from press release
As part of its Open Spectrum community dialogue series, New York Live Arts presents "Ballroom Has Something to Say--"curated by activist, leader in the LGBTQ and House I Ballroom communities, and adviser to FX’s Pose, Michael Roberson. On Sunday November 10 starting at 2:30 pm, the event kicks off with a voguing class, followed by a lecture/performance/discussion, and ends with a single Ballroom category Vogue Femme "open to all" (OTA) with a $1,000 cash prize for the winner.
The "Art of Performance" voguing class at 2:30pm will be co-taught by FX’s Pose cast member Jason A. Rodriguez and Ballroom Icon Pony Zion. It will lay an introductory groundwork for the day’s programming, as well as lead participants through an adventurous exploration of the highly stylized form originating in the 1980s that evolved from the ballroom scene of 1960s Harlem. Rodriguez specializes in the subcategory Vogue New Way and Zion in Vogue Fem.
At 5pm, the lecture/performance/discussion titled Ballroom: Trans Sounds of Black Freedom explores the history of the House | Ballroom community as a Black Trans-Womanist theological discourse, a freedom movement, and its spiritual formation responses to race, class, sexuality, and gender oppression. Taking place during Transgender Awareness Month, the discussion examines how a community reimagines itself through Performance, Fashion, and Intentional Kinship, and features Ballroom singer and Minister Ken Altson Jr., and others to be announced.
The day will culminate with the ballroom competition The Category is Vogue Fem (OTA), curated by Michael Roberson. The ball will focus on a single category of Vogue Fem and is Open To All, requiring no registration, and features Commentator Precious and others to be announced. Presented in partnership with House Lives Matter and the Arbert Santana Ballroom Freedom and Free School Project, the competition's $1,000 winning prize is sponsored by The Musagetes Foundation.
Open Spectrum: BALLROOM HAS SOMETHING TO SAY PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Open Spectrum: Ballroom Has Something to Say takes place at New York Live Arts Studios (219 West 19th St New York, NY 10011) November 10 starting at 2:30pm. The Voguing class is $15 to attend, spots can be purchased here. Sold together, the 5pm lecture and 7pm competition tickets start at $15, which can be purchased here.
New York Live Arts' Open Spectrum Community Dialogue Series provides space for reflection on the most vital issues facing communities today. Open Spectrum offers an intimate conversational platform founded on the belief that cultural institutions can and should be catalysts for societal transformation by participating in a world of ideas.
Michael Roberson is a public health practitioner, advocate, activist, artist, curator and leader within the LGBTQ community, as well as an Adjunct Professor at The New School University/Lang College, NYC and Union Theological Seminary NYC. He is an international art and politics consultant and a member of the international sound art collective entitled “Ultra-red”. Michael has two Master degrees from Union Theological Seminary and as such is the Senior Scholar in Residence for the Center for Race, Religion and Economic Democracy. With a focused commitment on the health disparities of Black gay men and Black gay men within the House/ball community Michael created The Federation of Ballroom Houses, co -created the nation's only Black Gay research Group, The National Black Gay Men's Advocacy Group, and the Nationally Diffused CDC Behavioral Change HIV Prevention Intervention “Many Men, Many Voices.”
Michael was also the Executive Director of one of the largest black gay community based organizations, and currently is a consultant working with several national community based organizations focused on national HIV Clinical Trial/Bio-medical, and Home grown evidence based interventions, as well as national community capacity building assistance and mobilization strategies designed to combat the disproportionate health disparities impacting both the black gay and black/Latino LGBT house ball communities. Michael graduated with his MDIV from Union Theological Seminary, and currently completed his STM (Masters of Sacred Theology) at Union as well.
Jason A. Rodriguez is a New York City native born and raised in Washington Heights. He began his dance training at 19 and graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BA in Arts Management while continuing his dance training. Jason Co-stars in Ryan Murphy’s Emmy and Golden Globes nominated tv show Pose as Lemar Wintour. He has taught Voguing in New York City, Miami, Ohio, Savannah, Vienna, and Japan.
Harlem, New York born and raised Devon Webster also known as Pony Zion has dedicated his life to dance and performance. Pony’s outsized gift has grown him into a much sought after international creative director and celebrity choreographer working with global artists like Fergie, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, and Ashanti and renowned choreographers like Laurie Gibson. In 2013 Pony Zion had created "Celebrity Balls" for the W Hotel and "The Life Ball" in Vienna, Austria for Grammy award winner Fergie. Pony is also an icon in the House Ballroom community and is known for his mastery and innovation of the art of vogue. He is the creator of Vogue Evolution the first choreographed professional lgbt dance group built around Vogue and performance known globally for its wildly successful appearance on season 4 of Fox’s America’s Best Dance Crew. Pony’s visionary work with marginalized communities led him to create Vogue Theory –a leadership development and HIV prevention intervention bisecting the discourses of public health, social justice, and self empowerment. Pony is presently preparing to launch an international health and fitness workshop called Vogue Fitness and continues the work of building the Iconic house of Zion which hey founded in New York City in 2007 and has since spread to São Paulo, Brasil becoming Brasil’s original and historic Ballroom house.
