How to vogue better than Madonna in 3 minutes (and it's rich queer history)

How to vogue better than Madonna in 3 minutes (and it's rich queer history)
Don’t know how to vogue? National Student Pride has you covered.
We teach you how to dip, how to dip (or 'death drop' as it's referred to in Ru Paul and Drag land), how to duck walk and how to vogue - better than Madonna could even try to imagine.
Voguing has a rich queer people of color (POC) history. So though Madonna popularized the dance form with her song, the queer POC community say she appropriated the dance form with her hit song.
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In a new video, House of Revlon’s vogue artist Kenni Maldonado teaches the student and activist Gemma Dunnell the five elements of voguing and explains the queer LGBT history behind expressive dance form developed by queer POC communities.
Kenni and Gemma explore some remarkably important areas of queer history; the fragmentation of the queer community comes into focus as the two discuss how voguing was born out the ballroom scene which in turn formed as a reaction to people of color being excluded from the wider LGBT+ scene.
‘Ballroom, where voguing is from, came from the late 1970s because the POC community felt really segregated from the general LGBT+ community,’ Kennis says.
‘So, we created our own safe space, our own haven, where we can express ourselves and all queer identities’ says Kenni, explaining that to him voguing is a form of self-expression, in which he can live out both fantasy and reality of his gender and sexual identity.
National Student Prides mission is to be the ‘pride of conversation’.
Volunteer Luca Mitchell says:
‘The shared experience and education between Kenni and Gemma resonate with this mission; with a conversation about breaking down barriers and uniting LGBT+ community.
National Student Pride is a safe space where so many queer young people attend their first pride. We hope, as so many do every year, LGBT+ students will walk away inspired to be their true identity.’
Are you attending this year's National Student Pride?
Click going📅: buff.ly/2NezUrp
Get tickets🎟: buff.ly/2Gx0zPu

[@ashiaku9864]

“I know vouging has something to do with Madonna” THE DOOR 🚪

[@irinka_katlova]

😂 😂 😂 IKR?!?!

[@crowley3216]

@Ashi Aku to be fair to her that is how voguing got introduced to the mainstream

[@Churros1616]

@@crowley3216 Madonna steals we all know that.

[@crowley3216]

C Will yes

[@jdheard22]

👉🏿🚪

[@guscb175]

“I’m so into voguing right now.”

[@orlandodavies5082]

lmao I remember that

[@nibelungvalesti4941]

@@orlandodavies5082 where is it from?

[@orlandodavies5082]

@@nibelungvalesti4941 guest judge said it on drag race that day I think

[@detectivedez8439]

Maro Cake it was Vanessa Hudgens that said it in RuPaul Drag Race

[@alightersonata4707]

Maro Cake Rupauls Drag All Stars 2 Ep.1

[@darrensierra]

I laughed at "you don't want that bad energy, 2019". If he only knew what's next.

[@Njoofene]

Covid 19.

[@jessicafashionlover2148]

vogueing has nothing to with madonna she took a art that was out way before madonna and brought it to mainstream but she didnt start vogue dance

[@stephaneschmalen2742]

She didn’t say „Gay Rights“ she screamed „GAY RIGHTS PERIODT“ through this song

[@marchetu9212]

"It has something to do with Madonna" and "Madonna invented voguing" are two very different things. She knows that Madonna did it in a video, therefore it is related to Madonna in some way.

[@human2137]

Yes but she is the one who introduced it to the majority of people who didn't know about it + she didn't take credit of voguing or anything, why y'all mad about it?

[@oasis4everever]

@@human2137 I was thinking the same .. people are so pressed lmao

[@bleuj4528]

You literally just explained what vogueing has to do with Madonna

[@bl757]

No fear of wigs being snatched with these two on the floor...

