Deep Dive - Paris is Burning
About
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, Paris Is Burning offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza--Paris Is Burning brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community.
Articles
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/24/burning-down-the-house-debate-paris-is-burning
https://blogs.umb.edu/cinemastudies/2020/11/14/paris-is-burning-an-important-slice-of-queer-history/
https://www.avclub.com/30-years-ago-paris-is-burning-changed-popular-culture-1843838149
https://www.theedgesusu.co.uk/film/2020/06/30/paris-has-burned-how-the-influential-documentary-harmed-the-community/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paris-is-burning-emcee-junior-labeija-pose-rupaul-1234964404/
https://lwlies.com/articles/paris-is-burning-at-30/
https://filmschoolrejects.com/paris-is-burning/
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/d3n5dz/paris-is-burning-director-jennie-livingston-reflects-on-the-films-legacy
https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2020/06/rewatching-paris-is-burning-helps-define-contemporary-moments-of-history
https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/paris-is-burning-pose-writers-react-lgbt-film-1202152502/
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-is-burning-documentary-premieres-in-theaters
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/04/23/151218475/the-music-and-meaning-of-paris-is-burning
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/paris-is-burning-anniversary
https://medium.com/incluvie/%EF%B8%8F-paris-is-burning-30-years-later-953b5c020366
About the Performers
Willi Ninja
Recognized as the “Grandfather of Vogue,” Willi Ninja rose to prominence in the Harlem Drag Ball scene in the 1980s and took the dance form of voguing around the world. Willi Ninja founded the House of Ninja in 1982, acting as a “mother” to a group of adopted gay and transgender “children” in New York City. Moving away from showgirl drag, the Harlem drag ball scene provided African American and Latino youth a space to express nonconforming gender presentations. The houses of the drag ball scene provided the participants a support network and an extended social family. Each house having distinctions, the House of Ninja was famous for its dancers. Ninja helped create and shape the dance form of voguing that combined exaggerated model poses and intricate mime-like choreography. After appearing in the documentary Paris is Burning, Willi rose to fame as a choreographer, musician, runway model and modeling coach, as well as serving as a direct inspiration to various artists who immortalized the style in their music videos. Willi Ninja’s life illustrates what it means to be a black gay male in a world that lauds white male heteronormativity. Willi Ninja transgressed rigid gender barriers as he participated in the ballroom scene and performed an androgynous gender presentation on and off the stage. His legacy continues as the House of Ninja members keep voguing alive and advocate on behalf of their mother to raise HIV/AIDS awareness.
Willi Ninja was born William Roscoe Leake on April 12, 1961 and grew up in Flushing, Queens. A completely self-taught dancer, Willi began to dance publicly at age 7. After high school, Willi dropped out of college, enrolled in beauty school and moved to Greenwich Village in the late 1970s[1]. Not much is known about his childhood, although in many interviews he describes how his mother, Esther Leake, was very accepting of his sexuality and had a direct role in nurturing his interest in dancing. Esther often took Willi to the ballet and the Apollo Theater to see various dance performances[2]. In an interview with Joan Rivers, Willi describes how he never came out to his mother about his homosexuality; in fact, it was she who confronted him, claiming that “mothers always know.” She told him that he was her son and she would love him no matter what[3]. Presumably having some sort of acceptance, Willi’s experience stands in stark contrast to the lives of the African American and Latino gay and transgender youth he later mentored. Inspired by Fred Astaire, Olympic gymnasts, and the martial arts (hence the name “Ninja”), Willi formed a dance group who called themselves the Video Pretenders in the early 1980s[4]. They would go to clubs and mimic the dance moves in the music videos being shown on the screens. They soon realized that they should create their own choreography. Willi began voguing at the Christopher Street Pier and Washington Square Park, popular hangout sites for LGBTQ youth, and made his debut in Harlem’s famous drag balls.
https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/tgi-bios/willi-ninja
https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/ninja
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/06/arts/dance/06ninja.html
Dorian Corey (June 6, 1937 – August 29, 1993) was an American drag performer and fashion designer. She appeared in Wigstock and was featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning.
https://blackartstory.org/2020/10/15/profile-dorian-corey-1937-1993/
Paris Dupree (also stylized as Paris Duprée or Paris DuPree; 1950 – August 2011) was an American drag performer and documentary participant featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning, which was named after Dupree's annual ball.
