That time when I thought Madonna appropriated voguing.

[Luxe Ford 3,481]

https://youtu.be/Og3Px_7pL6

This video was my first experience of voguing and I was floored!

 

It was in 1989 so I must have seen it on MTV. I bought the vinyl record and was obsessed!

This video was the epitome of everything I had obsessed about since I was about twelve.

I began mimicking those seemingly impossible moves in the clubs I went to nurture my inner delinquent.

And the only reference I had was this video and the cover of the record.

After nine months of autodidact training Madonna released the gym session that was "Vogue"

How dared she steal my subculture? What does she know about voguing?

Exceedingly shameful in retrospect, but I dare say that at 18, you're allowed one or two dumb opinions.

30 years later? I'm pretty darned good at voguing!

 

 

[Togekiss 1,730]

I mean she did kind of appropriate queer/black/ball culture.

But I think people see it more as a celebration and lifting that community up I guess so it passes.

[brizoda 3,109]

Ellis D (also called Junior Vasquez) created music specifically for vogueing

 

his album : Ellis D - Free your mind

 

2 tracks from the album :

 

 

 

Later as Junior Vasquez he released this track :

 

 

[Luxe Ford 3,481]

But what's embarrassing was that I thought Madonna was appropriating me!

Which is so very, very wrong but we're taking pre Internet times here.

I didn't know better, but I did better. And have ever since.

What I wanted to say, I guess, was that this video crystallises everything in life I find esthetic.

In less pretentious verbiage, it's very important to me and part of what made me the brilliant, happy train wreck I am today! 

[Luxe Ford 3,481]

12 minutes ago, brizoda said:

Ellis D (also called Junior Vasquez) created music specifically for vogueing

 

his album : https://www.discogs.com/es/master/124831-Ellis-D-Free-Your-Mind

 

2 tracks from the album :

 

 

 

Later as Junior Vasquez he released this track :

 

 

Urmagerd!

I love this one!

Most people I play it to doesn't seem to get what's funny.

[Luxe Ford 3,481]

Twenty years+ later this was released.

"Farher Jose" was in Madonna's "Vogue" video. Javier took over from Willi Ninja (the double jointed guy in "Deep in Vogue") as the father of House of Ninja.

I just... this is a huge part of who I am.

 

Edited: I erroneously said "Chi Chi" was in the "Vogue" video when he was in the "Kiki" documentary: the more socially conscious version of "Paris is Burning"

Never forget:

We are all fantastic!