[@estelaramos9478]

BYEEEE

[@gromplin]

PFFFT ELECTRIC CHAIR 😭

[@opossumbottomdweller8875]

BBBAAAAAAAHHHHHHAHAHHAHAHSJEBDKDNSNS JJJAAAAIIIILLLL 😭😭😭💀💀💀

[@Paminazar]

Y’all chill he a said “a dip, some of you may know it as a death drop.”

[@tinytuni777]

Yeah, he meant *some people* think of it as a death drop. Not everyone.

[@zerked.]

Ikr

[@franfortu6059]

01:16 I’M SO SORRY 2019 PLS COME BACK

[@allencall6572]

Anyone with access to Wikipedia knows Madonna did not invent vogueing. Nevertheless, what she did do is bring vogueing to the mainstream. At the same time, she showcased lives of lgbtq people and fought adamantly for AIDS awareness and funding/research via media such as her videos, Justify My Love, Erotica, and Vogue, in her tours, The Girlie Show and Blond Ambition, and in her book, Sex. These things were unheard of in 1989-1993, in particular in pop culture and in the news/mainstream. I should know, I lived through it, and recall very few other celebrities with even an inkling of her leverage risking their careers to use their platforms to bring about awareness of anything lgbtq-related. Discussions of lgbtq people were relegated to talkshows like Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey, often depicted controversially and negatively. Madonna allowed her lgbtq dancers to be who they were--unapologetically on full display and "normalized." These things could have ruined her career, but it didn't, and she didn't care. So, know your facts, or keep your mouth shut.

[@danielkaiser8971]

Exactly correct. Unfortunately those who misinterpreted what the video claimed are more interested in the false sense of importance they feel by expressing hatred than actually learning the facts.

[@roxassora2706]

Wasn't it invented by a trans woman?

[@inasez]

I lived through the same time period and agree 100%. She was a fearless pro-queer ally at the time and that was unheard of for someone who was relatively new to the Big Fame she achieved. Only older established divas like Cher and Liz Taylor were openly pro-lgbt at the time. Madonna was open from the jump and ppl lost their minds about it.

[@inasez]

​@@roxassora2706Vogue the dance was not invented by just a single person, I think you mean the NY House Ballroom scene, which was started largely by Crystal Labeija in the late 60s, in protest of the microaggressions she endured in the white drag pageant scene as a black performer.

[@juliandasaca7720]

Amazing having the opportunity to watch Lady Bird learning how to vogue :0

[@adorkable7196]

I hate you AHAHAHHAHAH, I CANùT!

[@minoru8391]

Not Lady Bird lmaooooo

[@destinycovington7189]

My edges are still present.......

[@edsonzapata7490]

Destiny Covington crying 😭😭😭😭

[@redhatshawty3122]

😭😂🤣

[@veronikablackwell]

Still freshly laid 😂😂😂😂

[@notaytguru8214]

NOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭

[@jdheard22]

This👏🏿 sent👏🏿 me👏🏿 And I'm stealing it

[@NocturneSoul]

That style of voguing is the new style. The original voguing from the 80's is sharper. Madonna was doing the original style. This style is more modern but different.

[@katrinamareen]

Voguing was about like modelling wasnt it, like poses and framing... this new style is about expression and self love? Thats what im seeing.

[@NocturneSoul]

@@katrinamareen the meaning is the same, I 'm talking about the moves

[@katrinamareen]

@@NocturneSoul oh 😁 silly me.

[@Caroleeena]

I prefer the old style. I wish we saw more of it.

[@user-ul9fz7kn2z]

IS ANYONE HERE AFTER CHUNGHAS COMEBACK LOL

[@asha3823]

OMG yeeeees lol😂

[@zombiish7]

LMAOOOO YES I WAS LISTENING TO STAY TONIGHT AND IT MADE ME WANNA VOGUE 😭🤚

[@silvianychandra5418]

mee!

[@sweetener4146]

ME LMAO

[@jln_vlln]

YESS OMGG

[@heyheyhey40]

I think Madonna is known for putting a spotlight on voguing. But to say, “it has something to do with Madonna is disrespectful and insulting to the actual people who created it. Madonna just borrowed it and learned from it.

