How Do I Look
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How Do I Look is a 2006 documentary film directed by Wolfgang Busch about Ball competitions (see also ball culture). According to a 2005 article published by The New York Times, the director spent a decade collecting footage to create How Do I Look.[1] This 2006 documentary is a journalistic alternative to a 1990 documentary about the Ball community entitled Paris Is Burning.
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How Do I Look is a "showcase" of the talent of the Ball community.[2] It follows several famous artists, such as Willi Ninja, Kevin Ultra-Omni, Octavia St. Laurent and Jose Xtravaganza. The film interviews its artists about their experiences with Ball competitions and the challenges faced by the Ball community. Among the issues this community confronts are persistent social misconception, drug use, sex work, acceptance of sexuality and gender, and HIV/AIDS. This film's content addresses these issues. In a 2000 article in The Village Voice, noted fashion writer Guy Trebay wrote that the cultural impression was that "the world of the balls was transitory." [3]
In the 2005 New York Times article, one of the stars of How Do I Look commented about the mainstream's lack of acceptance of Ball children and their creative forms of dancing.
"Break dancers get together and do stuff like this, and it's fully accepted," said Willi Ninja, surely the most celebrated dancer ever produced by the ballrooms, speaking in a mainstream sense. "If Madonna does voguing, it's O.K.," he added. "But when the ball children dance, even now, people say, 'Oh, it's a bunch of crazy queens throwing themselves on the floor.' "[4]
A significant number of the artists who are featured in How Do I Look, such as Willi Ninja and Pepper LaBeija, have died since the beginning of the filming of this documentary. Because the footage for this film was collected after the release of Paris is Burning and Madonna's hit single, "Vogue," How Do I Look measures the impact on the community since 1990. Some successful artists, such as the dancer Jose Xtravaganza, recounts his appreciation for having worked as a choreographer for Madonna. Other dancers and artists address their experiences with transgender issues and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. [5]
As of 2007, an article about a major Ball competition in Philadelphia commented that the artists who are trained in the Ball community are looking for opportunities to use their talents positively. "As the ballroom scene becomes more accessible, there's hope the talent and creativity it nurtures may finally achieve commercial success." [6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1] The New York Times, "Still Striking a Pose," by Guy Trebay, Published: May 22, 2005
- ^ [2] Pioneer Theater, "How Do I Look," August 2006 Programs
- ^ [3] The Village Voice, "Paris Is Still Burning," January 2000
- ^ [4] The New York Times, "Still Striking a Pose," by Guy Trebay, Published: May 22, 2005
- ^ [5] AfterElton.com, "Wolfgang Busch's How Do I Look," Published: July 8, 2005
- ^ [6] Philadelphia Weekly, "Philly is burning," Published: February 14, 2007
[edit] External links
- How Do I Look NYC Website for Wolfgang Busch's documentary on the ballroom scene as it has evolved since Jennie Livingston's Paris is Burning (1990).
- [7] The 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
- [8] Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival.
- [9] The 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival.
