Charlotte’s ballroom scene: All about the Black LGBTQ+ space that inspired Beyoncé

As the road to the Renaissance World Tour begins, Beyoncé’s inspiration from an underground scene called ballroom are effervescent in Charlotte. And with TV shows in recent years like “Legendary” on HBO Max and “Pose” on FX, the attention to the ballroom scene seems to be growing in mainstream media.

The Carolinas’ very own Xclusive International Haus of Anna Wintour competed in a KiKi ball at the Mint Museum, and most recently, the Summer Renaissance Ball at Charlotte Black Pride.

The Haus with members in Paris, Atlanta and the DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) began in late 2021, when co-founder and father Joshua Times aka Sugarbear and mother Ron Dunkin aka Big Tiff teamed up to launch their mission.

“He was like, ‘Hey, I got a mission, and I want you to be a part of it,’ ” Dunkin said.

Beginning in the scene as a founder, Dunkin saw taking on such a coveted leadership role as somewhat of a risk.

“It’s fun, but it was a challenge,” Dunkin said.

[RELATED: Club Renaissance is ‘THAT GIRL’: How to prepare + more experiences like it in Charlotte.]

What is ballroom?

Ballroom, in general, is a “no-judgment zone.”

“So, regardless of anything, you can still walk out there. Like, anybody can walk out there or participate,” said Xavier Campbell, who walks the runway category with the stage name Bambi.

Ballroom culture, which has origins that can be traced to New York, Chicago and Baltimore, began as safe and exclusive in response to stigmas that Black and brown transgender and gender-nonconforming people faced.

Ballroom is a place where people and members of houses come to compete, and participants are welcome to express themselves freely. But it is organized in categories such as runway, face and performances. Performers are typically judged by respected members of the ballroom scene.

What’s Beyoncé’s connection?

While the “Renaissance” album is filled with references to ballroom culture, Beyoncé also brought members of the ballroom scene with her on tour, such as “Legendary” star Honey Balenciaga and Kevin JZ Prodigy.

“I think she definitely put ballroom on,” Campbell said.

“She exposed people and gave them opportunities because ballroom is definitely idolized by celebrities and people wanting to have a name. So, to use people in our community — that did mean a lot to them, and now we look to them as celebrities,” said Quinton Davis, father of The Xclusive International Haus of Anna Wintour, who also goes by Zooetah.

Ballroom was an inspiration for Beyoncé, Campbell said. “That’s why she made her album, as a love-letter to us.”

What is the Charlotte ballroom scene like?

Recently, Charlotte Black Pride hosted the Summer Renaissance Ball, where the theme was inspired by Black Afro Pop.

And members of the Xclusive International Haus of Anna Wintour brought out their chicest zebra, cheetah and snakeskin prints.

“Each ball, we try to have a look as a house. So, I thought it would be fun to do the animal prints,” Davis said. “I love a theme of a ball. That’s what makes a ball.”

As the members of the house boasted the Charlotte scene as family oriented, the feel of Southern hospitality flows through the veins of Charlotte’s LGBTQ+ community and underground ballroom scene.

“We do have more time to bond and connect with each other in our free time compared to just being like, ‘Oh well I’ve got something else to do.’ We kind of make time for each other. I guess that’s a Southern thing — Southern hospitality,” Davis said.

“We just like to bond. We make anything fun.”

While the house held a picnic event, it also held a Fourth of July cookout event with fireworks and grilled food.

“I think they are family-oriented if anything else. That’s what I can appreciate about this house,” Davis said.

Is ballroom going mainstream?

While Beyoncé celebrated the ballroom community in her recent album, as for shows like “Legendary” and “Pose”, Davis said he looks “at those shows as mockeries. No shade.”

“Only because they don’t get to see the real everyday life challenges that we face .. there’s even challenges in ballroom, as much as it may seem fun. It can get stressful,” Davis said.

Campbell added, “To me, they we’re good shows. They just don’t show the real stuff. They were good, cute shows, but to go to an actual ball vs. watching on that show. It’s just two different things.”

And while Beyoncé is putting ballroom on one of the biggest stages in the world, the scene is just as cherished by ballroom veterans as it always was before.

“I feel like the ballroom community will keep it and hold on to it. No matter how mainstream it gets, what artist or anything else, ballroom will still be ballroom,” Dunkin said.

“It’s still going to be the packed nights in a tight little space. Everybody’s enjoying each other, sweating and just having a good time — that will never go away.”

While Niyah Wintour, who walks the runway category, feels as though ballroom should “stay underground,” she said, “Honestly, no matter how mainstream it is, it would never give the real experience of actually being at an actual ball … I feel like they just give the showcase part of it in the mainstream world. But, to actually know what ballroom really is, you have to come to a real ball.”