‘Kiki Ball’ kicks of LGBTQI+ Pride Month

In Drag Night Namibia’s (DNN) ball culture, there are three ratings to seal your fate. A bright red ‘X’ means you’re chopped and your head is on the block. ‘10’ is a slay and you’re probably still in play. A photo of Rihanna in a crown means you brought the whole house down. At DNN’s recent ‘Pride Kiki Ball’, the crowd awaited these appraisals as a mix of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and other (LGBTQI+) community members and allies took to the rainbow stage. Eager to impress ball judges Miss Mavis Dash, Queen Cleopatra and Lavinia Kapewasha, contestants battled for the top spots in the categories of best dressed: corporate realness, face, runway, body and performance. The event, held under the theme ‘Show us Your Pride’, was the first in Windhoek’s Pride Month celebrations. The beginning of the programme saw Le Roof at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre come alive with drag artistry, dance, fashion and performance. Opening the event, hosted by DJ Rise Elders (Lize Ehlers), was the latest from MN Creations. The local fashion brand presented a line of corporate wear as a prelude to the best dressed category, while the newly opened Crown & Glory sponsored hair and beauty awards. Stylist and creative director Jeffrey Hiuii won the prize for his elevated and tailored take on corporate realness. Stunning in the division of face was actress and musician Khadijah Mouton, who treated the audience to a taste of an unreleased track before claiming the category. Best of the runway was Cheetah Girl, whose animal print threads and scene-stealing strut dominated the stage in a category featuring both European and American styles. The category of body was ultimately awarded to dancer and former Mr University of Namibia, Ernesto de Jesus. The final category of the night was ‘Vogue Femme’. The segment included multiple warnings from Miss Mavis Dash for performers to adhere to the five elements of the voguing style. They are hands, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance, spins and dips. Restaurateur Heinrich Stasiuk (Zest, Tide6) spontaneously pledged N$3 000 to the winner of the category. Anna Ward, a patron of the arts, matched and upped Stasiuk’s sponsorship. Stasiuk and Ward’s sponsorship was ultimately N$5 000 each to the winner and runner-up. A long-legged legend named Marley won the category. Starr Has Arrived sustained an injury and placed second and De Jesus came in third. Besides the surprise sponsorship and inspiring demonstrations by established drag queens such as the incredible Dame Geisha Mercury, Starr and Gigi Has Arrived, the Kiki Ball also included Gigi’s spirited performance of Namibian Pride anthem ‘Moffie met ‘n Plan’. This June, the ‘Pride Kiki Ball’ was just the beginning. Local Pride celebrations will continue in collaboration with Equal Namibia, Drag Night Namibia, Sister Namibia, Reframe Kollektiv, The Project Room, Zest, Just Breathe and Pride-Up Namibia. Events include a pride mural unveiling, an evening of storytelling, a Sunday hike as well as a morning of movement and mindfulness. The programme ends with the multifaceted ‘House of Rainbows’ on 27 June. Follow Namibia Pride Week on social media for more information. – [email protected]; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com The post ‘Kiki Ball’ kicks of LGBTQI+ Pride Month appeared first on The Namibian .