announcement

On March 18th, the Lunático Ball will open its doors to celebrate Seattle’s queer underground ballroom community. Join your hosts Diego José and Jade Dynasty for a moonstruck extravaganza! Throughout the evening, judges will award prizes across 26 categories spanning areas of Realness, Runway, Fashion, Beauty, Sex Siren, and Vogue performance with several dance breaks throughout the evening.

Lunático was created with the intention of providing a space centering and celebrating Queer, and Trans black and brown individuals. Ball culture is Queer/Trans PoC culture, so we are committed to centering their needs and the needs of the marginalized without reserve. NO anti-blackness, misogyny, transphobia, ableism, racism, islamaphobia, sexisim, xenophobia, or elitisim, will be tolerated and must be checked at the door. So slay on the runway, get your 10s, and celebrate the whole evening with us.

DJS

Riff-Raff (NightCrush) | Reverend Dollars (Darqness)

MCs

Donte Johnson (DaQween) | Ron Gatsby (of The Purple Lemonade)

Judge Panel

The Legendary Stephaun E. Blahnik - Father of the House of Blahnik

Adé A Cônneré - Artist, performer, curator, and scion of Seattle's LGBTQ community

Isaiah Esquire - dancer/instructor/choreographer/creative director and internationally acclaimed entertainer

Program

Traditional ball categories and all guidelines written by Stephaun Elite Wallace

Regionally inspired categories and all themes created by House of Luna

OPENER

Legends, Statements, and Stars

Your hosts introduce the legends, statements, and stars in the Pacific Northwest ball scene! Be ready to make your presence known!

REALNESS

Drag Queen (DQ) Realness: Psycho Bitch

Queens to the runway! Serving in drags! Serve your best look interpretation of Psycho Bitch, rocking the mental aesthetics of Harley Quinn, Cruella de’Ville, Joan Crawford, etc. GIVE ME PSYCHO BITCH! (This category is for DQs only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a cisgender male who presents as a female (crossdressing), not a transgender female (MTF) or cisgender female.

• The “realness” aspect is centered on being able to “pass” as a female.

• The degree of “realness” a person exhibits is a positive indicator of their appropriateness for this category.

Transmale Realness: Banjy Vampire

Give me Blade! Serve me Tales from the Hood! Work your best street vampire look with a dash of red! Must have red or you will be chopped! (This category is for transmen only!) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a transgender male (FTM), not a butch cisgender female or cisgender male.

• The “realness” aspect is centered on being able to “pass” as male (not androgynous).

• The degree of “realness” a person exhibits is a positive indicator of their appropriateness for this category.

• Where a person is on the social transition or medical transition spectrum is not relevant.

Femme Queen (FQ) Realness: Queen of the Damned

Serve me your interpretation of Queen of the Damned! Aaliyah, Elvira, Morticia aesthetics! Deathly elegance is the name of the game. Who is the reigning Queen of the Damned?! (This category is for FQs only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a transgender female (MTF), not a drag queen or cisgender female.

• The “realness” aspect is centered on being able to “pass” as female (not androgynous).

• The degree of “realness” a person exhibits is a positive indicator of their appropriateness for this category.

• Where a person is on the social transition or medical transition spectrum is not relevant.

Butch Realness

In your best urban street look, bring that butch swag on the runway and make us howl!
(This category is for butch women only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a butch cisgender female, not a cisgender male or transgender male (FTM).

• The “realness” aspect is centered on being able to “pass” as male.

• The degree of “realness” a person exhibits is a positive indicator of their appropriateness for this category.

BQ Schoolboy Realness

Top of the class, bottom of the books. Show up in your finest primped schoolboy look from the 90s era. Convince us you’re at the top of your class. REALNESS. (This category is for BQs only). Guidelines are:

• This person should be a cisgender male, not a butch cisgender female or transgender male (FTM).

• The “realness” aspect is centered on being able to “pass” as a heterosexual male.

• The degree of “realness” a person exhibits is a positive indicator of their appropriateness for this category.

BEAUTY

Femme Queen (FQ) Face

Serve Face! Cheeks lips eyes jaw skin! Give it all! (This category is for transwomen only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a transgender female (MTF).

• This category is designed to allow the participant to sell their face, like they are on a photo shoot set for a major fashion magazine. The point is to highlight their face, their best features, in the way they move down the runway, use their hands, and angle their face.

