Overview
A gorgeous, authoritative, and image-filled celebration of pageantry and community created by ballroom culture for Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ people. The subculture of Ballroom emerged in Harlem in the '60s out of a need for safe and inclusive spaces for Black and Brown queer people, in which family-like ""Houses"" competed at performative balls, allowing members of this marginalized groups to shine. Thanks to shows like Pose and Legendary, it has grown into a global phenomenon. It offers refuge from the threats and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community while also serving as a testament to the radical nature of queer joy with its pageantry and commitment to chosen family. Ballroom: A History, A Movement, A Celebration is an exhaustively researched tome honoring where Ballroom began and where it is now. It explores how Ballroom has served the Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ community. Bringing both a authoritative and entertaining sweep to this hugely important and influential cultural sensation, this book is filled with photos, interviews, and stories, presenting a captivating, well-documented narrative about not only how to survive but how to do so fashionably, glamorously, and in the company of one another.
Full Product Details
Author: Michael Roberson ,
Mikelle Street
Publisher: Running Press,U.S.
Imprint: Running Press Adult
Dimensions:
Width: 20.80cm
, Height: 2.40cm
, Length: 23.00cm
Weight: 1.000kg
ISBN: 9780762489084
ISBN 10: 0762489081
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 10 July 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
""A dynamic overview of the Ballroom community . . . The volume's most valuable contribution is its historical timeline: tracing Ballroom back to 19th-century drag balls, Roberson shows how this nightlife community has intersected with political and artistic movements from the Harlem Renaissance to AIDS activism.""--Publishers Weekly
""Roberson's celebratory prose is enhanced by lively photographs of Ballroom celebrities, their runway triumphs, and thrilled audiences. As Aisha Diori, an activist, says, 'Ballroom isn't just about competition and extravagant costumes, vogue, and competition; it's a safe haven, a family' . . . An exuberant tribute to a vibrant and nurturing dance-club scene.""--Kirkus Reviews ""A dynamic overview of the Ballroom community . . . The volume's most valuable contribution is its historical timeline: tracing Ballroom back to 19th-century drag balls, Roberson shows how this nightlife community has intersected with political and artistic movements from the Harlem Renaissance to AIDS activism.""--Publishers Weekly
Author Information
Michael Roberson is a multifaceted figure in the LGBTQ+ community, serving as a theologian, public health practitioner, activist, artist, and cultural leader. He holds academic positions at C-RRED, The New School University, and Union Theological Seminary in NYC. Roberson is deeply involved in the House Ball Community, having founded four major houses and co-founded The Ballroom Freedom School. He co-conceptualized the House Lives Matters National Leadership Initiative and edits the ""Arts Everywhere/Ballroom Freedom School"" publication. His influence extends to mainstream media, having worked as a cultural consultant for the FX series Pose. Roberson's work focuses on uplifting Black/Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals through various platforms and initiatives.
