Voguing

Vogue

Willi Ninja voguing in the documentary Paris is Burning.
Genre	House dance, Ballroom Dance
Inventor	Disputed
Year	1980s-present
Origin	Harlem, New York, United States

Vogue, or voguing, is a highly stylized, modern house dance originating in the late 1980s that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene of the 1960s. It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" (1990), and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning (which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival). In its modern form, this dance has become a global phenomenon that continues to evolve both stylistically and demographically.

Inspired by the style of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs and the famous model poses of Vogue magazine, voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. This style of dance arose from Harlem ballrooms by African American drag queens of the early 1960s and their tradition in throwing "shade," or a subtle insult directed to other queens in order to impress the judges. It was originally called "presentation" and later "performance". Over the years, the dance evolved into the more intricate and acrobatic form that is now called "vogue".

The precise origins of voguing are disputed. Although many cite the story in which Paris Dupree takes out a Vogue magazine and mimics the pose at the beat (and other queens subsequently following), there are other accounts that note voguing may have originated from black gay prison inmates of Rickers Island for the attention of other men and throwing shade.

Voguing is continually developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in the gay ballroom scene and clubs in major cities throughout the United States and the around the globe—mainly New York City and Paris.

There are currently three distinct styles of vogue: Old Way (pre-1990); New Way (post-1990); and Vogue Fem (circa 1995).