• The elements of face are: eyes, teeth, skin (tone/complextion), structure, and nose.

• Consider whether you would likely see this person grace the cover of major fashion magazines.

Butch Face
Butch women out there bring your handsome n cute mugs on the stage and get your 10s! (This category is for butch women only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a butch cisgender female, and not a drag queen or a transgender female (MTF).

• This category is designed to allow the participant to sell their face, like they are on a photo shoot set for a major fashion magazine. The point is to highlight their face, their best features, in the way they move down the runway, use their hands, and angle their face.

• The elements of face are: eyes, teeth, skin (tone/complextion), structure, and nose.

• Consider whether you would likely see this person grace the cover of major fashion magazines.

Butch Queen (BQ) Face
Boys where you at? Give me that butch kween face! Make our knees shake! (This category is for BQs only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a cisgender male, and not a transgender male (FTM) or butch cisgender female.

• This category is designed to allow the participant to sell their face, like they are on a photo shoot set for a major fashion magazine. The point is to highlight their face, their best features, in the way they move down the runway, use their hands, and angle their face.

• The elements of face are: eyes, teeth, skin (tone/complextion), structure, and nose.

• Consider whether you would likely see this person grace the cover of major fashion magazines.

Women’s Face
Women, is your face your pride and joy? Come on up and serve it! (This category is for cisgender women only) Guidelines are:

• This person should be a cisgender female, and not a drag queen or a transgender female (MTF).

• This category is designed to allow the participant to sell their face, like they are on a photo shoot set for a major fashion magazine. The point is to highlight their face, their best features, in the way they move down the runway, use their hands, and angle their face.

• The elements of face are: eyes, teeth, skin (tone/complextion), structure, and nose.

• Consider whether you would likely see this person grace the cover of major fashion magazines.

RUNWAY

OTA Team Runway: Dom + Sub: Slave to the Runway

Are you dominant or submissive? Where is your bottom bitch at? Come to the runway in your best bdsm inspired look with your willing and able sub. Your looks MUST coordinate or you will be chopped! Who is the greatest Dom of them all? (This category is open to all) Guidelines are:

• Creativity!!!

• Elements of runway: straight-away (strut), poses, the “look”.

• The team members should be in harmony in their runway performance and look.

• Any female figures should walk straight up and down, incorporating poses, but leaving the “antics” out as much as possible (think European runway shows). The same applies for male figures, except that it is generally acceptable for them to give extra “antics” or shade or stunts.

• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

OTA Runway: If Looks Could Kill

You read the category title. YOUR WALK MUST KNOCK THEM OFF THEIR FEET AND MAKE HEADS ROLL. (This category is open to all) Guidelines are:

• Creativity!

• Elements of runway: straight-away (strut), poses, the “look”.

• Any female figures should walk straight up and down, incorporating poses, but leaving the “antics” out as much as possible (think European runway shows). The same applies for male figures, except that it is generally acceptable for them to give extra “antics” or shade or stunts.

• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

Big Girl: GLAM BAM

Serve the Runway in your best GLAM look; glitz, glamour, sparkle, sequin, glitter. Werk that runway to filth and blind the crowd with your GLAM. (This category is reserved for women and trans women over 250 lbs.) Guidelines are:

• Creativity!
• Elements of runway: straight-away (strut), poses, the “look”.
• Any female figures should walk straight up and down, incorporating poses, but leaving the “antics” out as much as possible (think European runway shows).
• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

Big Boy: Bad & Boujee

Werk the Runway in your most fierce interpretation of Bad & Boujee. Button ups and chains, gold rings and baggy jeans, fitted with some penny loafers. Whatever your expression of Bad & Boujee is dont leave any room for second guessing. (This category is reserved for men and trans men over 250 lbs. Guidelines are:

• Creativity!
• Elements of runway: straight-away (strut), poses, the “look”.
• Participants should walk straight up and down, incorporating poses, but for male figures, it is generally acceptable for them to give extra “antics” or shade or stunts.
• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

FASHION

OTA Bizarre: Creatures of the Night

(presented by Hydrangea Strangea)

Take us into the darkness with your OVER THE TOP interpretation of the creatures of the night! Will you channel a Siren? Vampire? Succubus? The night itself? Showcase your most BIZARRE look and keep us guessing which creature of the night you are to get your 10's. (This category is open to all) Guidelines are:

• Creativity!!!!
• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

OTA Athletic kink
Athletic and kinky? Have you seen that jock porn? Are you that boy sneaking a peek at your teammates in the locker room? Or maybe that girl who wanted to be a football player instead of a cheerleader? Whether you play ball, wrestle, or box give us your wettest homoathletic kink look. (This category is open to all) Guidelines are:

• (this is not a traditional ball category)
• Creativity!!!
• Effects and garments should “hold up” during category and not fall off or fall apart.

