Have you ever heard of Ballroom culture? You might recognize it from Madonna’s song Vogue, Lady Gaga’s song Abracadabra, or the Netflix series Pose—all of which were inspired by Ballroom culture. Ballroom is an underground movement that emerged within the African American and Latinx LGBTQ+ community in New York City during the 20th century. It revolves around competitions called balls, where participants "walk" in different categories inspired by fashion and performance as a form of expression. Beyond being an artistic space, Ballroom is also a community that provides support and a sense of belonging to groups that have historically been marginalized by society. For more information you can click here or here. 

In this social event, we invite Jade Hu (@jademugler), an active member of the Ballroom scene and a medical student. Jade Hu will share her experience in the Ballroom world and lead a practice (a beginner’s workshop) on Voguing. If you’ve never heard of Voguing before: Voguing is a subcategory of Ballroom that involves movements inspired by modern dance, ballet, and poses from fashion magazines like Vogue. More than just a dance, Voguing is a form of expression and resistance, allowing its practitioners to affirm their identity and creativity in a space of celebration and freedom.

This event is open to everyone and all skill levels—whether you’ve never heard of Ballroom before or have already tried it, you’re more than welcome to join!

After the practice, we’ll host a borrel to connect with other CENLers.

Would you like to join? This is the perfect opportunity to meet CENLers in a fun and informal setting!

• 📍 Location: CREA Amsterdam - Nieuwe Achtergracht 170, 1018 WV Amsterdam
• 📅 Date: Saturday, May 24
• ⏰ Time: 15:00 - 17:00 → Ballroom Voguing practice (we'll meet 10 minutes beforehand);                                             17:00 onwards → Borrel!
• 💰 Contribution: €5 for CENL members, €10 for non-members
• 👕 Recommended clothing: Any comfortable clothing (e.g., sportswear, stretchy fabrics, etc.)
• 🌍 Accessibility: Open to everyone, regardless of experience! The goal is to have fun and learn something new. The location is accessible by elevator.
• 🧑‍🎤 Organized by: CENL Diversity, Gender, and Equality Committee 

Although it wasn’t in the original program, that same Saturday there’s a Ballroom competition (colloquially known as a “Ball”) in Amsterdam, very close to our event. If you’d like to see a ballroom competition live (where people compete in categories to win trophies), this is a great opportunity! After the borrel you can come with us to the Ball. Here’s all the info about the Ball: https://www.instagram.com/thenaecoball/ and  https://cli.fourvenues.com/en/bitterzoet/events/the-naeco-24-05-2025-EU0H

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

If you want more information about what a “Ball,” Ballroom, or Voguing is, you can read about it here: https://legendaryhbo.fandom.com/wiki/Ball_Culture.