I have a certain
00:31:24Standard that I look at
00:31:25I go by
00:31:26What the flyer
00:31:27Is asking for
00:31:27And if the person
00:31:29Is serving that way
00:31:29Regardless of who it is
00:31:30And it's a shame
00:31:31To say
00:31:32But it's the truth
00:31:32It's the girlfriend
00:31:33Thinking
00:31:33If your girlfriend
00:31:34Is walking
00:31:34They automatically
00:31:36Get your 10
00:31:37And that's not
00:31:37How it's supposed to be
00:31:50It takes courage
00:31:51To actually go up
00:31:52On the runway
00:31:53And have somebody judge you
00:31:55For my first time
00:31:56I was real nervous
00:31:57Because I never knew
00:31:58What ballroom was
00:31:59Or how it was
00:31:59To be gay
00:32:01Or how to have
00:32:02A ballroom attitude
00:32:05This kid
00:32:06Just to come up
00:32:07And say
00:32:07You know
00:32:08You're a big
00:32:08Inspiration
00:32:09I like your effects
00:32:10You know
00:32:10You're different
00:32:11You know
00:32:12It gave meaning
00:32:13I mean
00:32:13Okay
00:32:13I'm doing something right
00:32:20I found a place
00:32:22Where I could feel
00:32:23Accepted
00:32:24And feel wanted
00:32:24Just for being
00:32:25Who I am
00:32:29I was one of those
00:32:30Kids that actually
00:32:31Sat back
00:32:31And learned
00:32:32And watched
00:32:33Before I put myself
00:32:34Out there
00:32:37I just want to be
00:32:38In one stable house
00:32:39And build my name
00:32:41And my foundation
00:32:42Within that one house
00:32:43So you know
00:32:44I can excel
00:32:45And maybe one day
00:32:46Become that legend
00:32:47And I can be on that panel
00:32:48And judge the new kids
00:32:49That's coming up
00:33:01Trophies will not feed the hungry
00:33:03Coat the homeless
00:33:05Hide the scars
00:33:06Grand prizes will not bring Lazarus
00:33:09Or La Beja back from the dead
00:33:10They will just sit in your closet
00:33:12Fake idols gathering dust
00:33:14Before the gold paint chips away
00:33:16You cannot sell them for freedom
00:33:19You cannot trade them in for love
00:33:32We all have the ability
00:33:34To do something that we want to do
00:33:38It just depends on
00:33:40How we go about it
00:33:42And when we go about it
00:33:43You know
00:33:43I would hate to go through life
00:33:45Saying oh I should have tried this
00:33:46I should have did this
00:33:47So I'm one of those people
00:33:48Who's always going to try something
00:33:50At least once
00:33:51To see if it's going to work for me
00:33:52And this is one of those things
00:33:54That I said
00:33:54You know what
00:33:55I'm not working right now
00:33:56I could use some money
00:33:58I have this skill
00:33:59I have this talent
00:34:00Let me put it together
00:34:01If I have some business sense
00:34:02And let me let it work for me
00:34:04And it did
00:34:09The ball community
00:34:11Can be a wonderful
00:34:13Training ground
00:34:14For up and coming designers
00:34:16And models
00:34:18If that's where you're going
00:34:21As the world evolves
00:34:23The balls evolve
00:34:25And then
00:34:26The dance moves evolve
00:34:28Like everything evolves
00:34:30As time goes by
00:34:32So it's definitely very important
00:34:33To document that
00:34:37I definitely don't want people
00:34:39To know that I'm actually
00:34:40Taking their picture
00:34:40Because when they're natural
00:34:41You get true feeling behind it
00:34:45There's nothing false about it
00:34:46It's all real
00:34:47I think when people
00:34:49Look at the pictures
00:34:50That I take
00:34:51They see reality
00:34:52And it's so intense
00:34:54That it's almost like
00:34:55You want to be part of that
00:35:01Being involved in the balling community
00:35:03Definitely inspires me
00:35:05When people look at the actual picture
00:35:07They actually feel like
00:35:08They're in it
00:35:09They're in the picture
00:35:10That they're looking at
00:35:11I have this escape
00:35:13I can go to
00:35:14And be with these fun people
00:35:16And see all this great energy
00:35:26It's very inspiring
00:35:27To see people
00:35:28So gung-ho
00:35:30About a particular category
00:35:33And pulling it off right
00:35:47I am the father of the house
00:35:49I am the founder of the house
00:35:50Of infinity
00:35:51And I founded the house in 1990
00:35:56First I asked them
00:35:58What made them want to come
00:35:59To the house of infinity
00:36:00You know
00:36:01What can we offer them
00:36:02Their answer
00:36:05Love
00:36:05Trust
00:36:07Understanding
00:36:07And most of all
00:36:09Unity
00:36:13And that's what the house of infinity
00:36:15Is all about
00:36:15Being a family
