Being leads the programming in this rear section, which contemplates the “capitalist imperialist white supremacist patriarchy” that disenfranchises and marginalizes communities, the emcee explains. During the hour-long voguing 101 crash course, the participants populate a stage below the projection of Being, who delivers an introduction to the history, structure, and poignancy of the dance form, followed by a participatory class, which culminates with a questionnaire surveying participants’ takeaways from the experience.
The education is delivered in good hands: Being is a curious mind and a generous thinker whose references on decolonial thinking range from bell hooks—whom the teacher refers to as their “ballroom mother,” thanks to her theories on the intersection of race, capitalism , and gender to understand Black self-realization—to the consumerist dilemma of high-end fashion items that occupy the dance floor today.
