Evisu Ball Revelation!
Greyhound E-ticket roundtrip fare from DC to NYC: $ 46.00
Cost to the Evisu Ball: $ 30.00
Spending time with my cousin/best friend: Priceless
So now that I’m fully rested from my Evisu Ball experience, I will say this, it was definitely an experience that is not for the faint of heart, the sleepy, or the impatient. First off thanks to the Asian bus driver chick on the greyhound bus that drove us from DC to NYC in a little under 4 hours from there Bookie and I then took the A train (shout out to Duke Ellington), while on the train I was trying to see guys who I thought may be heading to the same place we are, I did see this fine chocolate guy, who I was right about, turns out he was videotaping the whole ball, and his name is Andre Revlon. After walking to the ball, we get in line, and I’m noticing about at least 4 guys that I recognize from being in DC, small world after all. One turns out I saw walking on my obsession in the white trunks in the sex siren category and was a feature at Ballroom Rockstar, not only is he fine as May wine, he’s a Balenciaga (Aga). I will discuss them later, while in line I also see this tall chocolate brother, who incidentally went to the same barber as myself on George Avenue. While in line, we hear this loud yelling in the back, and turns out there are some Puetro Rican guy was fighting, or getting beat, there were too many people blocking my view, and I was not about to get caught up in some mess. But after that died down, everything was kosher.
So we make our way upstairs and the venue is small but packed, it looked like a step show at an HBCU. While in the venue looking for a seat, we spot a fellow Alum Taurus, and she was walking in women’s face. She’s in a new house and I don’t remember the name of it, one of her best friends started the house, and is the house mother. Their table was right next to the Balenciaga table(s). Now, I don’t know, nor profess to know a lot about the House culture, like some people. But there seemed to be certain Houses that were the “grand dames” over other Houses, for those who are Greek think about the divine 9 but only five count, and don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about .
So after sitting and waiting, and sitting, the MC’s come out and start getting the crowd hyped. After what seems to be an endless parade of Legends, Icons, Stars, shout outs, and random ass people, the ball starts around 2 am. The Ball starts with a very long performance by the House of Evisu, the house that was ball was organized by, and named after. It seemed to be the various stars of the House of Evisu in their respective categories from around the US. Then there was a performance by old head twisters (I’m using the term old head as a means of respect to those who had obviously been performing a long time and are extremely talented).
While all this was going on, I was looking around the various guys that where there. I will tell you this, that a lot of those guys were YOUNG. I felt like I was looking into the faces of the future. I mean I can’t front some of them I was like, holler at you in 4-5 years when you’re 23 and up. There were two dark skin young men looked like 18-21. The first one, West Indian or African looking guy who was walking as an Aga in the category of Realness with a Twist. Very good-looking, and it seemed that this was his biggest ball he’s been in, and he was extremely polite. He had to keep crossing over to get to his clothes and whatnot, and he seemed very nervous, my best friend and I were helping give him his clothes, and outfit, etc. He definitely had that realness down to T, and when he did his element (red = hands) he was pretty good, but unfortunately he was chopped (meaning one of the judges did not want him to go to the next round). The other guy was sitting at the house table and he didn’t compete but was there I guess for moral support.
Disclaimer= I do not mean any harm but I will have to say what was on my heart about this one person, unfortunately Harold Aga, the father of the House of Balenciaga.
That big black ass man got on my last damn nerve! I just kept thinking can someone throw negro a piece of Ms. Peachez fried chicken so he can shut the hell up! This bamas (you like that dc slang right) first off he was not sitting or standing with his house table, instead he stood the whole night next to the stairs that contestants had to go up in order to compete, in my opinion that was wrong. I mean people had to pass him, and he’s a big guy, so he can be physically intimidating especially when he’s eyeing you up and down, just b/c you’re competition and he’s sizing you up. There needs to be rule that if you’re not walking in that category you cannot be near the stairs. The second and most annoying was that this negro has a booming voice that carries and permeates any eardrums within hearing distance. Being Greek I can understand and appreciate having love and pride in your organization/house, and repping that to the fullest, but I do not need to have your hot ass breath straightening the hair on the back of my neck, especially when its 3,4,5, and 6 am, and you are in bad need of some altoids . Overall I was just annoyed by him, he may be a great guy, a great house father, but that night he was too much.
Oh before I forget, let me tell you what happened with my cousin and this guy. My cousin in a real woman, meaning that she has a fully functioning uterus, and there were a lot of fem queen transsexuals that had varying degrees of passability. But as Taurus and I were talking there was this guy who was trying to get my cousin’s attention. But come to find out he thought she was passable transsexual. My cousin was actually happy with the compliment because some of those girls were so close that they were better looking women that you couldn’t even imagine them as man.