00:36:16You know
00:36:17Helping each other
00:36:18Looking out for one another
00:36:19In any time of need
00:37:00The legendary Avis Pindarvis
00:37:03The legendary Avis Pindarvis
00:37:03And the legendary Dorian Corey
00:37:05Their creations would really open up my eyes
00:37:09To really go into bizarre at the ball
00:37:12And futuristic
00:37:13And if we don't keep it in our hearts
00:37:17How it used to be
00:37:18And how we compete against one another
00:37:22At these balls and whatnot
00:37:25To remember that we have to still love one another
00:37:29And keep a good tradition going on
00:37:32To order to be a good winner
00:37:34You have to be a good loser
00:37:36A person that can hug its opponent
00:37:39And walk off with pride
00:37:45When I go to a ball
00:37:47I'm always prepared
00:37:48I have band-aids
00:37:50Bobby pins
00:37:51Powder
00:37:51Deodorant
00:37:52Face wash
00:37:53MAC makeup
00:37:54I might not have your color
00:37:55But I have it all
00:37:57And I guess that's why
00:37:59I was voted mother of the year
00:38:02Since 95
00:38:03I've won woman's face
00:38:04Seven years in a row
00:38:06At the awards ball
00:38:07This past year
00:38:09I won mother of the year
00:38:11Which was never done by
00:38:12A lesbian before
00:38:16You can't just get your face made up
00:38:18And just walk out
00:38:19When you come out
00:38:20You have to come out with confidence
00:38:22And with a glow
00:38:24Like an aura
00:38:24Or the judges will not pay you attention
00:38:26You have to come out there
00:38:28Like you know
00:38:29You deserve that trophy
00:38:32Everything is a blank to me when I walk
00:38:35The only thing I see
00:38:36Is the front of the judges panel
00:38:38And that's it
00:38:39If I see that
00:38:39Because sometimes I'll focus on
00:38:41The back of the wall
00:38:43And just everything is blocked out to me
00:38:46Thanks
00:38:48Thanks
00:38:52My outfit at the awards ball
00:38:53Was made by designer Angel Baskaya
00:38:56As well as my jewelry
00:38:58And my headpiece
00:38:59I prepared myself for that night
00:39:01By not eating
00:39:03I was actually very nervous
00:39:07And smoking a lot of cigarettes
00:39:08In the beginning
00:39:09I wasn't winning
00:39:10And I wasn't feeling it
00:39:11So when I started winning
00:39:12I started putting more effort into it
00:39:15I would make sure
00:39:18Like watch over my designers
00:39:19Make sure my outfit was perfect
00:39:21I would sell it in the mirror
00:39:23For like hours
00:39:25Because I was always told
00:39:27You have to sell it like a femme queen
00:39:36When I walk face
00:39:38And you hear from the sidelines
00:39:40Sell it bitch
00:39:42I don't really take bitch
00:39:44Negatively in that aspect
00:39:45I actually take it as being positive
00:39:48Because you're walking
00:39:49You're getting the audience hot
00:39:51Because you're selling it
00:39:52And they want you to sell it more
00:39:53So they're like
00:39:54Sell it bitch
00:39:55So it gets you excited
00:39:56And it gets you hot
00:39:57So you sell it more
00:39:59After a ball
00:40:00Your emotions wind down
00:40:02And if you had a successful night
00:40:04If your house had a successful night
00:40:06Your emotions are high
00:40:07You want to go out to eat
00:40:08You want to go to the club
00:40:09You want to go anywhere
00:40:10Just to keep the high going
00:40:13If you had a
00:40:14You know
00:40:14If you lost that night
00:40:15And you're feeling kind of down
00:40:17You just like to unwind at home
00:40:19Maybe go home
00:40:20Have a nice cup of tea
00:40:21And go to sleep
00:40:23We tolerate no violence
00:40:25Or disrespect to one another
00:40:27As well as anyone
00:40:29Who is disrespectful
00:40:30To the house name
00:40:31By being a quote unquote
00:40:33Troublemaker
00:40:34Will be expelled from the house
00:40:36The ballroom community
00:40:38Has been incredibly influential
00:40:39In the worlds of fashion
00:40:40And music
00:40:41And style
00:40:42And language
00:40:43I don't only do runway
00:40:45I don't only do shade
00:40:47But I also
00:40:49Comment, comment, comment
00:40:50Comment, comment
00:40:52You want to walk right through the door
00:40:55I want to come up off the floor
00:40:56You want to bend your wrist
00:40:58Like this, like this, like this
00:40:59Like this, like this
00:41:00I want to bring in with a script
00:41:02I want to make sure you're dismissed
00:41:04I want to see you get your tag
00:41:07I am the best at balance of the N
00:41:09I am G
00:41:10I am R
00:41:11I am E
00:41:12I am V
00:41:13I am E
00:41:14And N
00:41:14Then why does he?
