For the 35th anniversary of GMHC’s Latex Ball, its impresario and guiding spirit, Luna Luis Ortiz, chose “Ballroom Tapestries” as the theme to celebrate the Ballroom community and its rich history.
“Tapestries were status symbols in the Middle Ages. They were a form of storytelling through fabric about a culture’s past, present, and future – and they became pieces of art,” said Ortiz, GMHC’s Coordinator of Prevention Services. “That’s Ballroom to me. Our blood, sweat, and tears are threaded and woven into the fabric of ballroom history.”
The Ballroom tapestry will come alive on the runway on June 22 in the Latex Ball’s competition categories, which include Vogue, Fashion, Face, Runway, and Realness. “It’s a moment when we appreciate and admire the collective work and legacy of our Ballroom ancestors,” said Ortiz, himself a Hall of Fame Ballroom Icon.
Ortiz is expecting a capacity crowd at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen– including members of at least 25 Houses. The chosen families for NYC’s Ballroom community, Houses are made up of mostly Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ people. Like tapestries, Ortiz said, Ballroom families are closely woven, “sewing together their joyous, courageous, and challenging moments to create a safe environment and display the stories of ballroom life.”
Uniquely in Ballroom, the Latex Ball combines showstopping performances and luxe looks with a sexual health fair. Along with on-site HIV testing, GMHC and other community-based organizations will distribute free condoms and other HIV and STI prevention materials.
With over 4,000 advance registrations, the Latex Ball has already reached capacity. However, it is still possible to gain admittance by getting tested beforehand for HIV, STIs, or Hepatitis C at the GMHC Testing Center. Advance testing also grants exclusive access to the VIP Latexotica Lounge. Call the Testing Center at (212) 367-1100 or make an appointment online. Let them know it’s for Latexotica Lounge entry.
The Categories Are …
This year, Ortiz collaborated with the New York-New Jersey Ballroom Alliance to create new Latex Ball competition categories. One new Vogue category, “Team Fem Queen Performance,” aims to bridge rivalries that can crop up, by asking a New Girl and a Seasoned Girl from the Houses to pair up. “Create something LEGENDARY and Memorable! Bring it in colorful matching catsuits” for Pride Month, the competition category flier instructs. “Remember, you’re a team.”
The emergence of more diverse anime characters inspired another Vogue category: “The Anime Takeover.” Competitors must bring to life either Yoruichi Shihōin from Bleach, One Piece’s pirate captain Usopp, or Afro Samurai, the iconic Black hero of the same series.
Ortiz drew on the tapestry theme for a new Face category, “Facing Your Roots.” Performers are asked to tell the story of their cultural and ethnic origins through their look. “We want to find out where your beauty comes from. The look could be your origin country’s costume, like Miss Universe wears, or an outfit from a family album. You could even do a nicely tailored suit with your family photos scanned on it,” Ortiz said. “I’m going to have my camera ready for this one.”
An innovative category from last year will return: “HealthySexual as a House.” Five Houses created safer-sex PSAs to share the latest sexual health and wellness information, after an educational presentation from event sponsor Gilead Sciences. The winner of the category’s $5,000 prize will be announced at the Latex Ball.
Honoring transgender people killed in hate crimes is part of the Ballroom community’s tapestry. A Fem Queen Realness category, “Remembrance,” will “honor and uplift the lives of trans women worldwide who are no longer with us,” says the competition flier. Participants are asked to “wear a T-shirt commemorating someone you wish to remember, paired with jeans,” and to bring a rose.
The Latex Ball will present 12 awards to people showing out in Ballroom. This year, the Willie Ninja Supreme Award will go to Omari Oricci Wiles, the co-choreographer with Arturo Lyons of CATS: The Jellicle Ball. This reimagining of CATS through Ballroom culture just opened off-Broadway. This year’s Hector Xtravaganza Xcellence Award winner is “Tempress” Chasity Moore, Queen Mother of the House of Maison Margiela, who is appearing as Grizabella in the new CATS show.
Because the Latex Ball is a community event, admission is free. GMHC is grateful to our generous sponsors who make that possible: Gilead (Pioneer); Dr. Alvin Pickettay/House of Khan (Icon); Avita Pharmacy and Q Care Plus, CATS: The Jellicle Ball (Statement); and Serge Adam & Angela Ko (Star).
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