[@mackychloe]

& she spread it to the masses. so she has a part in the history of it.

[@morellalizziediamond]

She made it popular to the masses. Most people know the song vogue from madonna but they usually dont know about the vogueing scene.

[@bernardsoul5186]

@@mackychloe and racoon dogs spread covid 19 to the masses. Neither was a good thing.

[@MrExchangeLots]

Cool down my dear. She said, "I know voguing has something to do with Madonna" which means that she does not know much about the subject at all but for Madonna. Had she said, "Madonna had started the voguing craze, then you would have had a solid argument.

[@ruriva4931]

Not at all. Madonna does have something to do with voguing. There’s nothing wrong with that statement, you’re reading to much into it.

[@TheFVSousa]

Why they keep trying to bring Madonna down while explaining what Vogue is? Can’t we just appreciate that Madonna was the first mainstream artist to fall in love with voguing 30 years ago and now it’s in every major music video? I have never seen Madonna claiming any rights to it. Not even once!

[@flippingfruitsforeuros3453]

Your right! But I feel them. You know there is something called industrial dance but it’s name will vanish. It’s new name is Orange justice from Fortnite. Yeah it’s totally useless to get pissed over it, but it’s s shame sometimes that the actual background is ignored

[@michaele4151]

She probably did collect some royalties from the song though, right? Or did she donate them?

[@TheFVSousa]

@@michaele4151 of course she did, it’s HER song. Nobody has ownership over the word ‘vogue’ nor the dance moves. And no matter what people say, Madonna was the one responsible for bringing the art of vogueing to mainstream for the first time...

[@michaele4151]

@@TheFVSousa I respectfully ask you to, please, read your fist comment, then my comment, and then your last comment. Meanwhile, You seem like a nice person and I don't mean to bring you down. I personally really like her song. And hopefully it's exposure of the mainstream helped make society more accepting of the diverse and talented communities behind the dance. In a world full of all or nothing social justice warrior thought patterns, i don't want to blindly call it appropriation, but I am not sure it wasn't appropriation either. Would you feel odd if someone wrote a book about the history of your family and then called it "my book" and made a significant profit off of the sale of said book? It would be nice to know how much she gave back to the community from which the dance originated.

[@p0t69]

AH YES the ballroom scene appropriator. She profited and amassed more fame off of a dance and culture (dominated by LGBTQ POC) she was never a part of. So yes she will continue to be dragged every time somebody brings up her name when talking about the ballroom scene.

[@TheDaidai1213]

You in the SAME HOUSE as me, and you call dip "a death drop"..... and you explain our culture like that.... This whole video is a chop no shade

[@shahaful66]

true

[@xaviox]

Yup! I was thinking the exact same thing....chop.....CHOPPPP!

[@kr1210f3r]

He said "the final element is the dip, some of you know it as the death drop." He had it right

[@MrUsher28]

He justa said most people know it as a death drop, and the video editors decided to just write death drop :/

[@choirbox]

No shade, but the five elements of vogue are: 1) Hands, 2) Catwalk, 3) Turns or Spins 4) Duck walk 5) Dip. Why didn’t they ask a legend to demonstrate on this video. It’s a chop for me!

[@danilvitkovski8223]

Niles Jones Spin& dip its one element, and you forgot about Floor Performance

[@playmatexbarbie901]

“Turns or spins” gurl bye it’s floor performance.

[@vespermancy]

No girl, the elements are hands performance, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance and spin & dip

[@demonofdarkness5058]

@@vespermancy there we go, that's the right one.