https://mwbarilla.wixsite.com/bqueer/post/paris-dupree-the-legendary-mother
Junior LaBeija
Before Mercedes Iman Diamond vogued across our TV screens yelling “Opulence,” there was the OG who popularized the word in LGBT pop culture: Junior LaBeija. And he even threw in a free spelling lesson. According to Paris is Burning director Jennie Livingston, Pepper LaBeija is the heart of the film, and Dorian Corey is the brains of the film, so I have every reason to believe that Junior is the voice of the film. While he was never formally interviewed on camera, this iconic LaBeija house-member and ballroom emcee gave the film some of its most memorable catchphrases, and talking points. His words and manner of speaking has not only maintained legendary status in LGBT pop culture, but even the mainstream zeitgeist. He is constantly quoted and referenced to on “Drag Race,” and is even the main inspiration for Billy Porter’s character Pray Tell on “POSE.” So today, we pay homage and discuss the legacy of Junior LaBeija.
https://www.sydney-yaeko.com/paris-is-burning/junior-labeija
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paris-is-burning-emcee-junior-labeija-pose-rupaul-1234964404/
Pepper LaBeija
LaBeija was born in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City. LaBeija identified as male but preferred “she/her” pronouns. She was famous for her role in the Harlem drag balls that began in the 1960s and were chronicled in the 1991 documentary Paris is Burning. These drag balls were started to give the black and latino LGBTQ community a place to express gender freely, celebrate and perform in safe, affirming spaces. Before this time, circuits for drag performers were geared towards white people and black performers were pressured to whiten their faces to fit in. LaBeija was known for her Egyptian-inspired drag performances at these drag balls and won 250 trophies for her performances over the course of her life.
The House of LaBeija is the oldest and most adored house in New York’s drag and ballroom scene. It was founded in the 1970s by Crystal LaBeija and the “house mother” role was taken on by Pepper LaBeija a few years later. She remained in this role for over 20 years. In Paris is Burning, LaBeija said, “a house is a family for those who don’t have family.” The House of LaBeija took in members of the LGBTQ community who were exiled from their homes and provided them with guidance and support. LaBeija passed away in 2003 from a heart attack. During her life she made a huge impact on the lives of many young people who were not accepted by their families and society at large. She was truly an inspiration to many.
https://standwithtrans.org/2021/02/09/pepper-labeija-1948-2003/?doing_wp_cron=1672763400.3617699146270751953125
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/26/arts/pepper-labeija-queen-of-harlem-drag-balls-is-dead-at-53.html
Kim Pendavis
Of the three members of the House of Pendavis interviewed in the film: Freddie, Sol and Kim, Kim tends to be the one the public knows the least about. Part of this is due to the fact that both Freddie and Sol are still around, frequently sharing their stories of the ballroom scene in interviews, while Kim passed away shortly after the release of Paris is Burning. But the other part possibly has to do with Kim’s reserved nature. Kim was known to be sweet, yet intensely ambitious and dedicated to his craft. It’s time we give this ball walker - best remembered in the film for being interviewed while sewing a garment, walking in the Town and Country category, and showing off fluid wrist movement while striking a pose - our undivided attention, and get into the life and legacy of Kim Pendavis.
https://www.sydney-yaeko.com/paris-is-burning/kim-pendavis
Sol Pendavis
Sol Williams (a/k/a Sol Pendavis) is working as a consultant for Ryan Murphy's latest television series, POSE, a dance musical series set in 1980's New York, featuring the largest cast of transgender actors. In addition to an on-screen role as a judge, Williams assisted in writing and editing the POSE script for historical accuracy. Williams began in the New York City ballroom scene during the 1980's as a member of the House of Omni, eventually joining the House of Pendavis, under Legendary Mother Avis Pendavis. Williams appeared as both narrator and on-screen commentator in the legendary documentary, Paris Is Burning. Williams achieved iconic status in 1980 and is the current father of the House of Pendavis. Williams served his country in the United States Armed Forces, retiring as a Captain in 2012. He currently serves the veteran community with his work at a local VFW Post in Rockville Centre, New York. Williams holds degrees from Metropolitan College in New York and has taught public speaking at the Lawson Centre, a part of the GMHC. In addition to his 2018 work on POSE, Williams has lectured on LGBTQ issues and the significance of Paris is Burning to the development of LGBTQ acceptance at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as several live appearances at the Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York, as well as events sponsored by BRIC, the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, New York.
When he is not consulting, speaking, writing, or acting, Williams lives with his partner of eight years, Stephen Schneider, on Long Island. They enjoy cooking, relaxing, spending time together, and traveling the world to see and understand the vast cultural experiences of others. As Williams puts it, "Seeing the world and different people in the world allows me to broaden my experiences, which only makes me more effective on screen and also behind the scenes. I am looking forward to more adventures and more opportunities to utilize my creative talents for the benefit of the arts and the LGBTQ community as a whole."
