Important Dates:  

These are provisionally the dates and times for the steering group: 

May 7th 6pm-8pm  
July 9th 6pm-8pm 
September 10th 6pm-8pm 
November 12th 6pm-8pm 
January 7th 6pm-8pm

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Deadline: 15^th October

About Catwalk Extravaganza

Fierce Fashions – Luscious Lip syncs – Delectable Dance and a splash of the XXX factor are all on show in this spectacular event. Born out of Queer Black Joy, Catwalk Extravaganzas are exploding around the UK to sell-out crowds.

Following on from the success of the last three shows, the Shout Catwalk Extravaganza will be the ultimate competition in Lip sync, Dance and Performance. Community participants, professional queer collectives and fierce individual performers are invited to battle it out for the audience, and they will have the power to decide who will be crowd winners.

18^th October, 7pm till late

Express your interest

Please email us shoutfestival@blgbt.org the following information, we will only accept applications where all criteria is included:

• Freelance/Company website
• Examples of previous work showing movement experience
• Contact details

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Chloe shared with us her experiences of seeking intimacy as a lesbian post heart break. It turns out the kindling might be within ourselves, and not in the others we physically connect with. PSA: Traction alopecia from tight buns is real.

Rosa experimented with a more particpatory performance, and oh huns did we unbox a lot with this one. We discussed the (very real) baggage we want to take with us, and maybe not dump or set fire to material and emotional souvenirs from past lovers. As a chorus, we honoured and thanked the opportunities to love, learn, and leave behind.

Rupinder entrusted us with snippets of writing from her current research into an anti-nazi, suffragette, Punjabi Princess (yes, you heard us). Through detailed research, Rupinder brings to life intimate connections of lesbian life so we can glimpse into the multifaceted world of an affluent Punjabi lesbian from last century. The pieces were tender, relevant, and depicted worlds that often never make it to the pages of our history annals.

Sym, our invited guest sharer, honoured us all inviting and leading us into a collective ritual. They took us into a space of reverance, remeberance, and connection to our transcestors past, present, and future. A deeply intimate, poignant, and timely reminder of ensuring acts of transcendence and defiance are necessary. It was their last performance with their chest pre top surgery, and we thank them for allowing us to be witness. Their fundraiser is still open.

Catch us on the 19th of August at The Edge for Messy B*tch Energy >> Tickets available here.

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This opportunity helped me build my dance skills within Vogue, particularly Fem Vogue, and gave me a chance to develop a consistent practice and build community with other queer dancers. I learned not only the fundamentals of Vogue but also more about the history of ballroom culture, which has deepened my appreciation of the form.

A personal highlight was when we took our session outdoors on a sunny day, followed by an impromptu picnic in the park. That day really embodied the sense of connection, joy, and shared experience that dance can foster.

I’m grateful to Shout Festival for making this journey possible. The experience has had a lasting impact on my confidence as a performer and as a member of the wider queer creative community.

Follow Diana @the_psyber_giantess @inner_giantess.art

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What followed was a mix of dramaturgical exercises, staged scenes, improvisation, and debates over actioning. The piece was disassembled, then rebuilt. Four actors, one director, a writer, and a draft of a full script – a collision of voices, experiences, and perspectives. Most queer, some not. Most from Birmingham, some not. They wrestled with the text, advocating for lines to be cut, changed, or expanded. Objectives were debated; intentions picked apart. It forced me to interrogate my own choices – not just intellectually, but viscerally. Some decisions couldn’t be justified through research or technique alone. They just felt right. Felt interesting. Felt alive.

Of course, words on a page land differently when spoken aloud. The script, animated by new voices, became unfamiliar territory. Some phrases now rang glib or clichéd; others cut deeper than intended. Some tripped the tongue; too dense, too slippery, too complex.

And then there were the gaps. The silence between lines. Perhaps the biggest question in the room, and the one that still lingers, is how much an audience needs to see. How much are they owed? Is it enough to let them fill in the blanks? When does a gap become a chasm? I don’t want to spoon feed answers, but I also don’t want to leave them stranded. Where’s the line between intrigue and frustration? These questions remain.

Breeders has always been iterative. What began as an oral histories project morphed into scenes written to Bronski Beat, sharings at the Nightingale, interviews conducted before the final pages existed. Now, drafts are rewritten in Our Facility – a franken-script stitched together from each iteration’s lessons. But when does the process end? When does the next draft become the last draft? I don’t have an answer. Only the certainty that the questions themselves are what propel me forward.

In a way, Our Facility was the perfect place for this R&D. That April, I went back to school. It was a reminder that creation is, at its core, an act of curiosity. I’m still learning. 

My thanks to the team – Elodie, Lizzie, Daniel, Dominic, and Natalie – for their generosity and rigour. And to Stan’s Café, for hosting us in a space that refused to let us forget the joy of asking why.

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In Venezuela, I was committed to building LGBTQIA+ activism within the local Hip Hop scene, as I was an active member of that community through dance. My choreographies, performances, and dance work were always centered around activism and served as a way to bring visibility to our community in spaces where we were often unwelcome or simply misunderstood.

