At the end of 2023 I attended my first ball. I had no idea what to expect, and to be honest, I was nervous about attending. It felt a bit intimidating! Two hours and 10 categories later, I felt completely different. I left in awe—ballroom is exhilarating, inspiring, and profoundly queer. I loved the diversity of body type and gender I saw. And I loved how competitive it was!
To quote Daniel ‘Papi’ Giron, our founder at the Rebound: “Ballroom is like gay sports.” A ball is a series of short competitions (called categories) that performers participate (or ‘walk’) in. Classic ballroom categories include vogue (also called performance), runway, face, and body. “Ballroom gives queer folks the chance to compete that a lot of us didn’t have growing up,” says Papi.
Like many sports, ballroom has a lot of rules. With ballroom, these rules often go unspoken! I think this is why I felt nervous attending my first ball—would I do something wrong? Would my presence be frowned upon?
It’s not like you can look it up online!
I stuck around the ballroom scene as a supporter, and now I’m involved with administration at the Rebound, a local nonprofit dedicated to advancing ballroom in the Pacific Northwest.
The Rebound’s first ball of 2026 is coming up on May 15! With the Gaymer Ball on the horizon, I felt like it would be a great time to write this article. Papi pitched in to help me share 10 tips for anyone hoping to attend our ball!
PAPI’S 10 TIPS FOR FOLKS ATTENDING THEIR FIRST BALL (with my commentary):
- Come to Observe First. It takes years for a performer to prepare to walk for their first time! There are outlets in Portland to learn ballroom, but the ball itself is for those that have spent a lot of time practicing their category.
- Respect the Culture. People that walk ballroom have an incredible dedication to it. It takes a lot of practice and tutelage to successfully walk. The ball reflects this—the seats lining the performance area are saved exclusively for members of the ballroom community. If you sit, you might be asked to move!
- Confront Any Potential Biases. Ballroom was created by oppressed people. Trans folks and people of color are not just present in our scene, they are venerated. Queerness is a norm. If a person chooses to attend a ball, they should accept and celebrate all of its participants.
- Get Into the Theme! Dressing up makes you feel like part of the event, and outfits are a great icebreaker. Our first ball of 2026 is called the Gaymer Ball, so come as your favorite video game character!
- Tip the Performers. Each round has an assigned prize amount and is also followed by a collection for prize money. That’s your chance to tip the performers! At our ball we’ll also have a QR code available.
- Do Your Own Research on Categories. Watching some videos beforehand can help provide context on categories, so that you can better appreciate what happens during the ball. The categories featured at this ball are: new runway, new vogue, face, realness, runway, performance, sex appeal, and hand performance.
- After Doing Research, Ask Questions (Respectfully). The Portland ballroom scene is quite nurturing and supportive, compared to other cities. The performers are generally happy to engage with the audience after a round!
- Hype People Up! It is gay sports after all! It takes a lot of courage to walk in a ball. Months or years of training boil down to a 20 second performance!
- Stay Humble. If it’s really your first time at a ball, there will probably be some things that you don’t know, and that’s okay. For those interested in learning MORE about ballroom, there are a lot of avenues in Portland to dip your toe into vogue. The sister ball of the Rebound, called the Dojo, is an excellent starting point for those seeking connection in the community.
- Have Fun and Feel the Love! There’s an element of competition at a ball, but the community is tight-knit, and off the floor there’s a lot of mutual support. I think that’s evident at our balls. The performances and events are fun, but the truly addicting part of ballroom is the queer, supportive, and vibrant chosen family.
Candy PinkLady on Her First Ball
Hey, sis! How did you go from watching to participating? How long did it take, and what were the steps?
I spectated my first ball in summer of 2023, and I loved the confidence and energy I felt when watching others walk. This led me to start taking vogue classes from Papi in 2024! I went every week and made sure to practice in my free time, and eventually I walked my first ball at the Ada 10 Year Anniversary Ball, in October 2024. I now regularly train in ballroom categories including performance and runway. I think the key to joining the scene is consistency and dedication to learning the craft.
The Rebound: The Gaymer Kiki Ball will be held at the Get Down, 680 SE 6th, Fri May 15, pre-show at 10 pm, show-show at 11 pm. $15-20, reboundpdx.com, 18+