Queer Culture Year: BALLROOM WEEKEND

 Join us for a fabulous weekend organized in close collaboration with members of Norway’s ballroom scene. Sentralen’s splendid Marmorsalen is the venue for a major ball on Saturday, while a more “informal” Kiki ball will be held in the National Museum’s Storsalen on Sunday. 

A ball is an occasion to celebrate yourself and those around you. Come as you are, or as your dream persona. Participants will compete in various categories, including ‘Vogue Femme’, ‘Face’, and ‘Drag Lip Sync’. Some categories focus on movement and dance, while others focus on identity, fashion or other forms of artistic expression. 
Over the weekend, we will host some of the ballroom scene’s most globally renowned judges, MCs and DJs. We are expecting participants from all over Europe. 

A brief introduction to ballroom culture

Ballroom culture has its roots from the drag competitions of the 1920s in the Harlem district of New York City. As time passed, racism, homophobia and transphobia within the American society spurred black and Latinex queers to establish their own scene where they could express themselves freely  – known as ballroom. Over the years, ballroom culture has evolved to encompass a number of styles and categories. One of the first was ‘Posing’, inspired by the fashion magazine Vogue. This category gradually developed into voguing, a dance style that is widely associated with ballroom culture. 

In recent years, ballroom culture has gained popularity in Norway and elsewhere in Europe. We invite you to join us on a journey through time. What was, is and will continue to be fabulous, queer and ‘ballroom’ over the course of 100 years? From the year of decriminalization of homosexuality in Norway in year 1972 and until 2072.  

Practical information

The ballroom scene is a subculture created by and for the queer community and people who experience racism. We ask you to be mindful of your role as a spectator, and to help create a space that is free of discrimination in any form. If you experience any unpleasantness, please contact one of our hosts or security staff at the venue. 
 
You can access the following Facebook events for more information about each ball, including the themes and categories, and other practical details about the weekend:  
 
The Query Ball (Saturday)  
The Black, White & Pink Kiki Ball (Sunday)  
 
The weekend is part of the National Museum’s contribution to Queer Culture Year 2022.