A few years ago, I was part of the New York-based vogue house House of DeLa Blanca, and I also founded the first Kiki House in Venezuela’s history, called the Kiki House of Scutaro. I was also a member of the Los Angeles-based Waacking organization International House of Artistic Punking, where we established the Venezuelan chapter.
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.
