Ballroom: A History, a Movement, a Celebration

Activist and longtime ballroom participant Roberson debuts with a dynamic overview of the ballroom community. He begins by taking stock of ballroom’s recent growth from a small North American subculture to a “global phenomenon,” in part thanks to the popularity of TV shows such as Legendary and Pose. With an intimate insider’s perspective—Roberson first participated in Philadelphia’s ballroom scene in the 1980s and went on to be “a part of eight Houses” and a founder of four—he provides a comprehensive survey of today’s biggest balls, including his own POCC (People of Color in Crisis) Ball, “a health, wellness, and HIV prevention/testing ball,” and the Latex Ball, “the first in the fight” against AIDS. This somewhat daunting catalog of balls and houses is enlivened by descriptions of such memorable performances as Lola Gorgeous Gucci materializing from “an all-white icebox” in “teal fur and a crystal hairpiece” before “stripping down to a crystallized white corset and thong” as Aaliyah’s “Rock the Boat” plays. The volume’s most valuable contribution is its historical timeline: tracing ballroom back to 19th-century drag balls, Roberson shows how this nightlife community has intersected with political and artistic movements from the Harlem Renaissance to AIDS activism. It’s an essential, if sometimes dense, primer that places ballroom within a lineage of liberation. (June)