[@p0t69]

TURNS OR SPINS?!?!?! lmaooo

[@crescentsy]

“death drop” ?!! this isn’t rupaul’s drag race lmao

[@lb4586]

Death drop and dips are different things, same / similar finishing pose but different ways to get there

[@jordankealey9780]

Lucy xo no a death drop is just a whitewashed term for dip that spread like wildfire via drag race

[@audreye9465]

Okay but how would you explain it to someone who would possibly know what a death drop is but not a dip? why you hating on mans for using simile in his life yo that’s mad uncool

[@cucumber5128]

@@lb4586 the person said dip anyways, they just put death drop

[@gromplin]

@@jordankealey9780 No. Deathdrops and dips are two different things ☠️

[@mz.shakur207]

The title should actually read “How to make voguing accessible for white folk” 🤫

[@willmathis1756]

#DEAD lol

[@TeonDeus]

Racist

[@mz.shakur207]

Teon 🤣😘...voguing and the Ballroom community is black get over it 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@TeonDeus]

@@mz.shakur207 looked it up you're right 🤪

[@scissorluv80]

Zah-Zah Shakur the ballroom scene is GAY culture. Try again.

[@BriStella]

Thank you for having someone learn with you, she made me feel like I was not alone for falling with the little kicks, I'll keep practicing tho😭💖

[@SoyJesusArango]

I always want it to learn how to vogue and thanks to you I can practice the first 5 steps.

[@kurt1835]

Explaining the difference between old way and new way would have been a good idea.

[@MsEstebanmedina]

Amazing having the opportunity to watch Lady Bird learning how to vogue :0 did not see no revlon member here sorry chop,but we thank you for coming

[@minoru8391]

Not lady bird lmaoooooo

[@khalifmathiskm]

“How to vogue better than Madonna” Excuse me?? The disrespect

[@leons.2189]

what is very annoying to me is that he shows vogue fem and doesen´t even mention old and new way. However "Vogue" is not in vogue fem but I think in old way. So you definetely can´t say that this video is better than "Vogue"......

[@brettshair3151]

I came from Chungha's Stay Tonight and now I wanna learn Vogue It honestly looks beautiful!

[@joshina4497]

Honestly same, and because I was researching on the history of it. Btw, nice pfp and Username. Don't forget to practice 40 hrs today! ^^

[@shahaful66]

did not see no revlon member here sorry chop,but we thank you for coming

[@adreaunnbrady9319]

This video from the title to the actual performance is inaccurate. He didnt even mention any of the elements of vogue

[@jonahsahn]

Ok? Thank you. I may not participate in the NYC Ballroom scene but I have LOTS of friends in it and even EYE know that this video is off.

[@veronicarocio445]

Adreaunn Brady he did though??

[@cecegiles7753]

Adreaunn Brady he's only 19... Please forgive him😂😋😂😋

[@canbren73]

Love it... want to show this to my students

[@MaximoXtravaganza]

Revlon y'all better get her.

[@manassehhokum2222]

Dang I'm so jelly of his moves! What a lad!

[@newgabe09]

I heard that the moves also relate to how models pose/walk for Vogue magazine. Makes sense for the name.

[@sonmihae-joo6286]

Great video ^^ Thank you Kenni for explaining this dance :) Dear Gemma, please do a tutorial for how to do your cut crease, it looks quite good :) (plus the Sherlock one was hilarious but a long time ago ^^)

[@cutiemellow]

This video is a blessing 🙌

[@lilbill88]

I LOVE the energy in this style of dance. A lot of it seems to be about exuding confidence and intense vibes. Make everyone look at you and dismiss the “haters” but uplift your partners. Very inspiring

[@curtisli9771]

OMG THIS IS NOT EASY TO LEARN, BUT GLAD THAT I LEARNED

[@timecrayon]

Honestly only clicked on it because of Madonna and queer history, but seeing Gemma was a very wecome surprise!

[@lisiatew]

Ballroom came from NYC. No mention of that. As for her vogue, ONE CHOP.

[@supaspydamn]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💯💯💯

[@elenapetrix7912]

Love it so much

[@xxxmmmy6058]

Love It !!

