Unwanted Words Presents: Ballroom is a poem

In a completely renewed collaboration with Unwanted Words we present you a ballroom poetry program during the festival. Where movement meets metaphor, and self-expression becomes revolution: Ballroom is a Poem. This program is an experimental showcase blending the fierce spirit of ballroom culture with the raw emotion of queer poetry. More than just a show, this program is a tribute to the legacy of Black and Brown queer and trans communities who created ballroom as a radical act of resistance, survival, and self-actualization. 

Through categories like Old Way Vogue, Sex Siren, European Runway, Vogue Fem, and Realness, Unwanted Words aims to honor that legacy and invite audiences to witness this celebration.

Luis Bracamontes  

Luis (He/They) –@ageoflui– is a queer Mexican spoken word artist based in Rotterdam. Their work explores themes of queer joy, intimacy & spirituality from a decolonial, intersectional lens on identity. Founder of Unwanted Words, an award-winning platform for LGBTQ+ poets in The Netherlands and creator of the "1st & 2nd Queer & Feminist Poetry Awards" (2020, 2023) with the theme “Decolonizing Gender” and the "Queer & Feminist Poetry Anthology" Vol 1 (2021). 

Photo: Sara Tulej

Duraa 

For Duraa, who is a word artist, singer-songwriter and theatre-maker, poetry means both protest and joy. Her work ranges from fierce social criticism to fiery self-love and from bold pieces about sex and sexuality to personal works about this unbearable life. The last few years, she has dipped her toes in the ballroom scene and discovered its powers of community and self-exploration. Her categories - Old Way and Sex Siren - allow her to play with an endless range of energies, such as masc, femme, hard, soft, playful and elegant. 

Photo: Rosa Quist

Lashaaawn 

Lashaaawn combines building epic fantasy worlds with on- and offline drag performance art. In their work, they depict inclusive societies where well-being and peace are central. Through the digital show Ehmeneehm with Lashaaawn, they mix drag, comedy and in-depth conversations with prominent Dutch creatives. Lashaaawn draws from Surinamese culture and uses Afrofuturism as a guide to be able to create in a non-violent and inclusive way. With their practice, they build a diverse digital infrastructure and inspire others to dream, create and claim space freely. 

Maybelline Garçon 

They call her MC Maybelline. She has been part of the legendary house of Comme des Garçons and the Kiki house of Angels for a few years now and has been traveling around Europe to show her Mc skills within and outside Ballroom. She got a hot tongue that spits a tight fire, calling up the right spirits to take us over on the floor. I hope you’re ready for your hostess with mostest, because she's gonna give it to ya… Maybe it’s who? Maybe it’s maybelline! 

Seven Angels Garçon 

Though he's known as one of the premiere DJs of the European Ballroom scene, Seven is quickly breaking through to a wider club-going audience. The Rotterdam-based artist is probably best known for his hyperactive 'full-body' style of DJing, which he uses to energize the performers and crowd, and can sometimes be a bit of a performance in itself. His style is heavily informed by his love of techno, mixing vogue beats with bass-heavy club tracks. He aims to reinforce the connection between electronic music and its Black and Queer roots. 

Unwanted Words 

Unwanted Words Project Foundation is an award-winning platform dedicated to the development of emerging queer poets and spoken word artists in the Netherlands. As a collective, Unwanted Words focuses on creating safer and more inclusive spaces where LGBTQ+ talent can thrive and connect with like-minded communities. 

Driven by a mission to foster queer connection, growth, and visibility, the foundation organizes a range of initiatives, including spoken word workshops and open mic events such as the Queer Poetry Nights series. Unwanted Words also actively celebrates queer talent through projects like the first and second Queer & Feminist Poetry Awards and the Queer & Feminist Poetry Anthology. 

With a strong intersectional approach, Unwanted Words aims to amplify queer voices and provide a lasting platform for stories that are too often unheard.