The Dance Centre Will Present MY HOUSE: FakeKnot's World Premiere in Vancouver
Choreographer Ralph Escamillan brings Ballroom culture and Vogue to the Scotiabank Dance Centre stage.
The Dance Centre will present the world premiere of MY HOUSE by Ralph Escamillan and their company FakeKnot on June 19 and 20 as part of the Global Dance Connections series in Vancouver.
Created by Escamillan — also known in Ballroom culture as Kiki Legend OA Mother Posh Gvasalia and Canadian Mother Posh Basquiat — the production brings Ballroom culture from the runway to the stage through dance, music, commentary, and live performance. The work features Escamillan alongside three additional Canadian Voguers, a local Ballroom commentator, and a DJ.
Rooted in Ballroom culture, which emerged from Black, Latinx, trans, and queer communities in Harlem during the 1960s, the piece examines themes of chosen family, identity, and collective liberation. Vogue, one of the culture’s defining dance forms, is known for its stylized movement vocabulary emphasizing precision, symmetry, and performance.
“The House structure is central to Ballroom culture,” Escamillan said in a statement. “It's where LGBTQ+ youth can be in a safe space with their chosen families, and also where they train for Ballroom's competitive events, called Balls.”
Founded in 2018, FakeKnot develops collaborative multidisciplinary performance works exploring identity, diaspora, and queer experience through movement, costume, sound, and technology. Previous works by the company include Croquis, PINA, whip, and HINKYPUNK.
A post-show artist talkback will follow the June 20 performance. The engagement is presented in partnership with the Queer Arts Festival.
Performances will take place at The Dance Centre, located at 677 Davie Street, at 8 p.m. on both evenings. Tickets are priced at $38, with discounted pricing available for students, seniors, and audience members under 30.
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