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1999759/bio
Octavia St. Laurent
St. Laurent began walking in the New York ballroom scene in 1982 and acknowledged that their favourite category to walk in was Face. One of the most common songs they'd walk to was "Swept Away" by Diana Ross. They were a central figure of the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning and had a small role in The Saint of Fort Washington (1993) In 2006, they starred in Wolfgang Busch's How Do I Look, dubbed as "the sequel to Paris is Burning", and was using the name Heavenly Angel Octavia St Laurent Manolo Blahnik. St. Laurent was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 16, 1964. In her youth, Octavia identified as a trans woman, but had a very different view on her gender and when asked if she were a man, she would proudly claim "ABSOLUTELY" which quickly shut up her hecklers, and often stunned many in the trans community. She was born producing more estrogen than most people assigned male at birth. Octavia said that growing up, her parents were accepting: "I had wonderful parents that supported me. My sexuality was not an issue with my parents. They were accustomed to that since I was a child. People thought I looked like a little girl, and my mother said: 'This is a boy!'" Octavia experienced police harassment and was arrested on several occasions for wearing gender-nonconforming clothing in public. St. Laurent was diagnosed as HIV+, and would later serve as an educator to spread awareness about the disease. During their appearance in Wolfgang Busch's LGBT documentary How Do I Look, St. Laurent further discussed their drug use, sex work, and fight with AIDS. St. Laurent was good friends with Willi Ninja and Paris Dupree. In 2008, Octavia was diagnosed with cancer. Octavia moved in with their sister while receiving treatment and started a one-woman show at Spirits gay bar in Syracuse, New York, which they described as a quiet place for respite. Octavia gave a final interview by phone in March 2009. Octavia died after a long battle with cancer on May 17, 2009, in Syracuse, New York, aged 45. Octavia is buried in a cemetery in Queens, New York.
https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/22663/1/octavia-st-laurents-last-interview
https://gay.blog.br/en/culture/11-years-ago-octavia-st-laurent-the-star-of-paris-is-burning-left-us/
https://jezebel.com/the-wicked-beauty-who-walked-with-the-icons-1846494807
Angie Xtravaganza
(October 17, 1964 – March 31, 1993) was a co-founder and Mother of the House of Xtravaganza. A prominent transgender performer in New York City's gay ball culture, Xtravanganza featured in the acclaimed 1990 documentary film Paris is Burning.
Xtravaganza was born in New York City, one of 13 children born to a Catholic Puerto Rican family in South Bronx.[1] From the age of 13 she nurtured a family of "children" on the Christopher Street piers and Times Square, primarily made up of those who had been rejected by their own families; they referred to her as "Ma".[1] Xtravaganza started doing drag in 1980 and began competing in balls at the age of 16.[2] It was on the Christopher Street piers where she first met Hector Xtravaganza, with whom she would later found their eponymous house
In 1982, the House of Xtravaganza was founded, with Xtravaganza taking on the role of House Mother.[3] The House was notable for being the first primarily Latino house within the ball scene, and was made partially in response to discrimination against Latino performers in the scene at that time. The House of Xtravaganza heavily influenced the New York City gay ball culture, with Xtravanganza becoming known as one of the "terrible five", the five reigning house mothers of the ball world, alongside Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Avis Pendavis, and Paris Dupree.[1] As a result of her profile, Xtravangaza featured in the 1988 article "The Slap of Love" by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham, as well as the 1990 documentary film Paris is Burning, directed by Jennie Livingston. Xtravaganza's notable drag children included Danni and Venus Xtravaganza, whose life and murder was featured in Paris is Burning
https://granvarones.com/angie-xtravaganza/
https://aidsmonument.org/remember/dominique-jackson-angie-xtravaganza/
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/pa97zm/house-of-xtravaganza-is-new-yorks-most-fabulous-family
https://awomantoknow.substack.com/p/a-woman-to-know-angie-xtravaganza
House of Xtravaganza
https://latina.com/the-legendary-house-of-xtravaganza/
https://www.carmenxtravaganza.biz/house-of-xtravaganza/
Anji Xtravaganza
Born July 14, 1961 in Puerto Rico, Daniel Camacho was raised in Brooklyn, New Yorkby his mother until he left home at 16. Consistent with the tradition of ball culture, in 1982 Danni took the House name as his surname. As a teenager he studied ballroom dancing, the foundation of the elegant Vogue dance style he performed on the ballroom runways. In ball culture where House members compete in various categories, Danni Xtravaganza was widely respected for his unique ability to compete in categories as diverse as Vogue (dance), Runway (modeling), Punk Rock (fashion), and Butch Queen in Drags (a man impersonating a woman).