[@mackychloe]

Holy fucking Shite!!!! it's actually called "The duck walk"? I fell in love with that move after seeing it in the opening dance sequence to the movie 'Climax' BAHAHAHAH I called it "The duckling dance". I also love "The death drop"

[@aderiandelano2704]

What category are we on right now?

[@lucienemery]

Love it 😍

[@MsMangustma]

oh cool guide for nubes, thanks!

[@tamaraacuna739]

Me ha encantado el vídeo!!!!! Jajaja

[@NeonAtary777]

such nice mentor ✨I wanna do it but I look terrible I don't have the sass for it

[@zackg007]

what is "PSA community?" I can't find a definition anywhere. Im familiar with most gender and orientation terms but can't find this one broken down anywhere.

[@nooffensemeantbut1597]

Chung Ha's Stay Tonight brought me here. Gotta learn the basics ey

[@missumbrella3135]

It would be really awesome if you had actual captions on this video! At the beginning I didn't understand when he said 'POC community' and the auto-generated captions said 'PSA community' so it was confusing.

[@SlimothyCricket]

"death drop?" He said he a Revlon????

[@mz.shakur207]

SlimothyCricket the gaggggg is lol

[@confesorsanchezjr2162]

SlimothyCricket There’s Revlons in Mexico.

[@succmoipp1362]

He said a dip, some of you might know it as death drop

[@fenty2331]

SlimothyCricket Yall need to get your ears checked...

[@DianaDiana-ku1me]

I need to work on my duck walk lmaoo

[@Freeyourself206]

Gemma, where do I know her from? Is she from Santa Cruz?

[@hinatashoyo968]

whats was the song used

[@rickytoussaint4949]

This is the most shameful demonstration of the elements I’ve seen in my life. Fix it Jesus. Right now. Amen.

[@denogordon5469]

Rikki Toussaint You know they have to water it down for the straight white children

[@derekhandson351]

Would Jesus approve of this? Idk mate

[@paulinaparty]

Rikki Toussaint make a better one then???

[@rickytoussaint4949]

Paulina Walberg Catch my on the vogue channel STL Vogue Knights and Ballroom Throwbacks. Im all on youtube. Don’t try me bitch.

[@rickytoussaint4949]

Derek Handson Sorry, I don’t pray to your white jesus. Lol

[@thebkirk631]

What’s this music or song

[@shreeyaverma8826]

which song was he dancing to?

[@mistrbbrown]

Nice video. Needs links to the various social media platforms to learn more or just follow.

[@av6698]

Lol not me starting to learn the vogue backwards. I already could dip/death drop

[@tippy0123]

voguing because its the trend vs voguing and knowing/living the culture ..

[@rubencanuela9758]

Of course they need to put Madonna's name to attract viewers.

[@danielkaiser8971]

Vogueing went mainstream because of Madonna. Otherwise, no one today would even know what it is.

[@mrpdirectioner1]

The blame is on the page that posted death drop instead of DIP

[@13amable]

This whole video🙊🤦🏽‍♂️....one chop baby thank you

[@ivyleague3224]

OmG you are " Mr.Chiffon" from Far Cry 4, " be fierce!"

[@deejaylaw431]

Starr Revlon has left the chat !!!! 🙈🙈🙈🙈👀👀😞

[@serabelden826]

a whole chop

[@MZNO]

Amazing

[@BorisMiljkovic]

Voice in my head is screaming "why does this gay guy not tell her to do her makeup and hair colour better!!!". Great lessons btw.

[@BriEverywhere]

2:41 "u not better than me"

[@screamoutmyname370]

2:04 DEATH DROP

[@minusmvtt1704]

Not me breaking my ankles tryna do a dip lmao

[@santyamaury7159]

Has any one noticed Oscar from the office does this

[@AliA-vp5vb]

"I'm from the International House of Revlon and I'm here with..." "Gemma." LMAO.

