Omree Old Navy at YEG Ballroom’s Black History & Futures Community Ki. Brooklyn Brown/The Griff

Leaders and members of YEG Ballroom speak about the importance of ballroom’s history and legacy.

Today’s mainstream culture seems to love throwing shade and serving realness, but people may not know where the language originated. Ballroom vernacular has a rich and complicated history rooted in Black and queer subcultures, a culture that continues to flourish as a space of acceptance.

“We humans, we need that. We need community and family,” says Star 007, a local ballroom community member. “[Ballroom] has allowed me a lot of space to breathe.” 

Ballroom is a queer subculture that consists of competitions where people walk, perform, and dance in various styles and categories of performance that reflect and engage with societal constraints. These categories allow competitors to feel welcome in a safe space and be themselves without worry. 

First created by Black and Latin American queer folk primarily in New York, ballroom started as a form of survival for these marginalized communities. Now, modern ballroom continues to provide a sanctuary for people to come together and celebrate their identities.

“We humans, we need that. We need community and family.”
— Star 007, Ballroom Community Member

YEG Ballroom began when founder Lu 007 was awarded a grant, brought ballroom to Edmonton by way of elders from Vancouver, Toronto, and Calgary, and started offering classes with ballroom elders. 

Andrew Gvasalia, a leader of YEG Ballroom, was introduced to the scene through dance, a common route for many members of the community. He, alongside Marco Gvasalia and Mayhem 007, was brought onto the YEG Ballroom team to lead the organization in 2024. Since then, Andrew says the team has been “leading and producing balls and helping create a consistent space for folks to commune and practice.”

On Feb. 24, YEG Ballroom hosted a Black History and Futures Community Ki event to highlight the history of ballroom and “being a Black performer in ‘Berta.” The space was warm and welcoming, honouring the founding voices of the art form. 

“We’re always mindful to try to be not only inclusive, but respectful and reverent of where this all came from.”

— Andrew Gvasalia, YEG Ballroom Leader

Andrew says the complex history of ballroom should still be present in modern ballroom spaces. 

“We have living historians, we have folks who we can consult and help us to bring an authenticity to what we do, but we’re always learning.” 

As a leader who’s not Black or trans, Andrew says they’re a guest in the culture, and has “a duty to help to make sure that folks don’t forget the roots of this all.” 

“We’re always mindful to try to be not only inclusive, but respectful and reverent of where this all came from.”

Marco Gvasalia, another leader of YEG Ballroom, says the history of ballroom and the importance of imparting knowledge are slowly becoming more public. “It actually took us a couple of years to realize that there is a community beyond it and that there’s a lot of history,” he says. “It’s so much more beyond the scope of the dance studio.”

Star 007 is one of many members of the Edmonton ballroom scene who have found solace in the community. She says ballroom has become an “anchor” in her life, and has given her a community and queer space. 

Ballroom today offers a unique sense of community and celebration while remaining grounded in the Black and queer history of the art form. Edmonton’s ballroom scene, while still new, has expanded that celebration to our local community.