Beyond the Category invites you to a high-energy evening of voguing at the Nationalmuseum, inspired by the sea. Come as a spectator or compete in a sea-inspired outfit. Welcome to a vibrant celebration of the ballroom community, personal expression and the ocean!
Date and time
Thursday 1 October, 18:00–20:00
Admission
Free
Location
The South Courtyard, ground floor
What are ballroom and voguing?
Ballroom is a subculture that emerged when Black and Latin American trans women in Harlem, New York, responded to the racism they experienced in white beauty pageants in the late 1960s. Voguing is a dance style within ballroom culture, based on stylised movements inspired by poses from fashion magazines.
Today, ballroom has developed into a strong community and a competitive scene created by and for the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community, where participants compete in different categories, including beauty, sex, fashion and performance. It is also a safe space for people who need places where they can be themselves. For this reason, all forms of sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism, body shaming and any other form of discrimination are strictly prohibited.
Voguing!
Octavia Saint Laurent, 1989, Harlem, New York. Photo: Chantal Regnault.
About the event
The evening begins with a presentation and celebration of important figures and pioneers from the community under the heading “Legend, Statement and Stars.” We will also introduce the judges for the evening.
The competition will then begin. Participants take to the catwalk, category by category.
Want to compete?
The competition is open to anyone who wishes to take part, but some prior knowledge is required. Start by looking at the categories below and choose one that suits you. Then put together your outfit, taking inspiration from the sea and the beach, and make sure you arrive in good time for the catwalk in The South Courtyard. You do not need to register in advance.
If you haven’t taken part in a vouging evening before but are interested in giving it a go, you can contact the organiser, Beyond the Category, who regularly run vouging workshops and can answer any questions you may have.Would you like to join us as part of the audience? You’re welcome to come dressed in an outfit inspired by the sea too.
More about Beyond the Category
Beyond the Category is a newly established platform for queer events and gatherings. It was founded and is run by organisers Pearl Saint Laurent and Serenah Saint Laurent, with the aim of creating an open and welcoming space where queer people can feel safe, seen and heard.
Through events rooted in ballroom culture, they create social spaces that celebrate personal expression, creativity and community, with a particular focus on highlighting BIPOC trans and queer people.
Above all, Beyond the Category is about creating space for joy, empowerment and belonging, while celebrating the diversity and strength of the queer community.
Thursday evenings at Nationalmuseum
Take the opportunity to enjoy a drink at the bar, or join in on some of the other fun activities happening during our Thursday evenings at the Nationalmuseum. Check out all our activities in english.