[@luisalbertogonzalezlopez3564]

The voguing come into my life so late, I'm 24 sometimes my knee sounds rare hahaha true :(

[@nzguy161]

Didn’t explain the steps to the sh element very well

[@OGseoulite]

This is a CHOP

[@allisonjames2923]

What the heck? I listened to Madonna as a teenager when Vogue was a new song & I have never ever heard of voguing before reading a quick reference to it in a novel 😳 And yes, we had school dances & even had some gay kids (although admittedly they weren’t obvious about it at school back then). I’m glad people can be more free to be themselves, but find it heartbreaking that even all these years later people still hate on people in the LGBTQ+ community & even more so, that Americans have made it legal to discriminate

[@dutchessdioji9368]

I feel like throwing up and yes... shade!

[@MannyTheHustler]

Pose brought me here

[@haruyasumi616]

wow, this video really brought out the bitching in the comments! I got here because I have been doing cybergoth dancing for a while and as a fan of ayabambi, have thought about dropping elements of vogue into what i do for variation. this seems a big shift in outlook for me though. the positions seem to be more about sexuality. whereas what i am more used to is practically martial art moves. i think this video is quite helpful as an introduction and to also make people feel they can have a go at trying it.

[@Dan-sv3kz]

she hopped in the struggle bus

[@MrDavidxtravaganza]

They look silly. And he couldn’t capture the element of soul within voguing.

[@prenticejones5838]

lol why I’m so mad they said death drop

[@kevinsims5791]

How is it expressing yourself of you have to include these five elements when the duck walk and death drop are so specific? Cant you just do what you want?

[@JamesSmith-pp5vp]

They're the 5 basic elements. It's on your own talent that you elevate them

[@Defected12]

Student Pride, this is so wrong, please better this segment or remove it, Get someone who really is in the scene to get this message across, I just love Ballroom so much and love the energy it can bring into ones life, Please make this right.

[@jrgeneide6201]

what is that dip tho...

[@naitsirhc5067]

but the vogue element isn´t a DIP instead a DEATH DROP?

[@human2137]

Why everyone in every voguing video's comments is mad? like chill and try to enjoy the video rather than trying to find anything to be offended at!

[@danielkaiser8971]

A bunch of young kiddos want to claim ethnic ownership of something that existed before they were born. They are clueless and ignorant, but you can't tell them otherwise.

[@p0t69]

@@danielkaiser8971 lol "ethnic ownership" you old racist bottom

[@nillabasco7450]

God bless Gemma shes trying her best

[@kawaiisoftiecinnamonroll4913]

Who else hears Aja’s theme in the variety show from drag race

[@rcruz4510]

By the time Madonna got to it - it was taking its inspiration from the supermodels of the 80s.

[@Discobiscuit372]

Go and watch The Three Elements Of The New Way Vogue... you’ll see the legends Aviance Milan, Jose Revlon and Damien Revlon...it’s not a tutorial but it is one of the best vogue videos on KZbin...there are not many people who can vogue as good as these guys

[@anthonycruz8839]

I kinda have a crush on Kenni

[@luckysnackcreations4572]

He’s?? A revlon?? I wouldn’t have guessed wow. His hands r good though

[@Erebos2517]

Can I please be Kenni when I grow up?

[@idontevenknowanymore2673]

Legit thought that Kenni was Brita in the first 2 seconds

[@axisboise]

DEAD LMAO

[@Myrtlebunny]

'that bad energy, 2019' ..HONEY TRY 2020

[@demonofdarkness5058]

Yas queen! Thinking the same thing!

[@allonasiervo5018]

He sounds like Eric in sex Ed 😭💕

[@blksundomme6836]

What is the “PSA” community

[@DJLongLastin]

They got this jar of Hellman's making a mockery of an art form. Paris is burnt

[@tonybryan8783]

Y’all chill he a said “a dip, some of you may know it as a death drop.” Amazing having the opportunity to watch Lady Bird learning how to vogue :0

[@Phil-xh8ty]

The title doesn’t set the bar high...

[@christophemichaelrobinson5328]

She’s a Revlon?