The Nordic Queen Mother Virpi Xclusive Lanvin, The Nordic Mother Coco Xclusive Lanvin & The Legendary Nordic Empress Venla Xclusive Lanvin are inviting you to Helsinki, Finland to
EVOLUTION BALL II
23rd August 2025
In the Evolution Ball we celebrate the evolution of ballroom, music and fashion and the LGBTQIA+ history. We also appreciate the Earth, science and evolution in nature.
TICKETS
https://www.tanssintalo.fi/ohjelma/evolution-ball-ii
Workshops on Sunday 24th August.
More information is coming soon.
Proudly presenting
THE PANEL
Icon Leiomy Maldonado
Icon Overall International Father Jamal Milan
Legendary NYC Mother Jonovia Xclusive Lanvin
Legendary Founding Father Charly Gaultier-Brown
Kelet Gorgeous Gucci
MCs
European Overseer Zelda Xclusive Lanvin
Supporting MC Ghepetto Xclusive Lanvin
DJ
Loffe Beats
VENUE
Dance House Helsinki
Kaapeliaukio 3, 00180 Helsinki
Schedule 23rd August 2025
16:00 Doors open
17:00 Ball starts
00:30 The event is over
Age limit K-18.
POLICY
The ballroom scene is a safe space for LGBTQIA+ community. It was started by African-American and Latinx LGBTQIA+ communities in New York. All visitors are expected to respect and celebrate the Ballroom culture and its roots.
If you are not from this community, please be mindful of the space you take up. Respect the performers and the space of the performers. If you would like to participate, to walk the Ball, take some time beforehand to learn what it means. If you need any help before or during the Ball, just ask, and we will help you.
Safer participation
There is a limited amount of tickets to the event that there is a possibility to have personal space. If you are sick, wait for the next event.
The Ball is accessible. The entire first floor of Dance House, where the Lobby and performance facilities are located, is completely step-free. An accessible toilet is located in the toilet facilities in the Lobby of Dance House. The cloakroom is located on the basement floor of Dance House, which can be accessed by an accessible lift via the Glass Courtyard. Our lobby staff will be happy to assist you. Ask for further information or provide feedback on accessibility in Dance House:
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The gender neutral toilets are in the lobby.
You can be yourself. Let’s not assume anything about other people. Please respect everyone’s boundaries. If something uncomfortable happens, please inform the organizers.
The event is public and will be photographed/recorded. By participating you will accept the use of the photos in the Ballroom context. If you take photos/videos, please make sure you have consent from everyone visible in the photos/videos before posting the material online.
We hope that everyone will respect nature and make sustainable choices when preparing for the Ball. If you are not a BIPOC person, be mindful of the presentation you are bringing. Learn what cultural appropriation means.
No to sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, ageism, ableism, body shaming or any form of discrimination.
Yes to equality, diversity, creativity, participating, learning, new experiences, togetherness and love.
Welcome to experience together!
These instructions are made from the base of Kulttuuria kaikille and Ruskeat tytöt -safer space policy, recommended:
https://www.kulttuuriakaikille.fi/tietoa_meista_turvallisemman_tilan_periaatteet
Cafe/bar in the lobby is open during the whole event. There will be drinks and snacks.
In co-operation with Experiencing Oy, Helsinki City, Home Hotel Jugend and Dance House Helsinki.
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BALL CONTESTANT INFO
Please be ready before your category. Because it is a club space, there is only very limited space to prepare, so get yourself ready before you come. Please check your own insurance policy.
