The Bluest Ball

LAZARUS and ORIJAH MARAMA, the First Children of the Trailblazing Kiki HOUSE OF MARAMA are proud to present The Bluest Ball; Lower Hutt's first ever Vogue Ball event in collaboration with The Dowse Art Museum and City Gallery Wellington. 

Coinciding with the exhibitions of Derek Jarman: Delphinium Days, House of Dowse X Jimmy D and Paul Johns: Beautiful Flowers and How to Grow Them; The Bluest Ball invites you to adorn yourself in your bluest blues in a celebration of Queer art, history and existence.

WHEN: Saturday 30th November 2024 (6.30pm - 11.30pm)

WHERE: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt, Wellington NZ

CATEGORIES:

VIRGIN VOGUE ($100 Cash Prize + Trophy)
Calling all Virgin Vogue performers to the floor! Bring it in a monochromatic blue effect (with the exception of the shoe/heel colour). Open to all styles of Vogue (Vogue Fem, Old Way, and New Way). This category is only for those who have been competing for less than TWO years and have won no grand prizes in a Vogue category.

FASHION KILLA ($200 Cash Prize + Trophy)
Bring it in a look inspired by the ethos of acclaimed Wellington designer Jimmy D. Think unconventional, androgynous, and everything and anything that challenges the "beige binary." This is a fashion-specific category, not a Voguing/performance category.

OTA* HANDS PERFORMANCE ($150 Cash Prize + Trophy)
How well can you tell a story using only your hands? Catch the beat and give hands performance adorned in a blue glove.

OTA* FACE ($150 Cash Prize + Trophy)
Serve FACE and show the judges why you are LIVING ART! Painted or Fresh Face, serve a look inspired by a historic portrait. Don't be afraid to think outside the frame. Open to all gender identities and expressions. This is a face-specific category, not a Voguing/performance category.

OTA* RUNWAY with a Reference ($200 Cash Prize + Trophy)
Pump the runway in a look inspired by one of the late Derek Jarman's art works. Jarman's work spans across many mediums: fine art, film, music, photography, how you interpret his work is yours to decide. Photo reference is mandatory. This is a walking-specific category, and not a Voguing/performance category.

OTA* PERFORMANCE ($250 Cash Prize + Trophy)
Queer expression is inherently an act of resistance and in Ballroom we honour the historical struggle for freedom and liberation. Open to all vogue styles (Vogue Fem, Old Way, and New Way), bring it with a political message and fight for your cause.

* OTA = Open To All

JUDGES
Legendary Kaos Coven-Aucoin (AKL)
Mother Venus Dawn (AKL)
Mother ROMÉ MARAMA (WLG)

MC/CHANTER: ORIJAH MARAMA (WLG)

DJ: MIAMIA (WLG)

THE BLUEST BALL WORKSHOPS (SATURDAY 23RD + SUNDAY 24TH NOVEMBER)

 The Bluest Ball Workshops will be facilitated by MOTHER ROME' MARAMA and LAKILUA MARAMA. Any walkers/attendee wishing to brush up on their knowledge and ask questions about their categories before The Bluest Ball, it is highly encouraged that you attend either one of the workshops. 

Workshop 1: Saturday 23rd November 

Where: @ The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt

Time: 3PM - 5PM 

Workshop 2: Sunday 24th November 

Where: @ Te Auaha (Studio 1 & 2), 65 Dixon Street, Te Aro 

Time: 3PM - 5PM 

What to bring to each workshop?  Knee pads (if you have them), water, comfortable shoes/heels, a good attitude and any questions you have about The Bluest Ball. 

TICKETING

• General Admission/Spectator: $20 + online fees
• Extra Aroha Ticket: $22 > + online fees
  
• Walkers: $10 + online fees (request access code)
• Femme Queens Free (request access code)
• Free Bus Transfer Registration (request access code)*

Direct message Lazarus (@shefugee) or Orijah (@_orijah) on Instagram for access codes.

* LIMITED SPACE ON BUS TRANSFER. Pick up information will be emailed to those registered. 


TE NGĀKAU KAHUKURA
80% of the funds raised from ticket sales for The Bluest Ball will be donated to Te Ngākau Kahukura. 

Te Ngākau Kahukura o Te Awa Kairangi was established to uplift the takatāpui / LGBTQIA+ / MVPFAFF+ community within Te Awa Kairangi (Hutt Valley) by providing a dedicated space (Te Whare Kahukura), celebrating and championing diversity and removing barriers that prevent our rainbow whānau from accessing necessary services and support systems. Services offered in our space include mental health support, sexual health testing, a free community wardrobe and a weekly rainbow rangatahi group. Every year we host Hutt Valley's annual Pride event 'Living In Colour', a free and family-friendly event that showcases local entertainment and the sharing of culture, knowledge and kai. 

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The Bluest Blue honours our past, present and future. We acknowledge Ballroom culture was founded by Black and Latinx Trans Women out of survival and the need to create safe spaces for QTPOC to be authentically themselves. Femme Queens of Color will always be the blueprint of this culture. Protect them and give them their flowers.

As Tangata Tiriti, we acknowledge The Bluest Ball could not take place on this whenua without Te Tiriti O Waitangi and stand in solidarity with Tangata Whenua in their plight for self-preservation amidst the New Zealand Government's ongoing colonial attacks. 

Ballroom has always been political. We acknowledge the struggle for freedom for all oppressed peoples and know that our liberation is tied to theirs. Free Palestine. Free Sudan. Free Congo. Free Haiti. Free Lebanon. Free West Papua. Free Burma. Free all indigenous peoples and all communities suffering from oppression and marginalisation. 

We can’t wait to see you at the Bluest Ball!