The Graduation Ball

After 6 months of community space, the Elements 101 invites you to the Graduation Ball, during the International Ballroom weekend at Dansekapellet. 

The Elements 101 has been a regular Ballroom Community space at Dansekapellet since August 2026, curated by Inaya Mermaids Basquiat, Yoni Mercury 007, Klara 007, and Legendary Leo St Laurent. This project is a cooperation with @dansekapellet & the EU Attitudes Dance Network, which is part of a Creative Europe project and co-funded by the European Union #creativeeurope

More detailed Information about the Ballroom Weekend here: https://fb.me/e/3wx9wp8Tu 

Graphics by Solange 

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The Graduation Ball 

Where the drama and the legends begin - you’ve survived it all - the exams, the rivalries, the friendships, the after-school chaos. From crushes and heartbreak to cafeteria gossip and late-night studies. Tonight, we honor and celebrate the efforts and hard work you’ve put in to be where you stand today - this is your story - this is your Graduation! 

 Judges: TBA

 MC: TBA

 DJ: TBA

Audience Tickets coming soon

Participant Registration here: https://forms.gle/4x7fJSW2NcWm9dny6 

Categories, not in order 

*see below for specific themes for each category

Realness Categories: Game Day 

Everyday Realness: FQ / TM 

Schoolboy / Schoolgirl Realness: MF / FF

Executive Realness: MF / FF

Fashion Categories: The Prom Night

Fashion Killa OTA *added 23.09.2025

Bizarre OTA

Labels: MF/ FF 

Designers Delight OTA

FF European Runway: Women / FQ / Drag / 

MF European Runway: BQ / TM /

Enby European Runway: 

All American Runway: FF / MF / Enby

Beginners Runway OTA 

Performance Categories: School Uniforms 

Old Way OTA 

New Way OTA 

Hands OTA 

Arms OTA 

Beginner's performance (1 year or less walking in the scene)

Vogue Fem: BQ / FQ / Drags / Women / Enby 

MF Realness with a twist: TM vs BQ vs Butch *updated 23.09.2025

Body / Beauty Categories: The College Reunion

Face: FF / MF / Enby 

Sex Siren: FF /MF / Enby  

Body categories updated 23.09.2025

Models & Fitness Body : MF / FF 

Lucious Body: MF / FF 

Big & Beautiful Body : MF / FF 

Body OTA: FQ / TM  

Other Categories:

Lip Sync Production OTA  Theme: The Drama Club

Comm vs Comm OTA Theme: Reading is fundamental! 

Black Hair Affair OTA*Theme: The Graduation Edition

Nail Affair OTA Theme: Scholar Student

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Category Descriptions / Specific Themes:

Beauty Categories: The College Reunion

Body, Face, Sex Siren 

You’ve graduated, lived your life, and now… you’re BACK for the College Reunion. This is your ultimate comeback moment that screams main character energy. You came to gag everyone — the former star athletes, scholar students, ex-professors, and long-gone crushes — they doubted you. They whispered. They underestimated you. Now you show up with your glow up - serving revenge with untouchable confidence - the body is right, mind seductive, face on fleek.

‼️Mandatory for your 10s: Make your entrance wrapped in mystery with a reveal — from a coat or cover-up to a breathtaking final look that captures your comeback fantasy. Think cinematic. Think iconic. Think unforgettable College Reunion!

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Realness Categories: Game Day 

It’s game day at the best event of the year — the field is alive, the locker rooms are buzzing, and after months of training, only the best make it onto this roster. This isn’t just any match — this is Game Day, where legends are made and only the realest athletes reign supreme. 

This is your moment under the stadium lights — walk in like the whole school is watching, and you already know the trophy has your name on it - whether you’re the Varsity Football Captain, Track and Field Champion, Cheer Squad Captain, Tennis Prodigy, or Dance Team Diva. Your outfit should scream team spirit, discipline, and athletic prestige.

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Performance Categories: School Uniforms 

Welcome to a campus where perfection meets rebellion. Are you the preppy Ivy League prodigy: polished, privileged, and precise, or the rebellious rule-breaker: who refuses to play by the code? ‼️Pick one of the following:

Option 1: Preppy Ivy League Prodigy

You are on every honor roll, have founded three student clubs, and your alumni parents couldn’t be prouder. Your uniform is spotless, crisp, and precisely how it’s meant to be worn — if not just a little more stylish. You can incorporate color-coded elements such as plaid skirts, pressed slacks, preppy ties—stay classy and within the school policy! 

Option 2: The Rebellious Rule-Breaker

Detention? Again? Shocking. You know the rules, you just don’t see the point in following them. You bend them, break them, and rewrite them when it suits you. You are technically in uniform... but just with your own spin on it. Authority bores you, tradition irritates you, and you are here to disrupt, not impress. Your look still has to be school uniform coded, but with a punk and rebellious take worthy of the school yard misfits. 

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Fashion Categories: The Prom Night

Prom Night - the final chapter, the ultimate transformation, the fantasy we’ve all been fed: the formal attire, the decoration, the dates and the drama - a rite of passage wrapped in glitter, tulle and teenage dreams. Whether you were crowned or crushed - this is your chance to rewrite it, relive it, or burn it down and crash the Prom!

