Voguing is the same thing as, like, taking two knives and cutting each other up, but through a dance form. Voguing came from shade, because it was a dance that two people did because they didn’t like each other. Instead of fighting, you would dance it out on the dance floor, and whoever did the better moves was throwing the best shade, basically.
The name was taken from the magazine “Vogue”, because some of the movements of the dance are also the same as the poses inside the magazine. The name is a statement in itself. I mean, you really wouldn’t go to a ball to do the “Mademoiselle”. No way.
Like break dancing, the dance takes from the hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt. It also takes from some forms of gymnastics. They both strive for perfect lines in the body, awkward positions, but it goes one step further.
It’s starting to make a name for itself, but I want it to be known worldwide, and I wanna be on top of it when it hits.
- Willi Ninja, Paris is Burning (1990) dir. Jennie Livingston