Now onto the categories, I only stayed to part one because I couldn’t hang with the kids, I guess having a full time job has really impeded on my ability to hang out all day and night. But out of the categories I saw I will tell you this, some of the folks brought it in my opinion. I mean damn there was this one femme queen from House of XTRAVAGANZA that bitch was so real that I thought the House of XTRAVAGANZA were cheating by letting that Puetro Rican girl in that category, but what really surprised me was that she didn’t win, that some other girl won, was no where NEAR as real that that homegirl, can we say politics. Evidently, the House Mother and Father of XTRAVAGANZA were surprised b/c they brought that chick back, and were like what the hell, can you see that she’s damn near menstruating, that’s how much she was a damn woman!
But overall my favorite category was Realness with a Twist, which is basically guys who can pass for straight, but then vogue down in the most feminine looking outfits out. What killed me is that there were so many guys walking, man that line was longer than the free lunch line. What was really interesting is that even as a gay man I was surprised to see these guys who a. I couldn’t clock, and b. that there were so many. I guess I still have some lingering prejudices, and stereotypes. The biggest compliment, my cousin gave unwittingly was that she leaned over to me and asked, “now all these guys are straight that like to vogue right?” I had to let her know that in theory, and maybe there have been guys that have been comfortable enough in their masculinity and heterosexuality to compete in such an environment but more likely than not, no they were all gay.
One thing I would like to get into would be how can people pay for the costs of the ball, the costs of becoming a transsexual, and the what happens when they have sashayed their at their last ball, did their last dip, do the houses really help the kids situate themselves so that they can have a life outside the ball? How many of these kids who are involved in the ballroom scene go to college, job corps, dance troupes, or otherwise lead productive lives. The reason why I ask is because the voguing that these kids perform show both dedication and a natural talent, that I if they love to dance like that then they could in any dance troupe. The guys and girls who compete in Sex Siren categories do they become personal trainers or somehow otherwise involved in that field. Nothing pains me more to see young kids who could be my little brother or sister, with such talent and no one is helping these kids, motivating them or at least showing them the different options that are out there. I hope the house parents are good people and are grounded in reality so that they could help the kids who really want or would be willing to accept the help.
The Evisu ball will be my last ball for awhile because I cannot hang with the kids, you all are too tough for me, I’m beginning to feel my age, 24 going on 50, isn’t that bout a bitch?!?!
Just my thoughts
Cost to the Evisu Ball: $ 30.00
Spending time with my cousin/best friend: Priceless
So now that I’m fully rested from my Evisu Ball experience, I will say this, it was definitely an experience that is not for the faint of heart, the sleepy, or the impatient. First off thanks to the Asian bus driver chick on the greyhound bus that drove us from DC to NYC in a little under 4 hours from there Bookie and I then took the A train (shout out to Duke Ellington), while on the train I was trying to see guys who I thought may be heading to the same place we are, I did see this fine chocolate guy, who I was right about, turns out he was videotaping the whole ball, and his name is Andre Revlon. After walking to the ball, we get in line, and I’m noticing about at least 4 guys that I recognize from being in DC, small world after all. One turns out I saw walking on my obsession in the white trunks in the sex siren category and was a feature at Ballroom Rockstar, not only is he fine as May wine, he’s a Balenciaga (Aga). I will discuss them later, while in line I also see this tall chocolate brother, who incidentally went to the same barber as myself on George Avenue. While in line, we hear this loud yelling in the back, and turns out there are some Puetro Rican guy was fighting, or getting beat, there were too many people blocking my view, and I was not about to get caught up in some mess. But after that died down, everything was kosher.
So we make our way upstairs and the venue is small but packed, it looked like a step show at an HBCU. While in the venue looking for a seat, we spot a fellow Alum Taurus, and she was walking in women’s face. She’s in a new house and I don’t remember the name of it, one of her best friends started the house, and is the house mother. Their table was right next to the Balenciaga table(s). Now, I don’t know, nor profess to know a lot about the House culture, like some people. But there seemed to be certain Houses that were the “grand dames” over other Houses, for those who are Greek think about the divine 9 but only five count, and don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about .
So after sitting and waiting, and sitting, the MC’s come out and start getting the crowd hyped. After what seems to be an endless parade of Legends, Icons, Stars, shout outs, and random ass people, the ball starts around 2 am. The Ball starts with a very long performance by the House of Evisu, the house that was ball was organized by, and named after. It seemed to be the various stars of the House of Evisu in their respective categories from around the US. Then there was a performance by old head twisters (I’m using the term old head as a means of respect to those who had obviously been performing a long time and are extremely talented).