OTA Modified Body: Moonstruck
Under the power of the full moon, undress and show your prideful body modifications. Serve the judges your tattoos, piercings, gauges, scarifications, hooks, and everything you got. Make us moonstruck by your presentation and take the gold. (This category is open to all) Guidelines are:

• (This is not a traditional ball category)
• Creativity!!!
• Garments should not fall apart

SEX SIREN

Transman vs. Butch Queen Sex Siren: Dark Knight (2 trophies)

Transmen and Butch Queen figures of the room, show off your steel, and serve us your strongest assets. Give us your best dark knight inspired look. (This category is open to transmen and butch queens only) Guidelines are:

• Think “strippers” or the hottest masculine strip tease.
• Generally the more skin revealed the better. This is not an exotic dance or “go-go” category.
• Masculine presentation is expected, in look and movement.

Male Figure (MF) Catboy: Panthers
Nimble and defined men of the room, tantalite us with your sexiest catboy look, skimpy and black. SEX SEX SEX. (This category is for male figures- transmen, butch women, and butch queens) Guidelines are:

• Think “strippers” or the hottest dual masculine and feminine strip tease.
• Generally the more skin revealed the better. This is not an exotic dance or “go-go” category.
• More feminine energy in look and movement is acceptable in this category, and expected.

Female Figure (FF) Sex Siren: Mortal Kombat (2 trophies)
Feminine figures come out and serve us your curves && BODYYYYY in your best Mortal Kombat look. Seduce the judges and slay your enemies. (This category is for cisgendered women, transwomen, and drag queens). Guidelines are:

• Think “strippers” or the hottest masculine and feminine strip tease.
• Generally the more skin revealed the better. This is not an exotic dance or “go-go” category.
• Feminine presentation is expected, in look and movement.

VOGUE PERFORMANCE

OTA Virgin Vogue: Ghostly

Bring it to the runway in your best Ghostly look! Phantoms, wraiths, etc. Your outfit must include white or you will be chopped! (This category is open to all performers with 1 year or less vogue experience) Guidelines are:

• All vogue elements are not necessary for this category.
• Is the performer on beat? That is an important consideration.

Vogue Femme/Twisters: Red Devil
Bring it to the runway in your best devil look! You must have on red or you will be chopped! (This category is for butch queens and trans men only) Guidelines are:

• All vogue elements are required: catwalk, duck-walk, hand performance, floor performance, spins/dips.
• Performer should be on beat with movements, including dips.
• Presentation can be masculine (realness w/twist or “twisters”) or feminine (vogue femme).

OTA Old Way vs. New Way: 20s Cocktail vs Futuristic
Old way, bring that Harlem Renaissance, prohibition look! New way, bring your interpretation of future fashion. (This category is open to all). Guidelines are:

• Old Way incorporates angles, lines, some martial arts, some “miming”, and other styles to tell a story.
• New Way incorporates stretches, flexibility, and contorting body movements to tell a story.
• Performer should be on beat with movements, including dips.
• Presentation can be masculine or feminine.

OTA Hand Performance: White Gloves
Hands only! Show us what you got! Must have on white gloves or you will be chopped! (this category is open to all). Guidelines are:

• Performer should be seated in a chair for the entire duration of their performance.
• Arms and hands should be the primary body parts moving in the performance to tell a story.
• Performer should be on beat with movements, including dips.
• Presentation can be masculine or feminine.

Femme Queen (FQ): All Black
This category is for TRANS WOMEN ONLY! Bring it in all black! Guidelines are:

• All vogue elements are required: catwalk, duck-walk, hand performance, floor performance, spins/dips.
• Performer should be on beat with movements, including dips.
• Presentation should be feminine.

Women's Vogue: Silver Eclipse
This category is for CISGENDERED WOMEN ONLY. Bring your look in silver or you will be CHOPPED! Guidelines are:

• All vogue elements are required: catwalk, duck-walk, hand performance, floor performance, spins/dips.
• Performer should be on beat with movements, including dips.
• Presentation should be feminine.