Together with two others, I was one of the first people to introduce the concept of “Queer” to Venezuela (now often pronounced in Latin America as “Kuir”). This was to offer the community a new framework—one that goes beyond the conventional understandings of LGBTQIA+ identities in Venezuela.

Additionally, alongside other prominent dancers, we founded the first and only street dance company in Venezuela—and across Latin America. Through this company, I had the opportunity to teach, choreograph, and elevate Waacking and Voguing, using them as tools of activism, since they are historically rooted in LGBTIAQ+ culture. Our work helped establish a foundation for street dance to be legally recognized as a “form of artistic work” by one of Venezuela’s most important national theatres.

Since 2019, I’ve been living in the UK, and for the past five years, I’ve been dedicated to creating spaces for free expression, trust, dance, and activism within the Birmingham community. I’ve also been independently helping to lay the groundwork for a future Ballroom scene in the city. More recently, I’ve been working with Shout as an Emerging Producer to further strengthen this idea of building a support system and infrastructure for Ballroom culture in Birmingham, and to dream big with them for the future.

My experience as an Emerging Producer with Shout has been deeply enriching and inspiring. It has given me new knowledge and skills—both as a producer and as an artist. I’ve been connecting with different organizations and local artists in the dance sector, as well as creatives from other cities and countries, which has opened up exciting new ideas for future projects.

Currently, I’m co-producing Catwalk Extravaganza with Darren Pritchard. Catwalk Extravaganza is one of Shout’s flagship shows, held annually at Birmingham Hippodrome. This fabulous event offers audiences a unique experience filled with dance, lipsync, fashion, runway, activism, and community spirit. It showcases incredible local talent alongside performers from across the UK.

Of course, Birmingham’s own representation needs to shine on stage! That’s why we created a project called Disco Extravaganza, aimed at building a new generation of Voguers and celebrating Birmingham’s unique diversity. As part of this initiative, we planned a series of 8 free Voguing workshops led by me. So far, we’ve completed a few of them, giving participants the opportunity to explore the 5 elements of Vogue Femme, as well as musicality, character, and self-confidence. Empowering these individuals has been a key priority, and the journey has been truly beautiful. Witnessing people grow—becoming more confident, expressive, and enthusiastic—has exceeded my expectations. Seeing them now perform for the public with a fabulous, queer, and rebellious energy makes me feel I’m doing something truly meaningful in their lives.

Being part of this project has reminded me of the profound importance of dance—especially Voguing and Waacking—as a space for learning, safety, empowerment, and above all, community.

After the 8 workshops, participants will take part in the Catwalk Extravaganza, putting into practice everything they’ve learned and experiencing the magic and energy of the show. With this project, we aim to create a legacy—something that endures and continues to draw in new people to grow our community and foster more art in the city. I feel so proud to witness the transformation of each participant, and to be part of something that holds deep meaning for them, the community, Shout, and the city of Birmingham.

Why not?

Why not walk the streets of Birmingham like it’s a runway?

As if the only thing that matters is your existence, the existence of others, your community—and your character.

Let the energy of Voguing flow through us and remind us to be proud of who we are, where we come from, and what we’re building together.

Erics workshops are still running, get your free tickets here.

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What’s it about?

Each speaker can define the month’s theme however they see fit and can define ‘monologue’ however they want – this could be songs, performance, readings, audience participation.

After everyone has shared, Hassan will invite the performers to gather on the sofa to briefly talk about their own and each other’s sharings. Sometimes there’s time for comments from the audience.

How to take part/attend?

Please fill in our form.

If you’re planning on attending, rock up around 7pm for a 7.20pm start. Whilst the event is hosted in a venue that serves alcohol, we’re not an alcohol-focused event – it’s OK not to drink.

Talk of the Town is FREE – and we encourage you to register for a ticket through the link for each event. It’s not easy to get up and talk in front of a crowd – so we ask attendees to be respectful, supportive, and welcoming. We like to keep things nice and friendly!

Tips and tricks for talking!

Everyone is welcome

We’re a queer-centered event- but you don’t need to identify as or be queer to perform or attend.

Respect

Please be considerate and respectful in your content – some people like to provide a content alert before they start, and we actively encourage this to allow people to make an informed choice.

No experience? No problem!

You don’t need to be an experienced performer – many people have never done an event like this before – and we encourage and support first-timers!

Be yourself

You don’t need to judge your content or performance against anyone else – we all have different styles, stories, and ways of being.

Come prepared

We strongly advise – we can’t say this strongly enough! – that you put thought into preparing your sharing. The performances that feel most clunky are when someone ‘throws-out’ an idea they’ve just had: it’s hard to do this well.

Rehearse beforehand

Practice it a few times – and time yourself. Time passes faster than you think- 10 mins will feel like 2!

On reading

Some people read from a paper script, or from their phone notes, or index cards. Others have learnt their piece by heart or have a few prompt notes. Do what works for you. There is no ‘right’ way.

Held Space

We have the gorgeous Hassan hosting the evening, and there to support conversation, questions, and discussion after the sharings.

It’s okay to pause, to ask to restart. Remember to breathe!

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