CATEGORY ORDER
European Runway OTA 🏆
All American Runway OTA 🏆
Best Dressed 🏆🏆
Commentator vs Commentator 🏆
Designers Delight OTA 🏆
Realness with a Twist 🏆
Lip Sync OTA 🏆
Arms Control & Hands Performance OTA 🏆🏆
Face Drag / BQ / Transman / GNC - Non-binary - Genderfluid / Women / FQ 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Posing OTA 🏆
Fashion Killah OTA 🏆
New Way OTA 🏆
Realness Drag / Transman / BQ / Butch / FQ 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Pop Dip & Spin OTA 🏆
Bizarre OTA 🏆
Vogue Fem Womens / Drag / Transman / BQ / GNC - Non-binary / FQ 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Body Model / Muscular / Luscious / Big Girl - Big Boy - Big Person 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Sex Siren BQ / Cat Boy / Transman / FQ / Women / GNC - Non-binary - Genderfluid 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
💎 PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES 💎
Pop Dip & Spin OTA 🏆
In the evolution of music videos tonight we want to celebrate the work of Janet Jackson. Janet Jackson’s iconic Rhythm Nation music video is a masterclass in precision, power, and movement.
We are looking for sharp execution and clean musicality. Let your performance reflect the discipline and unity of the original choreography with your own interpretation. For your 10’s add a piece of the original choreography to your Pop, Dip & Spin.
Dress code: Structured black. Minimalist. Strong lines. Think military-inspired silhouettes, gloves, caps, anything that nods to the video.
New Way OTA 🏆
The Finland Ballroom scene started to evolve in 2009. Benny Ninja was one of the first Ballroom figures to visit Finland. Virpi organized their first Ball in October 2012, featuring Benny Ninja.
Show us your musicality, fierceness and sharp style in your new way voguing, just like Benny. Get inspired by his style as well: body harnesses, hipsterious jackets, pleated trousers, hats or/and scarfs.
Benny in Ball in Finland 2012:
Realness with a Twist 🏆
Pick your theme for 10’s from the Realness themes.
In your performance the theme is the same as in Vogue Fem.
Vogue Fem 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Womens / Drag / Transman / BQ / GNC - Non-binary / FQ
This category pays tribute to the legacy of Tom of Finland, born Touko Laaksonen in 1920, a Finnish artist who redefined queer desire through bold, stylized imagery. His work celebrated bodies in control, confident in their sexuality, at a time when queer freedom was policed and underground. Tonight, we honor that energy, not by imitating it, but by reclaiming and expanding it.
The dress code: Leather, uniform and fetish-inspired, interpreted through your own expression.
Posing OTA 🏆
Wind dispersal, where seeds are carried by wind currents, is a significant evolutionary strategy for plants. Your challenge: pose as if you're caught in a powerful wind tunnel, without losing your elegance, precision, or fashion narrative. Bring a look that moves, flowing fabrics, exaggerated shapes, long trains, draped sleeves, or simply hair that reacts to your motion.
Arms Control and Hands Performance OTA 🏆🏆
Music has evolved significantly throughout history, driven by technological advancements, cultural shifts, and the creative exploration of artists and musicians. You’ll be tested with unexpected tracks, from classical to memes.
Vogue to anything. Bring it dressed as your favorite musical character / icon / alter ego. Let the look speak before the hands do.
💎 RUNWAY & FASHION 💎
All American Runway OTA 🏆
Tonight, tradition meets rebellion. Vivienne Westwood didn’t just design fashion, she dismantled it, stitched it back together with safety pins, and crowned it with a mohawk.
Bring precision, presence, and punk with a touch of couture.Tonight, we're serving bondage trousers and torn tartan to bold shoulders and rebellious glam.
Think:
🧷 Seditionaries (’76) – safety pins, straps, and statements
🏴☠️ Pirate (’81) – romantic chaos and oversized flair
🔮 Witches (’83) – graphic power and mystical edge
Your walk must be clean, but the look? Pure anarchy, high fashion.
European Runway OTA 🏆
Tonight, you’re not just walking, you’re haunting the runway in full Alexander McQueen fantasy. From razor-sharp tailoring to gothic romanticism, this is your chance to channel one of fashion’s most visionary minds.