In 1990 Danni appeared in the popular Jenny Livingston documentary Paris Is Burning[2] and recorded 'Love the Life You Live', produced by Freddy Bastone for Nu Groove records.
A 'legendary' figure in the New York ball community, and a fixture in the famed discos and nightclubs of the period including Paradise Garage, Tracks and The Sound Factory, Danni was appointed the Mother of the House of Xtravaganza by the original House Mother, Angie Xtravaganza, prior to her death in 1993. Danni led the House of Xtravaganza in that capacity until his death on January 9, 1996, in Manhattan, aged 34. He was cremate
https://prabook.com/web/danni.xtravaganza/2530595
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danni_Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza (May 22, 1965 – December 21, 1988) was an American transgender performer.[2] She came to national attention after her appearance in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary film Paris Is Burning, in which her life as a trans womanforms one of the film's several story arcs. Xtravaganza was born on May 22, 1965, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her parents were of Italian-American and Puerto Rican descent. She had four brothers. Xtravaganza took the name Venus in her early teens. Xtravaganza states in Paris Is Burning that she began cross-dressing and performing at age 13 or 14, placing her earliest performances around 1978 or 1979. Eventually, her family caught on to her lifestyle, and because she did not "want to embarrass them, ... [she] moved away." She relocated to New York City in order to be able to perform freely. Her ball career began in 1983, when House of Xtravaganza founder Hector Valle invited her to join the house. She stated that he "was the first gay man I ever met." On her 15th birthday, Valle took her to Greenwich Village, threw her a party, and bought her a cake. After Valle died from AIDS-related complications in 1985, Angie Xtravaganza assumed the role of house mother, and she took on Venus Xtravaganza as her mentee and drag daughter. At the time of filming Paris Is Burning, Xtravaganza was an aspiring model. She said, "I [want] my sex change to make myself feel complete. On Christmas Day in 1988, Xtravaganza was found strangled under a bed at the Duchess Hotel in New York. It was estimated that her body had been there for four days upon discovery. Shooting for Paris Is Burning was ongoing, and the film's final minutes include Angie Xtravaganza reacting to her death. Angie Xtravaganza said she felt that Venus was one to take too many chances, that she "was too wild with people in the streets", and that she feared "something [was] going to happen to [her]." Angie Xtravaganza was the first person detectives approached with the news of Xtravaganza's death, and it was she who broke the news to the latter's biological parents. In Paris Is Burning, Xtravaganza describes a time she narrowly escaped an attack by a man who discovered she was transgender during an intimate encounter, and it is possible her murder occurred during a similar situation. Her killer was never found. She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey.
https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/mike-pellagatti-interview-venus-xtravaganza-8462404/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/17921/1/the-legacy-of-venus-xtravaganza
https://thatgrapejuice.net/entertainment/2020/07/retro-rewind-the-unsolved-murder-venus-xtravaganza/
Brooke Extravaganza and House of Extravaganza
https://www.thecut.com/2018/10/the-house-of-xtravaganza-at-35.html
(Could not find any specific information on the people below)
Bianca Xtravaganza
David Xtravaganza
Danny Xtravaganza
Avis Pendavis
Freddie Pendavis
Sandy Ninja
André Christian
Stevie Saint Laurent
Documentary and Video Playlist
Full Documentary Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70tlLetqqw
Vintage Annals Archive Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4zYKaPKme4wfLxjMjbbse19e_aEqlVl
Music Playlist
Article about the music in the film and the times
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/04/23/151218475/the-music-and-meaning-of-paris-is-burning
Mixes from and inspired by the film
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/39XtYVEDG5sJaKEgnilC31?si=h849XhV0QdSxXjkI572v7Q
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Zzr7x8XaGu0yDDKPjD1mX?si=Ul31f2vhTUK6mpM981RmnQ
Books
Paris is Burning: A Queer Film CLassic
https://www.abebooks.com/Paris-Burning-Queer-Film-Classic-Hilderbrand/31245344895/bd?cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade0to10-_-product_id=COM9781551525198USED-_-keyword=&gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylIvl9lcQH-5cWBrXoA0-cmv7UsoDL0SOjNXY8rlgvuvLKeJacoctixoCq_cQAvD_BwE
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, Paris Is Burning offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza--Paris Is Burning brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community.