00:41:16After why I don't actually rock
00:41:17This rock is sick of mine
00:41:20Now I'm a GGG my sheep
00:41:21All the girls want to pee pee pee pee
00:41:24Or Ava some of them used to tell me
00:41:26What was good and what was bad
00:41:28And I learned
00:41:29But now these things
00:41:31The new generation
00:41:32It's hard
00:41:34Because they take everything as shame
00:41:36They think everything as shame
00:41:38I gotta feel it
00:41:39And they gotta feel it
00:41:40And I know
00:41:41When I make them feel it
00:41:43It's like
00:41:44Oh, I have to get this trophy
00:41:46I have to get this 10
00:41:48I gotta make the girls know it
00:41:50So
00:41:50It's that energy
00:41:52That's between the commentator
00:41:54And the, you know
00:41:55The people that's competing
00:41:59When you're voguing femme, femme, femme
00:42:01Just to get your tiggity, ten, ten, ten
00:42:03You're the creme de la, cookity, creme, creme, creme
00:42:05Let me see you stop
00:42:08Shawam
00:42:08The girls can't take my life, fight
00:42:11The girls can't take my shame, shame
00:42:12The girls can't take my blame, blame
00:42:14The girls can't take my attitude
00:42:18The girls can't take my shame, too
00:42:20The girls can't take my heart, heart, heart, heart
00:42:232001 is gone
00:42:292002 has passed
00:42:312003 is no longer here
00:42:342004 no longer exists
00:42:362005 are you ready
00:42:39So you see
00:42:40They take that
00:42:40And they run with it
00:42:41Okay
00:42:42But I'm not given the credibility
00:42:43Because I'm not on the mic
00:42:45But that's okay
00:42:46Because
00:42:47That's just how
00:42:48The game runs
00:42:54People are doing it again
00:42:55People are
00:42:56They are wanting it again
00:42:58They are feeling it again
00:42:59Let me face it
00:43:00It's the true gay dance
00:43:14Madonna did something
00:43:15The next thing that came along
00:43:17In what Madonna has been doing
00:43:19Capturing trends
00:43:20She really did wonderful
00:43:23For the House of Extravaganza
00:43:25The great exposition
00:43:26And the money that they made
00:43:27Taking them on tour
00:43:33Vogueing was actually manufactured
00:43:36On Rikers Island
00:43:37In jail
00:43:38At first was presentation
00:43:41Then they called it performance
00:43:42It didn't become Vogueing until the 80s
00:43:51I was what, 15 when I first met Madonna
00:43:55In sound factory
00:43:57And I mean
00:43:57I remember her saying to me
00:43:59She didn't understand
00:44:00How so much talent
00:44:01Came out of such a little body
00:44:07I think that
00:44:08What she was so like
00:44:09Amazed by
00:44:11Was
00:44:11In your face
00:44:12I'm real
00:44:13This is what it is
00:44:14Take it or leave it
00:44:15Attitude
00:44:16And it was something
00:44:17That we didn't have to
00:44:18Try very hard to do
00:44:20It was just the way we were
00:44:21You know
00:44:22It was what we projected
00:44:23It was what we lived for
00:44:25You know
00:44:25To just be in your face
00:44:27Yes I'm fabulous
00:44:28And you can't tell me different
00:44:29Yeah I was always
00:44:30A little
00:44:32Spiteful
00:44:32Shady
00:44:33I was the shadiest one
00:44:34I was the youngest one
00:44:35I was the most spoiled one
00:44:36But I think she was more
00:44:38She was like
00:44:39Don't you realize
00:44:40What you're doing
00:44:41I think that it came so natural
00:44:43To me
00:44:43That it was nothing
00:44:46I didn't learn
00:44:48To appreciate
00:44:49What I had accomplished
00:44:50So much later in life
00:44:51I was so young
00:44:52You know
00:44:53And I think with her
00:44:55It was also
00:44:56A thing where
00:44:57She would just like
00:44:59You know
