Willi Ninja was a dancer and choreographer and is considered to be the grandfather/godfather of voguing. The self-taught dancer took the extravagant dance form to a new level. He and his children from his House of Ninja were fixtures in Harlem’s ball scene and competitions in the 1980s. This earned him a prominently featured spot in Paris is Burning, the 1990 film about the ballroom scene. Willi was instrumental in bringing vogue to the mainstream and was the inspiration for Madonna’s 1990 hit “Vogue”. During his career, he was featured in several music videos (including Janet Jackson’s Alright and Escapade), performed in dance companies, and walked as a runway model for Jean-Paul Gaultier. He passed away in 2006 from AIDS-related causes at age 45. #LGBTQHistory #QTPOCHistory #WilliNinja #Intersectionality
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