Hot Body Ball brings Toronto's ballroom scene to the stage
First event of season for queer scene's 20th anniversary year; competitors earned prize money across vogueing and modeling categories.
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Glammed-up performers faced off in vogueing and modelling competitions at the Hot Body Ball this weekend, the first event of the season for Toronto's queer ballroom scene as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The community packed History to watch competitors tear it up on the catwalk. Ballroom, rooted in underground subcultures of Black and Latinx communities in late-1960s New York, has slowly made its way into the mainstream, inspiring TV competitions like RuPaul's Drag Race and shows like Pose. Ball participants, usually queer and trans people, compete in a variety of categories from traditional posing to dance battles, bracketed by gender presentation and judged on performance, looks, and creativity.
The Hot Body Ball's lineup included competitions for best dressed, best commentator, and best body, with bracket-specific dress codes like swimsuits, athleisure, and Schiaparelli-inspired high fashion.
Performer Milani Telfar won in the Washed Face category (minimal makeup, dewy looks) and took home $750. "For trans people to have a space of visibility that doesn't necessarily sexualize us but instead makes us feel celebrated, uplifted and beautiful is so important," Milani said. "That's what ballroom is to me."
Karume Unbothered Cartier competed in Femme Queen Realness, assessing how much an LGBTQ person can blend in as cis and/or straight—the evening's theme was athleisure. Karume won $500 and a Lululemon shopping spree. "I recently joined the ballroom scene to learn more about myself. I'm still searching for who I am, and I think ballroom will show me."
Royale Juicy Couture took European Runway (haute couture catwalk strutting) with $300. "Ballroom is a community where everybody comes together. We lift each other up. We help sharpen each other's skills and craft."
Legendary Father GQ Telfar won Overall Realness and $500 plus a Lululemon spree. "The money incentivized me to walk, no shade. I'm walking another ball in the States at the end of the month, so I needed the coin. I poured it all into the category tonight, and I did it out of love for Persuasion, the mother of my house. It's exciting to see the number of walkers stepping onto the floor. When I started, there were not a lot of walkers in the scene."