With music blaring and good vibes on the rooftop, Colorado State University students and staff catwalk through the Rory Student Center Theater, showcasing their intensity, confidence, and personality through every strut, trendy pose, dip, and spin. indicate.
The Black/African American Cultural Center, in collaboration with the Pride Resource Center and RamEvents, hosted the House of Ballroom to educate the CSU community about ballroom culture and its importance to Black and queer identities in this category. That’s…the ballroom. Dance classes are February 15th and 16th.
“Students can come here and feel love and warmth and gain understanding from a genuine perspective.” –Ashenafi Paulos, CSU junior, attends B/AACC
Tori Balmain and Calypso Jeté Balmain were the leaders and guided everyone through a series of steps, including ballroom dancing. Together with the House of Balmain, they compete in the Max show “Legendary” and are dedicated to bringing passion, creativity and beauty to the dance floor. Accompanied by dancing, they also taught those attending the event about the importance of social culture and its rich history.
The two taught attendees how to catwalk around the theater, adding more hips to their props and guiding them through the process of unleashing their inner fiery passion. From strenuous model walks to dips, the Balmains encouraged everyone to participate, helped with the moves, and specifically brought a more personal touch to the steps.
Rafael Duarte recently graduated from CSU and continues to work closely with B/AACC as a career staff member. He spoke about the thought process behind starting this program and how he wants to honor the history behind ballroom culture and appreciate the art form to its fullest. He wanted it to be an engaging and educational experience that presented diverse identities in a positive and valuable light.
“I think this work was able to highlight and really bring to the forefront Black creators, Black artists, and the people who made this work who are queer people of color,” Duarte said. “One of the benefits of attending CSU, or pursuing higher education, he says, is the opportunity to meet people outside of your own culture.”
Mr. Duarte praised Torie Balmain and Calypso Jeté Balmain for how motivated they were to return and reach out to the CSU community by expressing their passion for ballroom. Everyone in attendance watched in awe and excitement as the pair performed a powerful piece dedicated to Black History Month, demonstrating how this art form is part of their identity and sense of self. Ta.
Tori Balmain wore a bright red floral corset with tall red heels, while Calypso Jeté Balmain wore a purple leopard print bikini set with knee-high boots. They showcased their talent through intense, fluid movements and highlighted their shocking styles. As one of their standout performances, Torie Balmain danced to songs that reflected the African American movement and emphasized their tenacity and strength.
“They are very kind people who enjoy all they do to contribute to the community,” Duarte said. “And they continue to stay in touch with many of the students who attended this event last year. I think the students and the connections they made were what inspired them to come back here.”
Ashenafi Paulos is a third year student at CSU and has been involved with B/AACC for almost two years. This was her first time participating in this event, and she said it was a fun experience, especially as it allowed students of different races and sexualities to find a place like home at a predominantly white institution. Ta.
“[The purpose is]to showcase the beauty of ballroom culture and how it impacts both black history and queer history,” Paulos said. “Students can come here and feel love and warmth and gain understanding from a genuine perspective.”
Adrian Salazar is currently in his fourth year at CSU and works with the Pride Resource Center, coordinating ballroom events. He said it’s inspiring to see how events like this allow people from different cultural backgrounds to find unique connections. Salazar said he hopes the event continues to thrive at CSU and brings even more unique voices to creativity in the ballroom scene.
“This shows that there is a lot of happiness and cultural joy spread through a variety of diverse perspectives,” Salazar said. “When (students) come to CSU, building community is a really important thing. Events like this champion that these offices deserve to exist.”
Contact Sananda Chandy at [email protected] or on Twitter. @CSUCollegian.