It seems unlikely that you'll ever find a time when voguing--and the house-ballroom community that created and fostered the dance form--were more present in mainstream culture now. From television shows to fashion show-after party performances, and even movies, voguing has become such a visible cultural touchstone that the public is finally conscious of. And Miley Cyrus, now departed from her 2013 twerking days, is into it.
In a series of clips that surfaced on social media, Cyrus has been seemingly practicing the five elements of vogue herself. She took those "skills" on to Capital FM in London where she did her "first successful 'death drop,'" according to her, prior to the interview. Record scratch: it's called a dip. The move of lowering one's body to the floor--whether in a fast dramatic version, or in a slower, softer one--with one leg extended is called a dip. This is canon; this is law. But go off sis.
All of it was leading up to Cyrus's performance at G-A-Y, the legendary gay nightclub, in London on Thursday. There, she took to the stage, giving the the audience a little taste of her moves to the sounds of Todrick Hall's "Dem Beats." And like at any ball, we decided to consult a panel of ballroom notables to give their scores -- and while they generally usually only give a chop or tens, with no explanation, we've given Cyrus a little extra.
Fatima Jamal- I chopped her on Twitter already but I hope that no one from the house-ballroom community works with her when she reaches out. It's amazing to me how artists turn to the ballroom scene to extract creative genius when they're down on their luck and out of ideas. She's so late on that train.
She loves extracting black culture and using black people to market her music and honestly the jig is up. CHOP
Leggoh LaBeijah - First of all it was very late, what she did, but in my opinion she was acknowledging that it's there. Of course we're going to read and kiki at the video but ... it's one thing to facilitate a ball, it's one thing to facilitate a class but if someone decides to vogue on any platform, that's their fucking business. That's how I feel.
Are we going down to the villages of Africa to ask if it's OK to take some of their dance moves? Are we going to find Bobby Shmurda to see if we can do the Shmoney dance? It's not that big of a deal, it's only when you step on a platform as if you are an ambassador, that it's a problem, but we can't get into the space where we're going to regulate everybody and you're not allowed to vogue unless you're a part of the community. That's too extreme and honestly pointless. CHOP (on technique)
Leiomy Amazon - I believe people need to understand that what she is doing is moreso a mockery; not an attempt. CHOP
Today at most balls, one chop is enough to call curtains on a performance but as commentators say sometimes when someone is denied "we thank you for coming," Ms. Cyrus! As for what you can improve upon if you're reading?
"She needs to learn how to stick those dips," Sailey Williams, co-founder of TENZ Magazine, a publication that covers the house-ballroom community, said. "Until then its a chop!"
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