00:45:00She would just play the music
00:45:01And watch me do my thing
00:45:03And
00:45:04Next thing you know
00:45:05She wanted everyone
00:45:05To do what I was doing
00:45:07You know
00:45:08And
00:45:09Everyone had to be still
00:45:10And watch Jose at times
00:45:12Everyone had to be still
00:45:13And watch Jose and Louis
00:45:14You know
00:45:15Do their thing
00:45:16And just from watching her
00:45:17It's like wow
00:45:18This woman is really
00:45:19Impressed by me
00:45:20It's a scene in Truth
00:45:21Adair actually
00:45:22Where she's just like
00:45:24You know
00:45:24Just kissing my feet
00:45:26And I'm like
00:45:27Standing there like
00:45:28Okay
00:45:29I have one of the biggest
00:45:30Stars in the universe
00:45:31Just telling me
00:45:32How incredible I am
00:45:33And she's at my feet
00:45:34I think it should be
00:45:35The other way around
00:45:36You know
00:45:37Because I was always
00:45:37A big fan of hers too
00:45:39And it was amazing
00:45:40To get the opportunity
00:45:41To go
00:45:41And work with her
00:45:43I think it's something
00:45:44That you feel
00:45:45You know
00:45:46That's what street
00:45:48Voguing is to me
00:45:49More of a rough
00:45:50Urban
00:45:51You know
00:45:52In your face
00:45:53Type of
00:45:55It's like acting out
00:45:56Your dreams
00:45:56I was a dreamer
00:45:58I was curious
00:45:59You know
00:46:00There was a certain
00:46:01Mystery to everything
00:46:02I wanted to know
00:46:03I wanted to
00:46:03If you said to me
00:46:05Don't put your hand there
00:46:06That's where
00:46:06I was going to lay it down
00:46:08First
00:46:08All the Gaultier gigs
00:46:12Francesco Scavullo
00:46:14Working with all
00:46:14The amazing photographers
00:46:15Those were all highlights
00:46:17I mean
00:46:17Not even just gigs
00:46:18Just highlight moments
00:46:20You know
00:46:21A meeting Elizabeth Taylor
00:46:23Incredible moment
00:46:24You know
00:46:25Having her to tell me
00:46:27How incredible I am
00:46:28You're an athlete
00:46:30I like to see it as
00:46:32You know
00:46:32So dress for it
00:46:34You know
00:46:34So I started
00:46:35That whole cat suit
00:46:36And you know
00:46:38You know
00:46:39Knee pads
00:46:39And hot shorts
00:46:40And you know
00:46:41No shirt
00:46:42And just really like
00:46:43You know
00:46:44Adding to what I'm doing
00:46:45Which is
00:46:46Vogueing
00:46:58Performance
00:46:59Also known as Vogue
00:47:00Is the art of
00:47:01Improvising
00:47:02Dance and drama
00:47:03Oriented modeling
00:47:03Presentations
00:47:04It is the
00:47:05Interchanging of
00:47:06Poses
00:47:07Struts
00:47:07And ethnic
00:47:08Dance gestures
00:47:15Expressions of
00:47:16Famous entertainers
00:47:17Such as
00:47:18Alvin Ailey
00:47:18Diana Ross
00:47:19And Beverly Johnson
00:47:20Inspired those
00:47:21Who imitated them
00:47:22At showcase venues
00:47:23And New York
00:47:24Correctional facilities
00:47:25During the mid-70s
00:47:27The dance became
00:47:27A category
00:47:28At balls
00:47:29Marking the beginning
00:47:29Of the conventional era
00:47:30The term presentation
00:47:32Was then replaced
00:47:33By performance
00:47:34Dance
00:47:35Originally a feminine
00:47:35Dance category
00:47:36With Arabic dancing
00:47:37Flamboyant struts
00:47:38And fashion magazine poses
00:47:53During the birth of hip-hop culture
00:47:55The influence of breakdancing
00:47:57Heightened the standard
00:47:58For acrobatics
00:47:59By the late 80s
00:48:00Categories like
00:48:01Performance with gymnastics
00:48:02Also performance with stretch
00:48:04Now known as new weight
00:48:05Began the Olympic type
00:48:06Performance era
00:48:21For acrobatics
00:48:22To be continued...
