Ballroom Showcase & Queer Performance Night

TrueColours, the Ballroom community from Leipzig, are bringing a curated evening of performances by selected artists from the German Ballroom scene to the Residenz. The short performances reflect various elements of Ballroom culture – movement, storytelling, poise, fashion, and embodied resistance. Each performance contributes to a shared narrative of presence, resilience, and imagination within the BiPoC/Queer community. This event is a show – and it is also a statement. It aims to highlight the roots of ballroom culture as a lived practice, amplify voices, honour the roots of ballroom whilst supporting its future. TrueColours aims to create a moment of collective presence at the Residenz, where queer/BiPoC artists take centre stage and are celebrated and respected. On these evenings, dreams should be able to come true on the dance floor.

In addition to the performances, there will be a panel discussion offering space for learning and exchange. It will shed light on the historical and cultural context surrounding ballroom, address issues of appropriation, visibility, and community care, and provide insights into the significance of community today.

TrueColours is a local ballroom initiative dedicated to community building, care, and cultural work. Since 2021, they have been actively creating and maintaining spaces for queer/BiPoC people and those with a migrant background in Leipzig. Their work extends far beyond ballroom events: they organise workshops, educational discussions, exhibitions, and community meetings, all while also raising funds to support queer/BiPoC causes.

At the heart of TrueColours lies the belief that ballroom is not merely a performance, but a tool for empowerment, education, and collective survival. As a subculture founded in New York City by Black and Latinx trans women, ballroom emerged as a safe space where BiPoC/queer people – who are systematically excluded from mainstream society and often from white queer spaces – can claim space, demand visibility and celebrate their excellence on their own terms. As a self-organised alternative, Ballroom has always provided a space for self-definition, chosen family, collective care, and radical visibility.