Queer celebration as Wellington Ballroom brings Arawhata to Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival

Eddstar Tupolo from Wellington Ballroom at the Arawhata! Aftermath a public dance workshop at the ToiToi Assembly Room, ballroom’. Photo / Paul Taylor

Last Friday night in a joyful celebration of diversity, Wellington Ballroom brought Arawhata to the Toitoi Opera House as part of the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival.

Te Hāmama Hohua at the Arawhata! Aftermath dance workshop. Photo / Paul Taylor

The one-of-a-kind show captured the essence and experience of queer, indigenous people of colour, fusing the art form of underground ballroom with the cultures which flow through the performers’ veins.

The following day an open-to-all workshop, dubbed Arawhata Aftermath, was held in Toitoi’s ballroom.

Led by co-directors of the show and mothers of the House of Marama, Rome and Karamera, a section of Hastings’ queer community and a handful of allies gathered to get the lowdown, and perhaps receive some seeds to start a scene of our own.

Instructor Romē Marama talks to those dance workshop. Photo / Paul Taylor

Ballroom began as a safe space for queer black and Latino people in Harlem, New York in the late 1960s. It gave them a place to play at being socially acceptable.

Many left homes where they were rejected to create families of their own, both networks of practical support and dance crews to compete as a team.

Manfred Manglicmot dancing at the workshop. Photo / Paul Taylor