Kim Aviance

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Kim Aviance is a performance and visual drag artist, and nightclub hostess from the voguing and ballroom House of Aviance. [1] [2] [3] [4] She is a classically trained dancer and musician, and one of New York City's nightlife personalities. [5] She is deemed a "New York nightlife queen", and has won numerous awards in the ball culture world. [6] [7] Aviance is a gender-non-conforming, and trans appearing.

Researcher Madison Moore explains Aviance's specialty: “Voguing, a dance form often tied to marginalized brown communities, and the runway, which is of course tied to high end commercialism and the sale of expensive commodities, is a ripe theoretical intersection. On the one hand, the movement on a ballroom floor is creative and is a means to its own end. Reputations are at stake, and it is important to give a good performance on the ball floor. But because the ball world is its own queer subcultural universe, balls have a means to their own end.” [7]

In 2005 she was a featured dancer for Susanne Bartsh and Kenny Kenny's mega club in the Happy Valley venue. [1] In 2006 she was featured at Larry Tee and Josh Wood’s club Bank at the newly renovated venue Element. [2] One of her performances there was with performer Paul Alexander for his dance track “Walk for Me,” an “ode to the ballroom scene” where he sings “I want you to take to the catwalk, darling. You sure look gorgeous! Walk for body, walk for face. Walk it and snatch first place. Walk for me.” [6] Aviance, on a treadmill, proceeded to vamp and vouge all while working the exercise machine like a fashion catwalk as if in a ball contest. [6]

Kim performed at the Cock alongside Ari Gold during LGBTQ Pride week as a benefit for fellow House of Aviance member Kevin Aviance through the Anti-Violence Project; Kevin was assaulted in an anti-gay attack. [3] In 2012 she hosted a weekly event, The Underground Tea Dance Party by Twitch Productions. [8] In 2013 she was a host of Taylor Scott's The Underground Party at The Rosewood Club. [4] In 2014 she performed at Click Friday's at BPM. [9]

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Mother Juan Aviance is an American secretary, voguer / dancer, music artist, nightclub host / promoter, record label owner, and CEO / A&R. He is the founder and "Mother" of the House of Aviance, one of the legendary houses that emerged from the U.S. ball culture in the 1980s, a House which is still active today and "currently reigns the club scene in New York City." He is also founder, CEO and A&R of Aviance Records, LLC, a multi-genre record label that promotes new and upcoming artists. He is regarded as a "legend / icon" within the ballroom scene and is "House Mother" to the nightlife personalities and recording artists Kevin Aviance, and Erickatoure Aviance.

Aviance Records is an independent record label company founded in March 2014 by New York City's nightlife personality and vogue dancer Mother Juan Aviance with business partner DJ/Producer David Ohana Aviance.

Jean-Philippe Aviance is a French American house and techno DJ and producer from Washington, D.C. His career took off in 1990 when he started DJing for Mother Juan Aviance's voguing house and weekly Kindergarten Parties at the Vault Nightclub in D.C. These weekly parties were frequented by U.S. nightlife personalities like Kevin Aviance, New York City's Club kids such as Amanda Lepore, James St. James and Kenny Kenny. Jean-Philippe was the House of Aviance's first ever DJ.

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DJ Nita known as Nita Aviance is a dancer, percussionist, jazz singer, DJ, music producer, actor, and a member of The Carry Nation along with fellow DJ/producer Will Automagic. Nita is also half of two other production teams, BOOKWRMZ and Brooklyn Is Burning, as well as a member of the production team Pyramide.

Dashaun Wesley is an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and ballroom performer, MC, and commentator. He is known for hosting the voguing competition series Legendary and for his appearances on the television series America's Best Dance Crew and Pose. He is often called the "King of Vogue".

References

  1. 1 2 "Catching Up With Past Nightlife Awards Winners: Happy Valley". Paper. 2013-10-17. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  2. 1 2 "Cashing In | The Village Voice". www.villagevoice.com. 21 February 2006. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  3. 1 2 "Shocking, But Not Surprising | The Village Voice". www.villagevoice.com. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  4. 1 2 "The Underground Party With Junior Vasquez @ The Rosewood Club :: January 27, 2013". EDGE Media Network. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  5. Yuzna, Jake, ed. (2013). The Fun: The Social Practice of Nightlife In NYC. Museum of Art and Design/Powerhouse.
  6. 1 2 3 Moore, Madison (2018-01-01). Fabulous: The Rise of the Beautiful Eccentric. Yale University Press. pp. 175–6. ISBN   978-0-300-20470-4.
  7. 1 2 Moore, M. (2017). “I’m that bitch”: on queerness and the catwalk. Safundi, 18(2), 147-155.
  8. "The Underground Tea Dance Party :: August 26, 2012". EDGE Media Network. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  9. "House of Aviance". houseofaviance.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2020-11-01.

Further reading