House of Brownies
Valentine's Kiki Ball
Dates
2/14/25
10:30 PM
Ballroom culture is a movement in the US queer scene that developed from the original drag balls (= travesty shows) in New York City in the 1960s and 1970s. The first drag balls took place at the end of the 19th century in the New York neighbourhood of Harlem. Their popularity grew in many major American cities in the first decades of the 20th century and continues to this day. Due to increasing conservatism during and after the Second World War, the original drag balls were banned, but the queer underground scene continued to organise balls in private settings, from which ballroom culture developed in the late 1960s. This evening, in conjunction with the House of Brownies performance, pays homage and creates visibility for the ballroom community.
White participants are requested to refrain from wearing braids, afro wigs etc. This is a public event that cannot be considered a safe space. The event will be filmed and photographed.