Articles
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/24/burning-down-the-house-debate-paris-is-burning
https://blogs.umb.edu/cinemastudies/2020/11/14/paris-is-burning-an-important-slice-of-queer-history/
https://www.avclub.com/30-years-ago-paris-is-burning-changed-popular-culture-1843838149
https://www.theedgesusu.co.uk/film/2020/06/30/paris-has-burned-how-the-influential-documentary-harmed-the-community/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paris-is-burning-emcee-junior-labeija-pose-rupaul-1234964404/
https://lwlies.com/articles/paris-is-burning-at-30/
https://filmschoolrejects.com/paris-is-burning/
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/d3n5dz/paris-is-burning-director-jennie-livingston-reflects-on-the-films-legacy
https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2020/06/rewatching-paris-is-burning-helps-define-contemporary-moments-of-history
https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/paris-is-burning-pose-writers-react-lgbt-film-1202152502/
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-is-burning-documentary-premieres-in-theaters
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/04/23/151218475/the-music-and-meaning-of-paris-is-burning
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/paris-is-burning-anniversary
https://medium.com/incluvie/%EF%B8%8F-paris-is-burning-30-years-later-953b5c020366
About the Performers
Willi Ninja
Recognized as the “Grandfather of Vogue,” Willi Ninja rose to prominence in the Harlem Drag Ball scene in the 1980s and took the dance form of voguing around the world. Willi Ninja founded the House of Ninja in 1982, acting as a “mother” to a group of adopted gay and transgender “children” in New York City. Moving away from showgirl drag, the Harlem drag ball scene provided African American and Latino youth a space to express nonconforming gender presentations. The houses of the drag ball scene provided the participants a support network and an extended social family. Each house having distinctions, the House of Ninja was famous for its dancers. Ninja helped create and shape the dance form of voguing that combined exaggerated model poses and intricate mime-like choreography. After appearing in the documentary Paris is Burning, Willi rose to fame as a choreographer, musician, runway model and modeling coach, as well as serving as a direct inspiration to various artists who immortalized the style in their music videos. Willi Ninja’s life illustrates what it means to be a black gay male in a world that lauds white male heteronormativity. Willi Ninja transgressed rigid gender barriers as he participated in the ballroom scene and performed an androgynous gender presentation on and off the stage. His legacy continues as the House of Ninja members keep voguing alive and advocate on behalf of their mother to raise HIV/AIDS awareness.
Willi Ninja was born William Roscoe Leake on April 12, 1961 and grew up in Flushing, Queens. A completely self-taught dancer, Willi began to dance publicly at age 7. After high school, Willi dropped out of college, enrolled in beauty school and moved to Greenwich Village in the late 1970s[1]. Not much is known about his childhood, although in many interviews he describes how his mother, Esther Leake, was very accepting of his sexuality and had a direct role in nurturing his interest in dancing. Esther often took Willi to the ballet and the Apollo Theater to see various dance performances[2]. In an interview with Joan Rivers, Willi describes how he never came out to his mother about his homosexuality; in fact, it was she who confronted him, claiming that “mothers always know.” She told him that he was her son and she would love him no matter what[3]. Presumably having some sort of acceptance, Willi’s experience stands in stark contrast to the lives of the African American and Latino gay and transgender youth he later mentored. Inspired by Fred Astaire, Olympic gymnasts, and the martial arts (hence the name “Ninja”), Willi formed a dance group who called themselves the Video Pretenders in the early 1980s[4]. They would go to clubs and mimic the dance moves in the music videos being shown on the screens. They soon realized that they should create their own choreography. Willi began voguing at the Christopher Street Pier and Washington Square Park, popular hangout sites for LGBTQ youth, and made his debut in Harlem’s famous drag balls.
https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/tgi-bios/willi-ninja
https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/ninja
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/06/arts/dance/06ninja.html
Dorian Corey (June 6, 1937 – August 29, 1993) was an American drag performer and fashion designer. She appeared in Wigstock and was featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning.
https://blackartstory.org/2020/10/15/profile-dorian-corey-1937-1993/
Paris Dupree (also stylized as Paris Duprée or Paris DuPree; 1950 – August 2011) was an American drag performer and documentary participant featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning, which was named after Dupree's annual ball.
