Ballroom 101 at Bundeskunsthalle by the House of St. Laurent

To mark the end of the Susan Sontag exhibition, the House of St. Laurent, in cooperation with Bundeskunsthalle Bonn and local and international figures from the ballroom scene, is hosting a multifaceted weekend dedicated to ballroom culture.

The programme combines theoretical reflections, practical experiences and empowerment measures. The aim is to strengthen the ballroom communities in North Rhine-Westphalia and at the same time to provide the city of Bonn with a sound introduction to and a first point of contact with ballroom culture. A particular concern is to increase the visibility of ballroom culture, create low-threshold entry points and celebrate the diversity of queer forms of expression.

This weekend programme also serves as a platform for exchange between the local ballroom scene in North Rhine-Westphalia and representatives of the Belgian and Dutch ballroom communities at various levels: through a panel discussion, workshops and a vogue night.

Participation is free of charge. Participation is only possible after prior registration at buchung@bundeskunsthalle.de.

2 to 4 pm
Ballroom 101 Panel Talk: Building Community
Introduction to the emergence and establishment of local ballroom communities. Followed by a discussion on the similarities, differences, successes and challenges of the scenes. The invited panellists are leading figures in their respective local communities.

With:
Amin St. Laurent (Belgien), Seven Garcon (Holland) und Essi Revlon (Köln) and others

6 to 11 pm
Vogue Night
Vogue Night – a celebration of ballroom culture and its forms of expression with an international jury. Participants from the local ballroom community compete against each other in six different categories for the Grand Prize. Afterwards, the event transitions into a clubbing atmosphere with DJ Seven Garcon from the Netherlands – for an atmospheric end to the night.

The categories of Vogue Night:

• Waacking
• Runway OTA
• Classic Performance (Old Way/New Way)
• Vogue Fem OTA
• Everyday Realness (FQ/TM)
• Beginners' Performance OTA
• Face OTA

11 am to 5 pm
Ballroom 101 Workshops

The four different Ballroom 101 workshops offer a basic understanding of the various performance types and categories. From offerings for newcomers and beginners to workshops for experienced individuals and ballroom members, the workshops are led by experts from the ballroom scene in the Netherlands and Germany. The workshops begin with a brief introduction to the respective category and its basic elements. These elements are then explored through technical exercises and drills and conceptual freestyle exercises. BIPOC and queer people are especially invited to participate. Acceptance of BIPOC and queer people is assumed/expected, as this forms the origin of ballroom culture.

Registration for the individual workshops is now open.

• Open to beginners/newcomers

11 am to 12:15 pm: Ballroom 101 – Posing/New Way (Litchi St. Laurent)
12:30 to 1:30 pm: Ballroom 101 – Runway (Legendary Mother Leo St. Laurent)

• Open to anyone with prior knowledge

1:45 to 3:15 pm: Chanting* Workshops (Mandhla G. Gucci)
3:30 to 5 pm: Performance & Musicality (Seven Garcon)

*Chanting: Ballroom chanting, also known as commentary or MC-ing, is a central element of the ballroom scene. Commentators use quick wit, rhythm and a powerful voice to fire up the audience, introduce the performers and accompany the competition – often incorporating chants, rhymes and repeated commands.