00:48:22To be continued...
00:48:23To be continued...
00:48:24To be continued...
00:48:26To be continued...
00:48:26To be continued...
00:48:26To be continued...
00:48:27To be continued...
00:48:27To be continued...
00:48:27To be continued...
00:48:28To be continued...
00:48:28To be continued...
00:48:30To be continued...
00:48:32To be continued...
00:48:36To be continued...
00:48:40as long as african americans are descendants of ethiopian kushites
00:48:44performance will never perish
00:48:52who would have thought this would have went around the world you know and this came from
00:48:56the ball community andre has a lot of qualities all i can say he's always got something going
00:49:04when you can get 75 people to do anything you want them to do then you have power i've been
00:49:11walking balls for about 12 years i try to take it beyond the ballroom scene
00:49:20i dance for a living i'm a choreographer i perform for puffy combs missy elliott and a few other stars
00:49:27trying to take it as far as i can so that's another reason that i walk balls too because i
00:49:32feel that
00:49:33balls can take people places it depends on what you do and how you do it
00:49:41a lot of people never use their shoulders when they're voguing usually and then this movement here
00:49:50those were my signature movements and now there seems to be standard
00:50:07a little bit of martial arts a little bit of pantomime
00:50:15when i started it it was because i'm in the club having fun and they get my face and lo
00:50:20and behold
00:50:20here comes a new movement working with various recording artists from grace jones to queen latifah
00:50:30it's just about having fun and just goofing off
00:50:47if you have a fierce song your body's going to do what that song is telling you
00:50:51or if the commentator's turning it out and he changes the beat but you can match him
00:50:57your body's going to match what he's saying i create it in my mind and then try to create it
00:51:01on the floor
00:51:06i feel it later and i have to soak in the tub for a couple hours twisted ankle
00:51:10in germany this scar from going into a prop on the stage
00:51:14break it down
00:51:16break it down
00:51:17break it down
00:51:27Break it down
00:51:57Muscle spasms from all the arm flicks
00:51:59And especially if you're doing it during performances
00:52:02And you're doing it for an hour or so
00:52:04Believe me, the older you get
00:52:05The harder it gets
00:52:07So all you young kids
00:52:08You're going to need a lot of Bengay and X-Soul
00:52:13We have so much against us
00:52:15Being black or Latin and gay
00:52:18Taking what we do and branching out
00:52:20And showing the world this is us
00:52:22Look at our talent
00:52:24And
00:52:25And just bringing the spotlight to the community
00:52:28To me, that's a legend
00:52:33First time Vogue was ever seen
00:52:35Was Jody Bobby's second video
00:52:38Called Still a Brilla
00:52:39Tyrone Proctor
00:52:41We were in a dance group together
00:52:43Choreographed that
00:52:44And he was best friends with her
00:52:45Second video, Harold Dane
00:52:49Shape was a choreographer
00:52:50As well, Bobby Brown's choreographer
00:52:52Was in that video
00:52:53It was weak
00:52:54You know, straight forward
00:52:55Trying to do a little bow
00:53:00Then there was Liz Torres
00:53:02On the underground house classic
00:53:05Then there was my video
00:53:07Then it was
00:53:08Latifah
00:53:09Coming to my house
00:53:11Then Delight
00:53:12Good beat
00:53:13Then Madonna
00:53:16Good beat
00:53:17Good beat
00:53:18You can do it
00:53:19Next Bolsonaro
00:53:19It is
00:53:19Quite
00:53:21As intended
00:53:26You can do it
00:53:45My house is mixed, it's straight, it's gay, it's multiracial, and the reason I do that
00:53:52is if we want to be accepted, we gotta accept everybody.
00:54:15It's gotten me to see various cultures and experiences that I'll never forget.
00:54:33Looking at the history of the ball community, Pepper was one of the last surviving legendary
00:54:39mothers.
00:54:40When we were going to balls, balls were a special event, they didn't have them every
00:54:45month.