Bizarre / Fashion Killa: Prom Decorations

Beyond the dress and the drama is the decoration setting the mood for the long-awaited prom night or the most dreaded event of college. Turn the cliché into couture. Translate those awkward, overdone decor pieces into something surreal, stunning, and straight out of a fashion magazine. Be inspired by all the things that made prom look special - and incorporate a color theme of your choice and metallic fabrics.

Runway / Labels / Best Dressed / Designers Delight:

Ruling the Prom vs Prom gone wrong 

Two destinies, one runway. Will you rule the prom in red-carpet elegance, or will you crash it in high-fashion rebellion?  ‼️Pick one of the following:

RULING THE PROM: You’ve arrived to be crowned as the Prom King, Queen, or Royalty of the night! You are luxury, grace, and high-class fantasy - the epitome of Best Dressed. Bring labels, runway supremacy, and couture-level elegance. The crown is optional, but your presence should feel like you already wear one.

CRASHING THE PROM — Prom gone wrong - Tonight was supposed to be perfect - the dress, the date, the dance floor. But fate had other plans, the limo broke down, your prom date ghosted you on the day, and to make matters worse, you were crowned prom queen... then dethroned! At this point, forget about the traditions and prom fairytales — you came to cause chaos in couture, editorial edge, and rebellion.

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Other Categories:

Lip Sync Production OTA: The Drama Club

Lights, curtain, action! You’ve been the star, the director, and the heart of the Drama Club — but tonight, it’s your final act. As the president of the club, it’s up to you to decide which musical will take the stage for your farewell performance. Will it be Broadway glam, tragic romance, campy chaos, or cinematic fantasy?

Take command of the stage and lip sync like the spotlight was built just for you. Will you take it old-school with Grease, go full heartache with Les Misérables, or give us some razzle-dazzle with Chicago, or maybe you’re ready to cause a little teen drama with High School Musical? Whichever show you choose, bring the story to life through your lip sync.

‼️RULES: Length 2 min max. There are no tens or battles. Each judge will score every performance between 1 and 10. The highest overall score wins. In case of a tie, the panel will vote to break it. All beat(s) must be named and in MP3 or WAV format to ensure they are playable on the venue's sound system. Send productionby the 5th of January 2026 to cpd.theelements101@gmail.com  

Comm vs Comm OTA - Reading is fundamental! 

This category calls for sharp tongues and great minds - because reading is fundamental in all ways! ‼️For your 10s, here is the challenge: Breakdown: You`ll get one word — complex, rhythmic, or tongue-twisting — that you must incorporate into your 10s. Additionally, you have to add one "reading" to your 10s of your choice - read the room, read the judges, read yourself, or a satirical reference to High School and College - the choice is yours!Reading is the lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence.” — Dorian Corey, Paris Is Burning.

Black Hair Affair OTA - The Graduation Edition*

Celebrate the milestone of graduation with a stunning twist on classic Black hair artistry! This theme invites you to blend the symbolism of the graduation cap and gown with your unique, creative flair. Whether it’s sculpted styles, bold shapes, and designs inspired by the graduation hat - show us how you transform this iconic symbol into a masterpiece of Black hair creativity!

Nail Affair OTA - Scholar Student

Show us academic excellence and dive deep into the world of knowledge, research, books, and scholarly vibes! Get your extra points from the teacher and bring us a nail design inspired by your favorite subject—whether it’s math, science, literature, art, or even sports. Let your nails tell the story of a brilliant mind with a bold, creative edge. Study hard, slay harder!

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Ballroom ABC: 

*Virgin: first time / never walked a Ball in this category in the major

*Beginners: walking this category in the major one year or less

* Black Hair Affair: This category is only for BIPOC participants of the African diaspora - no appropriation will be tolerated!

*Jr Realness: For the Vogue Night for Jr. Realness, we want to invite everyone who is still in their earlier stages of transition, but still can serve Realness down!! 

*FF - Female Figure: Femme Queens, Drag Queens, Women.

*MF - Male Figure: Butch Queen, Transman, Butch

*FQ - Femme Queen

*TM: Transman

*BQ - Butch Queen

*Enby: Non-Binary identities 

*OTA: Open to All - no division into different sub-categories 

DISCLAIMER

>Ballroom is a Space for people of the LGBTQIA+ Community, especially for those who are Bi_PoC! Please do not attend this event if you cannot respect our identities and bodies.

> This Ball is a public event open to spectators and will be filmed and posted on Social Networks. By participating in this event, you are aware of that.  Sex Siren, Body, and Realness are going to be available for the community only. 

> White participants should always refrain from braids, afro wigs, etc! If you still show up as mentioned, it will lead us to kick you out of the function!

>What is Ballroom: Ballroom is an underground subculture created by and for the BIPOC LGBTQIA+ community. We kindly remind all attending to be mindful that this event operates under safer space policies. Documentaries to watch:

Paris is burning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70tlLetqqw 

Kiki - http://www.kikimovie.com/watch-now

Pages where you can look at clips from other balls:

Kendrick Mugler - https://www.youtube.com/c/KendrickMugler/videos 

Paris Ballroom TV - https://www.youtube.com/c/ParisBallroom/videos 

Ballroom Throwbacks - https://www.youtube.com/c/BALLROOMTHROWBACKS/videos 

Old School Ballroom - https://www.instagram.com/oldschoolballroom/