https://mwbarilla.wixsite.com/bqueer/post/paris-dupree-the-legendary-mother
Junior LaBeija
Before Mercedes Iman Diamond vogued across our TV screens yelling “Opulence,” there was the OG who popularized the word in LGBT pop culture: Junior LaBeija. And he even threw in a free spelling lesson. According to Paris is Burning director Jennie Livingston, Pepper LaBeija is the heart of the film, and Dorian Corey is the brains of the film, so I have every reason to believe that Junior is the voice of the film. While he was never formally interviewed on camera, this iconic LaBeija house-member and ballroom emcee gave the film some of its most memorable catchphrases, and talking points. His words and manner of speaking has not only maintained legendary status in LGBT pop culture, but even the mainstream zeitgeist. He is constantly quoted and referenced to on “Drag Race,” and is even the main inspiration for Billy Porter’s character Pray Tell on “POSE.” So today, we pay homage and discuss the legacy of Junior LaBeija.
https://www.sydney-yaeko.com/paris-is-burning/junior-labeija
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paris-is-burning-emcee-junior-labeija-pose-rupaul-1234964404/
Pepper LaBeija
LaBeija was born in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City. LaBeija identified as male but preferred “she/her” pronouns. She was famous for her role in the Harlem drag balls that began in the 1960s and were chronicled in the 1991 documentary Paris is Burning. These drag balls were started to give the black and latino LGBTQ community a place to express gender freely, celebrate and perform in safe, affirming spaces. Before this time, circuits for drag performers were geared towards white people and black performers were pressured to whiten their faces to fit in. LaBeija was known for her Egyptian-inspired drag performances at these drag balls and won 250 trophies for her performances over the course of her life.
The House of LaBeija is the oldest and most adored house in New York’s drag and ballroom scene. It was founded in the 1970s by Crystal LaBeija and the “house mother” role was taken on by Pepper LaBeija a few years later. She remained in this role for over 20 years. In Paris is Burning, LaBeija said, “a house is a family for those who don’t have family.” The House of LaBeija took in members of the LGBTQ community who were exiled from their homes and provided them with guidance and support. LaBeija passed away in 2003 from a heart attack. During her life she made a huge impact on the lives of many young people who were not accepted by their families and society at large. She was truly an inspiration to many.
https://standwithtrans.org/2021/02/09/pepper-labeija-1948-2003/?doing_wp_cron=1672763400.3617699146270751953125
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/26/arts/pepper-labeija-queen-of-harlem-drag-balls-is-dead-at-53.html
Kim Pendavis
Of the three members of the House of Pendavis interviewed in the film: Freddie, Sol and Kim, Kim tends to be the one the public knows the least about. Part of this is due to the fact that both Freddie and Sol are still around, frequently sharing their stories of the ballroom scene in interviews, while Kim passed away shortly after the release of Paris is Burning. But the other part possibly has to do with Kim’s reserved nature. Kim was known to be sweet, yet intensely ambitious and dedicated to his craft. It’s time we give this ball walker - best remembered in the film for being interviewed while sewing a garment, walking in the Town and Country category, and showing off fluid wrist movement while striking a pose - our undivided attention, and get into the life and legacy of Kim Pendavis.
https://www.sydney-yaeko.com/paris-is-burning/kim-pendavis
Sol Pendavis
Sol Williams (a/k/a Sol Pendavis) is working as a consultant for Ryan Murphy's latest television series, POSE, a dance musical series set in 1980's New York, featuring the largest cast of transgender actors. In addition to an on-screen role as a judge, Williams assisted in writing and editing the POSE script for historical accuracy. Williams began in the New York City ballroom scene during the 1980's as a member of the House of Omni, eventually joining the House of Pendavis, under Legendary Mother Avis Pendavis. Williams appeared as both narrator and on-screen commentator in the legendary documentary, Paris Is Burning. Williams achieved iconic status in 1980 and is the current father of the House of Pendavis. Williams served his country in the United States Armed Forces, retiring as a Captain in 2012. He currently serves the veteran community with his work at a local VFW Post in Rockville Centre, New York. Williams holds degrees from Metropolitan College in New York and has taught public speaking at the Lawson Centre, a part of the GMHC. In addition to his 2018 work on POSE, Williams has lectured on LGBTQ issues and the significance of Paris is Burning to the development of LGBTQ acceptance at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as several live appearances at the Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York, as well as events sponsored by BRIC, the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, New York.
When he is not consulting, speaking, writing, or acting, Williams lives with his partner of eight years, Stephen Schneider, on Long Island. They enjoy cooking, relaxing, spending time together, and traveling the world to see and understand the vast cultural experiences of others. As Williams puts it, "Seeing the world and different people in the world allows me to broaden my experiences, which only makes me more effective on screen and also behind the scenes. I am looking forward to more adventures and more opportunities to utilize my creative talents for the benefit of the arts and the LGBTQ community as a whole."