00:54:46If you wanted two a year and you prepared yourself for that night, you couldn't come in there
00:54:51and give them no motion, they would chop you.
00:54:54Because she's been doing that for over three decades, it was well overdue that she'd be
00:54:58honored in this fight.
00:55:07Peppa was truly an icon.
00:55:12Peppa Lolita LaBeija had two children and a beautiful mother.
00:55:20There is a whole new generation of ball kids now, and very few of them knew Pepper's struggles
00:55:27and the survival skills she required to live her life.
00:55:31In addition, Pepper has seen the comings and goings of hundreds of ball children whom we
00:55:37lost to HIV and AIDS.
00:55:42We've lost a wonderful world of people with so much experience, talent, beauty.
00:55:49We've lost a lot of people along the way.
00:55:54Eric really shined light on the ballroom.
00:55:57He was always fair.
00:55:59He gave everybody a chance.
00:56:02A real inspiration to the ballroom community, and he was real creative.
00:56:07We're here tonight to pay homage to our brother, Eric Christian Bazaar.
00:56:11There will never be anyone else like him on the mic.
00:56:15On the mic.
00:56:16Or for punk rock.
00:56:17Let us prick.
00:56:18Or for Bazaar.
00:56:19That's right.
00:56:20Awful for the eyewear.
00:56:22That's true.
00:56:22Let's just say, all around.
00:56:23All around.
00:56:24All around.
00:56:25For it's cream.
00:56:25That's right.
00:56:26Legendary.
00:56:27Always serving.
00:56:28Always serving.
00:56:28What?
00:56:29Selling it.
00:56:30Knowing it.
00:56:30And believing it.
00:56:31What?
00:56:33That's right.
00:56:39I'm not going to sit here and lie you that the girls were using condoms back in 1982.
00:56:43Condoms, we didn't even know what that thing was.
00:56:47I don't know why I'm alive.
00:56:49I thought that because I was HIV that I would never be able to have sex again.
00:56:53This is what I'm thinking.
00:56:55I'm never going to have sex again.
00:56:57I'm never ever going to let a man touch me.
00:56:59I couldn't think about being with somebody knowing that I have AIDS.
00:57:04But HIV is not having AIDS.
00:57:06HIV is not really harmful to anybody unless I make it harmful.
00:57:09We don't know everyone's status and everyone's not going to tell us their true status.
00:57:13So protect yourself.
00:57:14You know, treat everyone with universal precautions.
00:57:26This is my boyfriend Justin.
00:57:28We've been together for almost a year.
00:57:31I titled this one, Justin came to me in a dream.
00:57:34I did this in a series of photographs that came from dreams that I was having.
00:57:38I have very vivid dreams, partly because of some of the medications that we take.
00:57:43One of my favorite people to photograph is Cleo.
00:57:45He's my best friend.
00:57:46He's in the ballroom community.
00:57:48He walks between up and drags categories and I live.
00:57:51Luna Luis Ortiz has been a member of the Visual AIDS Archive Project since 1998.
00:57:56And in that time, we've seen his work mature as an artist and photographer, activist and teacher.
00:58:02Through the direct support that Visual AIDS offers artists living with AIDS,
00:58:06we hope to be able to empower them to continue making work,
00:58:09as well as to document and hold the visual record of the AIDS pandemic
00:58:13and the art that's come from artists living with AIDS.
00:58:20I choose to do portraits of my friends because I've lost so many of them.
00:58:25Sort of like a visual diary.
00:58:27So I could keep my friends with me at all times.
00:58:30And sometimes I have them all over the apartment.
00:58:38As an adolescent, I was not supposed to think about sex.
00:58:41Yet I did think about it and I engaged in it.
00:58:45Unfortunately, I was not informed about what was safe and what was not.
00:58:49I became infected by HIV in 1986 at the age of 14 with my first sexual experience.
00:58:56HIV made me think about how I wanted to be remembered.
00:58:59It was important for me to let people know that I exist.
00:59:03I thought at the time that I was going to get really sick and look like the images of AIDS
00:59:07we saw in the 1980s.
00:59:08But I didn't want to be seen as an AIDS victim.
00:59:12Around the time that I met Justin, I was having difficulty finding a relationship.
00:59:17A lot of people refused to date me because I was positive.
00:59:20Don't bring it down. Don't bring it down.
00:59:28Justin came to me and he was always very supportive about it.