Think:
🕯️ FW06 “Widows of Culloden” – lace veils, Victorian silhouettes, tragic beauty
🕊 FW09 “Horn of Plenty” – sculptural shapes, exaggerated drama, and bold silhouettes
💀 Sharp suits, corsets, feathers, leather, lace
Best Dressed OTA 🏆🏆
Tonight, we celebrate the legacy and evolution of The Fashion House Lanvin from Parisian refinement to modern-day runway opulence. Whether you serve feminine grace or masculine edge, your look must command attention and tell a story of fashion with depth and direction.
FF Best Dressed: Channel high glamour with a touch of drama. Think sculptural silhouettes, intricate draping, or bold elegance. Reference Jeanne Lanvin’s heritage or the romantic, voluminous shapes from Alber Elbaz. Your look should feel like it belongs on the cover of Vogue Paris, luxe, feminine, unforgettable.
MF Best Dressed: Bring tailored sophistication with a twist. From structured suiting to modern layering and subtle embellishments, draw inspiration from sleek, gender-fluid collections or vintage Lanvin menswear. Keep it sharp, unexpected, and fashion-forward — a modern dandy or a runway rebel.
Fashion Killah OTA 🏆
Fashion is fantasy, but tonight it’s filtered through the wild, sexy, unapologetically maximalist world of DSQUARED2. Known for their fearless approach to denim, faux fur, leather, and logomania, the Caten twins have given us runway moments that blur the lines between Canadian cowboy, Italian glam, and club kid chaos.
Tonight, you are the moment. Bring a reference photo of your chosen DSQUARED2 look and reinterpret it with your own Fashion Killah twist. Make an entrance that turns the runway into a DSQUARED2 campaign shoot.
Bizarre OTA 🏆
The evolution of soft toys, from ancient rag dolls to modern plushie trends, reflects a long-standing human desire for comforting companions. Tonight’s inspirations include the mischievous grin of Labubu, the glossy sorrow of Cry Baby, the retro fluff of Monchhichi, and any oddball toy that sparks your inner fantasy.
Think soft textures, exaggerated features, dreamlike silhouettes. You’ve become a creature from a plush-core dreamscape.
Designers Delight OTA 🏆
Calling out all the Fashion Designers!! We want you to show us the Evolution of Fashion in your selfmade look. You can bring a Model but it’s not mandatory. You can also present your sketches if it helps to show your design. Shoes, socks and accessories don't need to be handmade. Remember you need to sell your look to the judges, show them how it’s made and how it can be transformed into something else if needed.
💎 BODY & SEX SIREN & BEAUTY 💎
Body 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Model / Muscular / Luscious / Big Girl-Big Boy-Big Person
Disco, initially an underground movement in New York City's LGBTQ+ and Black communities, evolved from discotheques to become a global phenomenon in the 1970s. This is a tribute to the bodies that lit up Studio 54 🪩 - confident, expressive, and unforgettable.
Take inspiration from the golden age of disco — and find your body in shining materials, glittering bikinis or metallic shine. Think Grace Jones, Andy Warhol’s circle, late-night glamour with no rules.Your body is the look.
NO FILMING DURING THIS CATEGORY.
Sex Siren 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
BQ / Cat Boy / Transman / FQ / Women / GNC - Non-binary - Genderfluid
Get inspired of the evolution of sex siren by watching the video of Jack Mizrahi Gorgeous Gucci:
Bring your sex appeal to the runway wearing red, as they did in the first sex siren.
NO FILMING DURING THIS CATEGORY.
Face 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Drags / BQ / Transman / FQ / Women / GNC - Non-binary - Genderfluid
The evolution of our understanding of the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, has been a journey from myth to scientific explanation. Initially, the lights were attributed to various supernatural or mythological events. Finally, the modern understanding, based on the interaction of solar wind with Earth's magnetic field, emerged.
Channel the myth of Northern Lights and bring your own interpretation to the catwalk.