While all this was going on, I was looking around the various guys that where there. I will tell you this, that a lot of those guys were YOUNG. I felt like I was looking into the faces of the future. I mean I can’t front some of them I was like, holler at you in 4-5 years when you’re 23 and up. There were two dark skin young men looked like 18-21. The first one, West Indian or African looking guy who was walking as an Aga in the category of Realness with a Twist. Very good-looking, and it seemed that this was his biggest ball he’s been in, and he was extremely polite. He had to keep crossing over to get to his clothes and whatnot, and he seemed very nervous, my best friend and I were helping give him his clothes, and outfit, etc. He definitely had that realness down to T, and when he did his element (red = hands) he was pretty good, but unfortunately he was chopped (meaning one of the judges did not want him to go to the next round). The other guy was sitting at the house table and he didn’t compete but was there I guess for moral support.
Disclaimer= I do not mean any harm but I will have to say what was on my heart about this one person, unfortunately Harold Aga, the father of the House of Balenciaga.
That big black ass man got on my last damn nerve! I just kept thinking can someone throw negro a piece of Ms. Peachez fried chicken so he can shut the hell up! This bamas (you like that dc slang right) first off he was not sitting or standing with his house table, instead he stood the whole night next to the stairs that contestants had to go up in order to compete, in my opinion that was wrong. I mean people had to pass him, and he’s a big guy, so he can be physically intimidating especially when he’s eyeing you up and down, just b/c you’re competition and he’s sizing you up. There needs to be rule that if you’re not walking in that category you cannot be near the stairs. The second and most annoying was that this negro has a booming voice that carries and permeates any eardrums within hearing distance. Being Greek I can understand and appreciate having love and pride in your organization/house, and repping that to the fullest, but I do not need to have your hot ass breath straightening the hair on the back of my neck, especially when its 3,4,5, and 6 am, and you are in bad need of some altoids . Overall I was just annoyed by him, he may be a great guy, a great house father, but that night he was too much.
Oh before I forget, let me tell you what happened with my cousin and this guy. My cousin in a real woman, meaning that she has a fully functioning uterus, and there were a lot of fem queen transsexuals that had varying degrees of passability. But as Taurus and I were talking there was this guy who was trying to get my cousin’s attention. But come to find out he thought she was passable transsexual. My cousin was actually happy with the compliment because some of those girls were so close that they were better looking women that you couldn’t even imagine them as man.
Now onto the categories, I only stayed to part one because I couldn’t hang with the kids, I guess having a full time job has really impeded on my ability to hang out all day and night. But out of the categories I saw I will tell you this, some of the folks brought it in my opinion. I mean damn there was this one femme queen from House of XTRAVAGANZA that bitch was so real that I thought the House of XTRAVAGANZA were cheating by letting that Puetro Rican girl in that category, but what really surprised me was that she didn’t win, that some other girl won, was no where NEAR as real that that homegirl, can we say politics. Evidently, the House Mother and Father of XTRAVAGANZA were surprised b/c they brought that chick back, and were like what the hell, can you see that she’s damn near menstruating, that’s how much she was a damn woman!
But overall my favorite category was Realness with a Twist, which is basically guys who can pass for straight, but then vogue down in the most feminine looking outfits out. What killed me is that there were so many guys walking, man that line was longer than the free lunch line. What was really interesting is that even as a gay man I was surprised to see these guys who a. I couldn’t clock, and b. that there were so many. I guess I still have some lingering prejudices, and stereotypes. The biggest compliment, my cousin gave unwittingly was that she leaned over to me and asked, “now all these guys are straight that like to vogue right?” I had to let her know that in theory, and maybe there have been guys that have been comfortable enough in their masculinity and heterosexuality to compete in such an environment but more likely than not, no they were all gay.
One thing I would like to get into would be how can people pay for the costs of the ball, the costs of becoming a transsexual, and the what happens when they have sashayed their at their last ball, did their last dip, do the houses really help the kids situate themselves so that they can have a life outside the ball? How many of these kids who are involved in the ballroom scene go to college, job corps, dance troupes, or otherwise lead productive lives. The reason why I ask is because the voguing that these kids perform show both dedication and a natural talent, that I if they love to dance like that then they could in any dance troupe. The guys and girls who compete in Sex Siren categories do they become personal trainers or somehow otherwise involved in that field. Nothing pains me more to see young kids who could be my little brother or sister, with such talent and no one is helping these kids, motivating them or at least showing them the different options that are out there. I hope the house parents are good people and are grounded in reality so that they could help the kids who really want or would be willing to accept the help.
The Evisu ball will be my last ball for awhile because I cannot hang with the kids, you all are too tough for me, I’m beginning to feel my age, 24 going on 50, isn’t that bout a bitch?!?!
Just my thoughts
posted by WiseYoungMan at
1:00 PM
3 Comments:
Excellent Recap - One of these days I'm going to break down and attend a ball. I've seen many clips on youtube.com but it feels like I'm missing so much.
By
TheBlacks, at 2:18 PM
enjoyed the recap man
By
C. Baptiste-Williams, at 6:24 PM
wow. i could say alot, but i wont. you're an interesting person. and oh, your "sex siren obsession in the white trunks" happens to be a personal trainer in D.C.
By
the young people's professor, at 11:57 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home