00:59:33I remember I was afraid to tell him that I was positive.
00:59:36And I always wondered why was I afraid when I was always a show-off about my virus.
00:59:41He basically held my hand through the whole thing.
00:59:54Our sexual part of the relationship is very beautiful.
00:59:59It's intimate. It's just as normal as anybody's relationship.
01:00:03And it's very protected. It's a healthy, protective relationship.
01:00:10Throughout the years, you know, people that I came out with and people that I was raised with just, like,
01:00:17start dying on me.
01:00:19It affects me a lot. I mean, it's such a lot.
01:00:30Personally, I've lost over 400 of my friends.
01:00:32I can count Bourbon personalities and people that are gone. It hurts.
01:00:37When I had to go to Ken Pandavas' funeral, I was left baffled, bewildered, and bothered.
01:00:43Because I remember when all two of us, or three of us, were on the voguing floor performing against each
01:00:48other.
01:00:48And they're not here anymore.
01:00:50I've lost a lot of friends.
01:00:53But I've lost a lot of clients.
01:00:55So how it affected me is that I couldn't help anyone.
01:00:58To find you're HIV positive, that doesn't mean it's the end of your life.
01:01:01You know what I'm saying? A lot of them, kids turn to drugs as a comfort for being HIV positive.
01:01:06But it's, once you eat, like I tell them, once you eat right, you take care of yourself, you take
01:01:11your meds on time, you'll be alright.
01:01:13Number one, I'm still here. And number two, I'm still negative. And the reason why is that I didn't drink
01:01:20and I didn't take drugs.
01:01:21And I said no. And that's it.
01:01:25GMHC, I know that they do wonderful things for the gay community. In the beginning they did, like they were
01:01:31bringing houses to do, you know, safe sex ads.
01:01:36But then they stopped all of that, you know. And you would see them at the balls and it became
01:01:40a thing where a latex chopping someone.
01:01:43And it's like, wait a minute, aren't you here to save the day?
01:01:46As far as the house of latex, no comments.
01:01:50The people who organized it aren't purely bald people that would have kept this going.
01:01:56At one time we had the cream of the latex there. We were all contained. We were all showing interest.
01:02:01We were all showing meetings.
01:02:03And then it just dropped.
01:02:29It feels almost like you're a celebrity.
01:02:33And it's the excitement. You want to get there and see who's wearing what, who's with who, who's in what
01:02:38new house.
01:02:48For someone to be considered a legend, you have to at one particular point be the best or at the
01:02:53top of that particular category that you lost.
01:03:18The Hall of Fame, what does it mean to me? It means a lot to me because it shows that
01:03:22the community approves of me. They see me. It made me feel like all the time by me being in
01:03:29the ball scene, it was paid off.
01:03:31All these people all around on the floor getting down.
01:03:35Now you're going near, turn me up.
01:03:37Out and door, fill it up.
01:03:39And DJ, play them sounds.
01:03:41That's gon' keep it getting down.
01:03:43Being inducted into the Ballroom Hall of Fame, you know, of legendary status, I may add.
01:03:50And I walked my first ball when I was 14 years old. I don't have to walk anymore.
01:03:54And there's some people out there sometimes that would be like, okay, I want to walk against this person.
01:03:59Again, someone of my, of my caliber, of my status.
01:04:03You know, that would excite me enough to say, okay, this person is going to give me a run for
01:04:07my money.
01:04:08But I don't think there's no comparison to what I, what I did with it and what they're doing with
01:04:14it now.
01:04:14So, there's no need for competition because there isn't anything.
01:04:17Ooh, she better work.
01:04:25Ow!
01:04:30Ow!
01:04:34Ow!
01:04:43I'm here to work.
01:04:45News flash.
01:04:47No touching.
01:04:48No pushing.
01:04:50I'm here to work.
01:04:52Wanna see you work.
01:04:54Wanna feel you work.
01:04:56Wanna watch you work.
01:04:59Also, tell me, who would you like to see on the runway right now?
01:05:07Extravaganza!
01:05:08No power!
01:05:09I'm serving Extravaganza!
01:05:14Extravaganza!
01:05:15Extravaganza!
01:05:17Extravaganza!
01:05:19Extravaganza!
01:05:27Extravaganza!
01:05:29Vogue empowered me in a lot of ways.
01:05:33It's something that, it became like so natural to me because of, you know, my talent and my
01:05:40gift and what I, what I love to do.
