Ball culture, also called ballroom culture or drag ball culture, is an LGBTQ+ subculture in which drag performers compete in contests known as balls and are judged on their costuming, hair and makeup, dance, personality, and other qualities. Ball culture dates to the 19th century, first developing in such cities as New York and Washington, D.C. Black and Latino LGBTQ+ people have been the primary developers of ball culture, some aspects of which entered mainstream American culture in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Popular films and TV shows that depict the ballroom scene are the acclaimed documentary Paris Is Burning (1990) and the reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009– ).
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