Scoot over here to FACT Mag, to see my top ten ballroom tracks of the year, including music by MikeQ, Vjuan Allure, DJ Delish, Divoli S'Vere and loads (well, 6!) more...
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
CVNT TRAXXX 2014 Top Ten for FACT
Scoot over here to FACT Mag, to see my top ten ballroom tracks of the year, including music by MikeQ, Vjuan Allure, DJ Delish, Divoli S'Vere and loads (well, 6!) more...
Monday, 1 December 2014
DAVID MAGNIFIQUE interview
One of the fiercest voguers out in the UK right now, I interviewed David Magnifique for the FACT Mag history of UK voguing piece I wrote earlier this year. I said I would publish his questions in full, so here they are, to kick things of as part one in a series of interviews with some of London's top upcoming children.Consider this an introduction to Vogue London:
How did you discover voguing?
I always knew about the dance form Voguing, I have to admit that my first encounter of this dance style was through Madonna's music video "Vogue". But due to family religious values I was forbidden to have anything to do with the dance style so it then became something of a faded memory or even part of my subconscious, but growing up there was always some kind of reference/gesture made to it because of my feminine mannerisms or my fierce fashion sense. It was not until early 2011 I was introduced to the London dance scene by a friend that I came across Vogue dancing again, this time in the flesh; at least I thought what I witnessed was voguing (by this time I was out of the closet and proud). I began asking for training sessions and I was told that the dance style I was learning was called Waacking, I had no clue that there was a difference and felt a little embarrassed. From then I decided to research the dance style, its history and culture, i immediately realised that Waacking was definitely not for me and that Voguing had my name all over it; it came so natural to me. I noticed that there was little to none of vogue dancers whenever I went out to clubs, dance nights, even vogue nights so I knew for sure that I wanted to be at my best and known for being a legit voguer wherever I went. I studied and trained hard almost 24/7. I have been voguing since April 2011.
Who have you learned under? Are there many other people voguing in London?
With regards to my learning and training I have not really been under anyone. My learning and training came from studying videos on YouTube, reading material, contacting and chatting to several Iconic, Legendary voguers such as Muhammad Omni, Dashaun Lanvin and my House Mother Princess Magnifique Royalty for guidance and background history. When studying videos I made it a priority to study the original children from the 80's-90's, because I wanted to show and reflect the original art form and vocabulary of the dance style. There is not many of us in the London scene that truly vogue down, but of what I do know there is only a handful of us maybe 6-8 being male and female.
What are your favourite clubs to vogue at?
One of my favourite clubs to vogue down a is called Madame JoJo's in Piccadilly, Soho. This club has always felt like a second home to me, this was in fact the club I first got a chance to vogue. My second favourite is a club called Birthdays, but only because a night called House Of Trax is held there almost every month and they play an amazing selection of vogue tracks and hold Vogue Nights, of course I get down like crazy to. A big thank you to the organiser of the club night Matthew Thomas. But then again, whatever club you see me in you will find me voguing down to the ground getting my life!
What are your thoughts, if any, on the UK vogue scene?
To be honest it is rather small and scattered. But a few of us in London try to keep in contact with each other and keep each other in the loop and even train together. If ever the Vogue Scene in the UK/London was to take off and spread like wildfire butter I would like to hope and think that I have a huge influence and part to play in it and take my House [Legendary, Royal House Of Magnifique] and its name far, because to me voguing is not just a dance style, it is a culture, a community, a lifestyle.
How did you discover voguing?
I always knew about the dance form Voguing, I have to admit that my first encounter of this dance style was through Madonna's music video "Vogue". But due to family religious values I was forbidden to have anything to do with the dance style so it then became something of a faded memory or even part of my subconscious, but growing up there was always some kind of reference/gesture made to it because of my feminine mannerisms or my fierce fashion sense. It was not until early 2011 I was introduced to the London dance scene by a friend that I came across Vogue dancing again, this time in the flesh; at least I thought what I witnessed was voguing (by this time I was out of the closet and proud). I began asking for training sessions and I was told that the dance style I was learning was called Waacking, I had no clue that there was a difference and felt a little embarrassed. From then I decided to research the dance style, its history and culture, i immediately realised that Waacking was definitely not for me and that Voguing had my name all over it; it came so natural to me. I noticed that there was little to none of vogue dancers whenever I went out to clubs, dance nights, even vogue nights so I knew for sure that I wanted to be at my best and known for being a legit voguer wherever I went. I studied and trained hard almost 24/7. I have been voguing since April 2011.
Who have you learned under? Are there many other people voguing in London?
With regards to my learning and training I have not really been under anyone. My learning and training came from studying videos on YouTube, reading material, contacting and chatting to several Iconic, Legendary voguers such as Muhammad Omni, Dashaun Lanvin and my House Mother Princess Magnifique Royalty for guidance and background history. When studying videos I made it a priority to study the original children from the 80's-90's, because I wanted to show and reflect the original art form and vocabulary of the dance style. There is not many of us in the London scene that truly vogue down, but of what I do know there is only a handful of us maybe 6-8 being male and female.
What are your favourite clubs to vogue at?
One of my favourite clubs to vogue down a is called Madame JoJo's in Piccadilly, Soho. This club has always felt like a second home to me, this was in fact the club I first got a chance to vogue. My second favourite is a club called Birthdays, but only because a night called House Of Trax is held there almost every month and they play an amazing selection of vogue tracks and hold Vogue Nights, of course I get down like crazy to. A big thank you to the organiser of the club night Matthew Thomas. But then again, whatever club you see me in you will find me voguing down to the ground getting my life!
What are your thoughts, if any, on the UK vogue scene?
To be honest it is rather small and scattered. But a few of us in London try to keep in contact with each other and keep each other in the loop and even train together. If ever the Vogue Scene in the UK/London was to take off and spread like wildfire butter I would like to hope and think that I have a huge influence and part to play in it and take my House [Legendary, Royal House Of Magnifique] and its name far, because to me voguing is not just a dance style, it is a culture, a community, a lifestyle.
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