"WE ARE BEAUTIFUL"

This spring we teamed up with Dr. Martens to create a unique project.

René Aguilera

The first of four to be introduced.

ballroom name: MAMORE
category: Vogue Femme
pronouns: they/them

THE BALLROOM SCENE ORIGINATED IN THE 1960's AND GREW TO PROMINENCE IN THE BLACK AND LATINX LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITIES IN HARLEM, NYC.

A short performance interview, 1/5 in a series of a video and photo project called “WE ARE BEAUTIFUL”⁠

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Celebrating communities and their strength. Honoring the LGBTQIA+ community. ⁠

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This performance interview has been realized
in collaboration with
@drmartensofficial and ⁠@monar_antwerp
with special thanks to ⁠@lynnandries
produced and directed by ⁠@indiraoskanova
camera ⁠ @ceuppensbrecht
photographed by ⁠@volt._photography
styled by @larsmathijs
MUAH @stev.hairandmakeup
and assisted by the lovely @jvnxce and @evelien_vde.⁠
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#drmartens #monarantwerp
#belgianballroomscene
#voguing #lgbtqia+

"I'm healing myself when I'm voguing."

ABOUT MAMORE

Q: TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

A: My name is René Aguilera, my ballroom name is MAMORE which is also my second name. I'm an indigenous Amazonian, queer person. I live in Antwerp and I'm a performer activist. At the moment, my category is Vogue Femme but I would also love to experiment with other categories like New Way, Sex Siren,...

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE BALLROOM?

A: For me, ballroom is the best way to celebrate myself, to celebrate my roots, my identity... to feel safe, to feel amazing, to feel alive... that's ballroom for me. I cannot hide those feelings when I'm performing, because for me it's like I'm healing myself when I'm voguing.

Q: HOW HAS BALLROOM INFLUENCED YOUR LIFE?

A: Ballroom has completely changed my life. I started my career as a ballet dancer. I was working around Europe and the United States..and at some point I had the feeling that I didn't belong there. I couldn't feel myself anymore, I didn't feel safe, protected... I just couldn't express myself the way I wanted. I couldn't recognize my own identity as an immigrant, as an indigenous person and as a queer person... so when I discovered ballroom, my life changed.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR MISSION IN BALLROOM? ARE THERE GOALS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?

A: For now I would love to create a community here in Belgium, in Antwerp specifically. A community of people of colour, indigenous people, queer people... artists. I want to have representation, because when I was a professional dancer I couldn't see myself represented. I didn't have visibility. At some point in my life I got really tired of fighting for space, fighting to be visible, to tell people that I'm alive. Right now my mission in ballroom is to really have a huge community of artists with a dignified history and representation. That's what I really want.

The Ballroom Bible: (some) terms explained

Category: Categories are created based on various themes, skills, and techniques. Some are open to all performers to compete in, depending on the type of ball.

Vogue Femme: A dance style that adds a twist to femme queen technique. Execution can be very soft or severe.

Sex Siren: When a competitor walks “sex siren”, the mission is to hit the runway and ooze sex appeal. Showcase your body, your walk, your face. Give it everything you got! The key is to be sensual, not sexual, through tease and suggestion.

New way: New way is a style of vogue that emphasizes rigid movements, contortions, flexibility, tutting, and locking.