ANNOUNCING OMARI, MIKEQ, PRECIOUS EBONY, STAR AMERASU, KILIMI, DJ ATRO FOR SISSY BALL 2020!
Fiercer and bolder than ever, Australia’s pre-eminent vogue ball, Sissy Ball, returns for Mardi Gras 2020. Following two consecutive sell out years, the show is set to make its debut at Sydney’s iconic Enmore Theatre on Saturday, 22 February 2020.
Celebrating self-expression, identity, fluidity and finesse, this year’s event is set to showcase the Asia Pacific’s thriving ballroom scene featuring legendary house battles, live music, DJs and phenomenal performing artists – the widespread impact of this unmissable event is evident, and saw it take out Best Arts Program at the 2018 FBi SMAC Awards, with a fresh nomination for 2019’s Best Music Event.
Photo: Manu – House of AITU
Houses and individual entrants will vogue off for the chance to win Sissy Ball’s seven coveted category titles. On the local front, competing houses include House of Slé, led by house mother Bhenji Ra. Slé’s members include Western Sydney-based artists with cultural and urban skill sets, all belonging to the greater Asia Pacific diaspora. They walk alongside House of Silky, one of Oceania’s leading kiki vogue houses, Melbourne’s original House of Dévine, House of IMAN, headed by house mother Jaycee Baybee, as well as New Zealand based House AITU, plus up-and-coming stars of the local ballroom scene.
New York’s acclaimed dancer and choreographer Omari, founding father of the Royal House of Nina Oricci joins Sissy Ball for the first year as head judge, bringing his years of experience as a ballroom competitor to the panel. He joins the legendary American vogue-house DJ MikeQ who will soundtrack the runway for a third year, as well as the incomparable Precious Ebony who has narrated Viceland’s My House series and returns to commentate the event.
Revellers can also look forward to a stellar line-up of live performers including: LA-based multi-disciplinary artist Star Amerasu whose debut album “Star” was voted by Billboard Music critics as top 20 LGBT albums of 2018 alongside local DJs Kilimi and DJ Atro plus community performances by Zealous and Pioneers.
Categories and more to be announced soon – keep an eye out!