01:05:44It gave me reassurance.
01:05:47It gave me secureness.
01:05:52for those five minutes that i was out there doing this this art creating you know it made it made
01:06:02me feel like i was doing something and i was and that's great for the for my ego it was
01:06:07it's great
01:06:07for anyone's ego to feel like wow i just did something and got applauded and rewarded for it
01:06:13you know it's a wonderful feeling and that make you feel really good and feeling good i mean that's
01:06:20all you need it shows you know you get a glow i mean if you feel good you know you
01:06:25walk down the
01:06:25street there's a certain walk to your walk there's a certain talk to your talk you know when you feel
01:06:31good you feel invincible you feel strength you feel everything that's good and the fact that that can
01:06:38bring all those things to you just from doing that like doing anything that you love anything
01:06:45that's being appreciated it's definitely a force not to be reckoned with
01:06:53what should i go she
01:06:56dear diri give me four of us
01:06:59one extravaganza two extravaganza three extravaganza three two ship or she
01:07:09three three four ship or she
01:07:30It's given me a career that is amazing, I mean, I never thought, you know, me, the kid
01:07:36from the projects, what the hell was I going to do?
01:07:39When you put creativity out there, what you get back is, wow, amazement.
01:07:45If you really respect yourself, you love yourself, you love what you do, people will learn how
01:07:49to cope with you.
01:07:51All these corporations and all these businesses, these fashion houses, they need the drama,
01:07:55they need all that.
01:07:57I wish to God I had videotaped every day of my life though.
01:08:00I'd be a really rich queen right now.
01:08:04What they do does have impact, it does affect the whole world.
01:08:07It's been an honor for me to sit with Willy Ninja and Hector Extravaganza and all these
01:08:13people as a total outsider who knows nothing and partake in all this, you know, bedazzlement
01:08:19and to help judge the contest.
01:08:21It's really been fun for me.
01:08:22If only, like, the world didn't have stereotypes or hang-ups around being GLBT, like, I could
01:08:28just imagine how much more beautiful this world would be with the creativeness that comes out
01:08:33of this subculture.
01:08:34Be safe and certain in what you do and don't grow up too fast.
01:08:38Take time out to live before you start making decisions that are just going to hold you
01:08:44back.
01:08:44I have a lot of doors open to me in Spain.
01:08:48They know who I am, they know what I'm about, they know what I can do, so they open a
01:08:53lot
01:08:53of doors to me.
01:08:54The point is never give up.
01:08:56And that's what the legacy will continue is as long as no one gives up.
01:09:00Let me live, let me feel the rain, let me feel the sun, let me be happy, let me feel
01:09:06alive.
01:09:06Today I'm fighting for the cause, to keep hope alive.
01:09:11It's not over until it's over and it's not over yet.
01:09:15There's a rumor going around that we've never heard before.
01:09:20Are you on E.B. O.N.Y. Ebony, or are you the new mother of the house of Malona
01:09:26Blood?
01:09:26I always love the Ebony to my family, but I am the mother.
01:09:32What I told you, give her a round of applause, congratulations.
01:09:37It's gonna get some beer up in here.
01:09:42The categories are Fence, Woman's Runway, Vogue Femme, Butch Queen Up in Dress, Femme Queen
01:09:52Sex Siren.
01:09:54Are you ready?
01:09:55Are you bitches ready to walk for me?
01:09:57Bring it to the runway now.
01:10:00How do I look?
01:10:02Just be mysterious.
01:10:08How do I look?
01:10:11Just be mysterious.
01:10:20Walk for me.
01:10:23Bring it to the runway now.
01:10:41How do I look?
01:10:42Just be mysterious.
01:10:44Just be mysterious.
01:10:44How do I look?
01:10:48Ha ha ha ha ha
01:10:52Walk for me
01:11:04Yes, this is furious
01:11:10How do I look?
01:11:13Yes, this is furious
01:11:26Bring it to the runway, man
01:11:32How do I look?
01:11:34Just mysterious
01:11:39How do I look?
01:11:43Just be mysterious
01:12:06Bring it to the runway, man
01:12:10How do I look?
01:12:12Just be mysterious
01:12:21Just be mysterious
01:12:51How do I look?
01:12:52Just a shaky
01:12:55H regular
01:12:55Never
01:12:58Hello
01:12:58This is a
01:12:59con
01:12:59An