Dustin Thierry photographs ballroom scene

After capturing the Dutch scene, Thierry traveled to Paris, New York, London and Berlin to capture the local Ballroom-scenes to photograph. His work testifies to the exuberant and contemporary revival of an age-old phenomenon, but also to the systematic discrimination and marginalization of black and queer communities worldwide.

Safe Harbor
With his photography, Thierry reveals what usually remains hidden and gives publicity to what is often hushed up. The balls he photographs provide a safe haven for self-expression, but at the same time are also the setting for fierce competition that forces attendees to stand up for their identity. Participants compete in various categories of competition, including voguing: a stylized modern dance form inspired by a striking combination of house music, hieroglyphics and the poses of photographic models.

Origins
The dance style is said to have originated among the inmates of Rikers Island, who are said to have taken the poses of models in the fashion magazine Vogue attempted to mimic it in quick succession. According to others, the dance originated in the Ballroom-culture of Harlem and Downtown Manhattan from the early 1960s. Voguing was popularized by pop artists such as Janet Jackson and Madonna in her music video for "Vogue" (1990), and the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning which tells the story of the African-American and Latino gay and transgender communities of New York's Ballroom-culture.