As the voguing scene grew, it inevitably attracted a celebrity following as well. Madonna first saw her movements in 1990 at a club called “Sound Factory” in Manhattan, New York. She had heard about the dance style and wanted to learn more, so she asked Jose Gutierrez, a Dominican dancer and member of the House of Xtravaganza, to show her what voguing is all about. Jose Xtravaganza was also asked to choreograph the singer’s next video and teach her dance style. He even accompanied her on her ‘Blond Ambition World Tour’. In 1990, Madonna’s single reached number one in 30 countries, bringing international recognition to voguing.
Voguing is not only a distinctive dance style, but also a safe space
Nearly 40 years after its inception, the dance style is now experiencing a resurgence in mainstream culture. In June 2019, José Xtravaganza, along with Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of US VOGUE, judged the “Battle of the Legends” competition, held as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s month-long Pride festivities and in honor of the 50th it was the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Additionally, a new generation of voguers are being taught in dance schools around the world, emulating pop stars like FKA Twigs, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Beyoncé, who have incorporated the dance style into their performances.
The influence of Madonna’s song and video inevitably led to debates about the appropriation and authorship of marginalized cultures. Yet despite dance’s diffusion into mainstream culture and its truly global resonance (Paris, Berlin, London and Tokyo all have their prominent dance scenes), the voguing movement has never failed to maintain its language and its distinctive codes.
The power of voguing lies in its ability to stay true to its origins even as new styles and communities emerge. What started in Harlem has now grown into a multigenerational, global community: In 2016, a video circulated of a group of voguers in London dancing at a memorial service for the victims of the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando. And in countries where LGBTQ+ people’s rights are under threat, voguing literally provides a space to keep their queerness alive. Ultimately, voguing is about the freedom to express your true self, tell your story, and assume any identity you desire. And, as a:e Voguer:in would say: “To cast some shade”.
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