Remember: we should see your beautiful facial features, even if you are wearing makeup.
REALNESS
“Realness” is about portraying archetypes usually associated with straight culture through dress and dance; to be considered “real” at a ball, a performer must “pass” as straight if they are gay or as cisgender if they are transgender. -Sydney Baloue, New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/22/opinion/ball-culture.html
Realness 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Welcome to the Neighbourhood 1970’s-2010’s
It’s a hot day on the edge of the city. Radios are humming, sweat is on skin. It’s a regular day somewhere between late afternoon and early evening. The block is alive. Music in the distance, conversations at corners, doors opening and closing. Who are the people and what are they doing?
💄 Everyday Drag Realness – Fresh Out the Salon 1970’s
Hair done, nails done, ready for Saturday evening activities. Before she heads home, she grabs a quick snack from the corner store and meets up with the Corner boys. Phone in one hand, keys in the other.
🧼 Transman Realness – The Car Wash 1980’s
The heat’s rising and the water’s running. You’ve got the rag in your hand and sweat on your brow. Show us that ease, that masculinity in motion. The energy is casual, smooth, low-effort but never low impact.
🔧 BQ Realness – The Blue Collar 1990’s
You just finished your shift. Steel-toed boots, rolled-up sleeves, union pride. Grease under your nails, confidence in your stance. Walk like you belong in the locker room and on the shop floor and no one would ever question it.
🚬 Butch Realness – The Corner Boy 2000’s
You’re holding down the block. Hoodie up, head low. Maybe it’s a lighter flick, a nod to the next passerby, a look that says I’ve seen it all.
📁 FQ Executive Realness – After Hours Precision 2010’s
You’ve left the meeting, closed the deal, and walked out like you planned it all. The suit fits, the details are sharp, and the attitude says it all, you don’t just work here, you run it. Professional. Polished.
💎 MUSIC AND COMMENTATING 💎
Lip Sync OTA - Evolution of Music 🏆
10’s: Choose a song of your choice and create a production. Remember to serve a look according to your choice of song. Send your audio before Send it BEFORE SUNDAY 17th August at 22:00 to virpi(at)experiencingevents.com. Production has to be a minimum of 1 minute and a maximum of 1,5 minutes.
For battles you have to agree on one other song below, meaning you need to memorize all the songs listed below.
Shirley Bassey: Big Spender
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
Aretha Franklin: A Deeper Love
Janelle Monae: Champagne Shit
Commentator vs Commentator 🏆
Vjuan Allure was a Trailblazing International DJ, remixer, producer, and artist, recognized as a ballroom icon and a key figure in the development and global rise of ballroom music and vogue beats. He played a pivotal role in shaping Ballroom Beatz, a genre that became a defining element of ballroom music and gained international prominence in club culture.
Tonight we honor Vjuan’s legacy. Commentators will be challenged by Vjuan’s music: understand Vjuan’s rhythmic complexity, percussive intensity, and dynamic structure – and give Vjuan his roses.
***
BALLROOM VOCABULARY
OTA - Open to all genders/sexualities
FF (Female figure) – Trans woman, drags, cis woman / female figure
MF (Male figure) – Butch queens, transgender men, butch women, cis man / male figures
FQ (Fem queen) – A Woman of trans experience
BQ (Butch queen) – A gay/bi cisgender man
GNC - Non-binary - Genderfluid - All gender identities and expressions outside the gender binary
Cat boy - Male figures- transmen, butches and butch queens. Catboys are expected to be less muscularly large than Male Figure Sex Sirens.
Effect – Outfit/Look
Chop – Being cut from a category. Getting chopped means you are not ready to advance to the battles of that category.
10’s (tens) – If you get your 10’s from that first round, you will continue to the battles.
Shade – To throw attitude and indirect insults
GP – Grand Prize
We reserve the right to changes.
Also check out other Arts events in Helsinki, Entertainment events in Helsinki, Performances in Helsinki.