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1999759/bio
Octavia St. Laurent
St. Laurent began walking in the New York ballroom scene in 1982 and acknowledged that their favourite category to walk in was Face. One of the most common songs they'd walk to was "Swept Away" by Diana Ross. They were a central figure of the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning and had a small role in The Saint of Fort Washington (1993) In 2006, they starred in Wolfgang Busch's How Do I Look, dubbed as "the sequel to Paris is Burning", and was using the name Heavenly Angel Octavia St Laurent Manolo Blahnik. St. Laurent was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 16, 1964. In her youth, Octavia identified as a trans woman, but had a very different view on her gender and when asked if she were a man, she would proudly claim "ABSOLUTELY" which quickly shut up her hecklers, and often stunned many in the trans community. She was born producing more estrogen than most people assigned male at birth. Octavia said that growing up, her parents were accepting: "I had wonderful parents that supported me. My sexuality was not an issue with my parents. They were accustomed to that since I was a child. People thought I looked like a little girl, and my mother said: 'This is a boy!'" Octavia experienced police harassment and was arrested on several occasions for wearing gender-nonconforming clothing in public. St. Laurent was diagnosed as HIV+, and would later serve as an educator to spread awareness about the disease. During their appearance in Wolfgang Busch's LGBT documentary How Do I Look, St. Laurent further discussed their drug use, sex work, and fight with AIDS. St. Laurent was good friends with Willi Ninja and Paris Dupree. In 2008, Octavia was diagnosed with cancer. Octavia moved in with their sister while receiving treatment and started a one-woman show at Spirits gay bar in Syracuse, New York, which they described as a quiet place for respite. Octavia gave a final interview by phone in March 2009. Octavia died after a long battle with cancer on May 17, 2009, in Syracuse, New York, aged 45. Octavia is buried in a cemetery in Queens, New York.
https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/22663/1/octavia-st-laurents-last-interview
https://gay.blog.br/en/culture/11-years-ago-octavia-st-laurent-the-star-of-paris-is-burning-left-us/
https://jezebel.com/the-wicked-beauty-who-walked-with-the-icons-1846494807
Angie Xtravaganza
(October 17, 1964 – March 31, 1993) was a co-founder and Mother of the House of Xtravaganza. A prominent transgender performer in New York City's gay ball culture, Xtravanganza featured in the acclaimed 1990 documentary film Paris is Burning.
Xtravaganza was born in New York City, one of 13 children born to a Catholic Puerto Rican family in South Bronx.[1] From the age of 13 she nurtured a family of "children" on the Christopher Street piers and Times Square, primarily made up of those who had been rejected by their own families; they referred to her as "Ma".[1] Xtravaganza started doing drag in 1980 and began competing in balls at the age of 16.[2] It was on the Christopher Street piers where she first met Hector Xtravaganza, with whom she would later found their eponymous house
In 1982, the House of Xtravaganza was founded, with Xtravaganza taking on the role of House Mother.[3] The House was notable for being the first primarily Latino house within the ball scene, and was made partially in response to discrimination against Latino performers in the scene at that time. The House of Xtravaganza heavily influenced the New York City gay ball culture, with Xtravanganza becoming known as one of the "terrible five", the five reigning house mothers of the ball world, alongside Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Avis Pendavis, and Paris Dupree.[1] As a result of her profile, Xtravangaza featured in the 1988 article "The Slap of Love" by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham, as well as the 1990 documentary film Paris is Burning, directed by Jennie Livingston. Xtravaganza's notable drag children included Danni and Venus Xtravaganza, whose life and murder was featured in Paris is Burning
https://granvarones.com/angie-xtravaganza/
https://aidsmonument.org/remember/dominique-jackson-angie-xtravaganza/
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/pa97zm/house-of-xtravaganza-is-new-yorks-most-fabulous-family
https://awomantoknow.substack.com/p/a-woman-to-know-angie-xtravaganza
House of Xtravaganza
https://latina.com/the-legendary-house-of-xtravaganza/
https://www.carmenxtravaganza.biz/house-of-xtravaganza/
Anji Xtravaganza
Born July 14, 1961 in Puerto Rico, Daniel Camacho was raised in Brooklyn, New Yorkby his mother until he left home at 16. Consistent with the tradition of ball culture, in 1982 Danni took the House name as his surname. As a teenager he studied ballroom dancing, the foundation of the elegant Vogue dance style he performed on the ballroom runways. In ball culture where House members compete in various categories, Danni Xtravaganza was widely respected for his unique ability to compete in categories as diverse as Vogue (dance), Runway (modeling), Punk Rock (fashion), and Butch Queen in Drags (a man impersonating a woman).