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| Pony Zion |
The "Art of Performance" voguing class at 2:30pm will be co-taught by FX’s Pose cast member Jason A. Rodriguez and Ballroom Icon Pony Zion. It will lay an introductory groundwork for the day’s programming, as well as lead participants through an adventurous exploration of the highly stylized form originating in the 1980s that evolved from the ballroom scene of 1960s Harlem. Rodriguez specializes in the subcategory Vogue New Way and Zion in Vogue Fem.
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| Jason A. Rodriguez |
The day will culminate with the ballroom competition The Category is Vogue Fem (OTA), curated by Michael Roberson. The ball will focus on a single category of Vogue Fem and is Open To All, requiring no registration, and features Commentator Precious and others to be announced. Presented in partnership with House Lives Matter and the Arbert Santana Ballroom Freedom and Free School Project, the competition's $1,000 winning prize is sponsored by The Musagetes Foundation.
Open Spectrum: BALLROOM HAS SOMETHING TO SAY PROGRAM SCHEDULE
- 2:30PM - Voguing class: The Art of Performance
- 5PM Lecture/performance/discussion: Ballroom: Trans Sounds of Black Freedom
- 7PM - Ballroom competition: The Category is Vogue Fem (OTA)
Open Spectrum: Ballroom Has Something to Say takes place at New York Live Arts Studios (219 West 19th St New York, NY 10011) November 10 starting at 2:30pm. The Voguing class is $15 to attend, spots can be purchased here. Sold together, the 5pm lecture and 7pm competition tickets start at $15, which can be purchased here.
New York Live Arts' Open Spectrum Community Dialogue Series provides space for reflection on the most vital issues facing communities today. Open Spectrum offers an intimate conversational platform founded on the belief that cultural institutions can and should be catalysts for societal transformation by participating in a world of ideas.
Michael Roberson is a public health practitioner, advocate, activist, artist, curator and leader within the LGBTQ community, as well as an Adjunct Professor at The New School University/Lang College, NYC and Union Theological Seminary NYC. He is an international art and politics consultant and a member of the international sound art collective entitled “Ultra-red”. Michael has two Master degrees from Union Theological Seminary and as such is the Senior Scholar in Residence for the Center for Race, Religion and Economic Democracy. With a focused commitment on the health disparities of Black gay men and Black gay men within the House/ball community Michael created The Federation of Ballroom Houses, co -created the nation's only Black Gay research Group, The National Black Gay Men's Advocacy Group, and the Nationally Diffused CDC Behavioral Change HIV Prevention Intervention “Many Men, Many Voices.”
Michael was also the Executive Director of one of the largest black gay community based organizations, and currently is a consultant working with several national community based organizations focused on national HIV Clinical Trial/Bio-medical, and Home grown evidence based interventions, as well as national community capacity building assistance and mobilization strategies designed to combat the disproportionate health disparities impacting both the black gay and black/Latino LGBT house ball communities. Michael graduated with his MDIV from Union Theological Seminary, and currently completed his STM (Masters of Sacred Theology) at Union as well.
Jason A. Rodriguez is a New York City native born and raised in Washington Heights. He began his dance training at 19 and graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BA in Arts Management while continuing his dance training. Jason Co-stars in Ryan Murphy’s Emmy and Golden Globes nominated tv show Pose as Lemar Wintour. He has taught Voguing in New York City, Miami, Ohio, Savannah, Vienna, and Japan.
Harlem, New York born and raised Devon Webster also known as Pony Zion has dedicated his life to dance and performance. Pony’s outsized gift has grown him into a much sought after international creative director and celebrity choreographer working with global artists like Fergie, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, and Ashanti and renowned choreographers like Laurie Gibson. In 2013 Pony Zion had created "Celebrity Balls" for the W Hotel and "The Life Ball" in Vienna, Austria for Grammy award winner Fergie. Pony is also an icon in the House Ballroom community and is known for his mastery and innovation of the art of vogue. He is the creator of Vogue Evolution the first choreographed professional lgbt dance group built around Vogue and performance known globally for its wildly successful appearance on season 4 of Fox’s America’s Best Dance Crew. Pony’s visionary work with marginalized communities led him to create Vogue Theory –a leadership development and HIV prevention intervention bisecting the discourses of public health, social justice, and self empowerment. Pony is presently preparing to launch an international health and fitness workshop called Vogue Fitness and continues the work of building the Iconic house of Zion which hey founded in New York City in 2007 and has since spread to São Paulo, Brasil becoming Brasil’s original and historic Ballroom house.