In 1990 Danni appeared in the popular Jenny Livingston documentary Paris Is Burning[2] and recorded 'Love the Life You Live', produced by Freddy Bastone for Nu Groove records.
A 'legendary' figure in the New York ball community, and a fixture in the famed discos and nightclubs of the period including Paradise Garage, Tracks and The Sound Factory, Danni was appointed the Mother of the House of Xtravaganza by the original House Mother, Angie Xtravaganza, prior to her death in 1993. Danni led the House of Xtravaganza in that capacity until his death on January 9, 1996, in Manhattan, aged 34. He was cremate
https://prabook.com/web/danni.xtravaganza/2530595
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danni_Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza (May 22, 1965 – December 21, 1988) was an American transgender performer.[2] She came to national attention after her appearance in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary film Paris Is Burning, in which her life as a trans womanforms one of the film's several story arcs. Xtravaganza was born on May 22, 1965, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her parents were of Italian-American and Puerto Rican descent. She had four brothers. Xtravaganza took the name Venus in her early teens. Xtravaganza states in Paris Is Burning that she began cross-dressing and performing at age 13 or 14, placing her earliest performances around 1978 or 1979. Eventually, her family caught on to her lifestyle, and because she did not "want to embarrass them, ... [she] moved away." She relocated to New York City in order to be able to perform freely. Her ball career began in 1983, when House of Xtravaganza founder Hector Valle invited her to join the house. She stated that he "was the first gay man I ever met." On her 15th birthday, Valle took her to Greenwich Village, threw her a party, and bought her a cake. After Valle died from AIDS-related complications in 1985, Angie Xtravaganza assumed the role of house mother, and she took on Venus Xtravaganza as her mentee and drag daughter. At the time of filming Paris Is Burning, Xtravaganza was an aspiring model. She said, "I [want] my sex change to make myself feel complete. On Christmas Day in 1988, Xtravaganza was found strangled under a bed at the Duchess Hotel in New York. It was estimated that her body had been there for four days upon discovery. Shooting for Paris Is Burning was ongoing, and the film's final minutes include Angie Xtravaganza reacting to her death. Angie Xtravaganza said she felt that Venus was one to take too many chances, that she "was too wild with people in the streets", and that she feared "something [was] going to happen to [her]." Angie Xtravaganza was the first person detectives approached with the news of Xtravaganza's death, and it was she who broke the news to the latter's biological parents. In Paris Is Burning, Xtravaganza describes a time she narrowly escaped an attack by a man who discovered she was transgender during an intimate encounter, and it is possible her murder occurred during a similar situation. Her killer was never found. She is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey.
https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/mike-pellagatti-interview-venus-xtravaganza-8462404/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/17921/1/the-legacy-of-venus-xtravaganza
https://thatgrapejuice.net/entertainment/2020/07/retro-rewind-the-unsolved-murder-venus-xtravaganza/
Brooke Extravaganza and House of Extravaganza
https://www.thecut.com/2018/10/the-house-of-xtravaganza-at-35.html
(Could not find any specific information on the people below)
Bianca Xtravaganza
David Xtravaganza
Danny Xtravaganza
Avis Pendavis
Freddie Pendavis
Sandy Ninja
André Christian
Stevie Saint Laurent
Documentary and Video Playlist
Full Documentary Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70tlLetqqw
Vintage Annals Archive Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4zYKaPKme4wfLxjMjbbse19e_aEqlVl
Music Playlist
Article about the music in the film and the times
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/04/23/151218475/the-music-and-meaning-of-paris-is-burning
Mixes from and inspired by the film
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/39XtYVEDG5sJaKEgnilC31?si=h849XhV0QdSxXjkI572v7Q
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Zzr7x8XaGu0yDDKPjD1mX?si=Ul31f2vhTUK6mpM981RmnQ
Books
Paris is Burning: A Queer Film CLassic
https://www.abebooks.com/Paris-Burning-Queer-Film-Classic-Hilderbrand/31245344895/bd?cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade0to10-_-product_id=COM9781551525198USED-_-keyword=&gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylIvl9lcQH-5cWBrXoA0-cmv7UsoDL0SOjNXY8rlgvuvLKeJacoctixoCq_cQAvD_BwE