Ballroom Performance Exhibition by Kiddy Smile & House of Gorgeous Gucci

Exhibition Ballroom offers an immersive experience into the world of balls. Through a series of iconic categories—such as Women’s Vogue, Runway, and other flagship disciplines of ballroom—the members of the house give the audience a glimpse into the artistic, aesthetic, and technical richness of this culture. Combining performance, fashion shows, and individual expression, this production highlights the energy, creativity, and sense of community that define ballroom culture, while inviting the audience to discover the codes of a vibrant, demanding, and deeply inclusive culture.

This production was born out of a desire to introduce audiences to the world of ballroom in an accessible and immersive format. Originating within the African American and Latin American LGBTQIA+ communities of Harlem during the 20th century, ballroom is a space for creativity, competition, and empowerment where participants gather at balls to showcase various categories blending fashion, dance, performance, and self-expression. Today, Paris has become one of the main hubs of the ballroom scene in Europe. This momentum has been built thanks to the commitment of many key figures in the scene, including Queen Mother Nikki Gorgeous Gucci, an Up & Coming Icon, who played a major role in passing on this culture and spreading its influence in France and Europe, particularly upon her return from New York in the early 2010s. This ballroom exhibition draws inspiration from the format of a ball by showcasing several iconic categories, allowing the audience to discover its aesthetics, techniques, and various forms of expression. While not replicating the competitive setting typical of balls, it captures their energy, artistic rigor, and cultural richness. It invites the audience to take a closer look at a living culture that continues to provide a space for visibility, expression, transmission, and self-affirmation for the communities that founded it and those that keep it alive today.

Kiddy Smile:  

Kiddy Smile is a multifaceted artist. An award-winning DJ, dancer, and choreographer, he has appeared in music videos and films, shared the stage with Grace Jones and Madonna, walked the runway for Jean-Paul Gaultier, and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. In 2025, he will be an artist-in-residence at the Nouveau Printemps in Toulouse.

From the ballroom scene to contemporary art, his practice spans mediums and audiences, occupying a unique place at the intersection of underground and popular cultures. Through his music, he reaffirms and helps people rediscover the Black and queer roots of house music, restoring its essence and history. His projects celebrate the creativity and resilience of marginalized people, while challenging systems of domination and the effects of discrimination.

House of Gorgeous Gucci:  

The House of Gorgeous Gucci is an international house in the ballroom scene, founded in 2019 by Jack, Kelly, Marlon, and Trace Gorgeous Gucci. It is currently led internationally by Kiddy Smile, the House’s International Mother and a Double Legend of the ballroom. With a presence in Europe, the Americas, and many other countries, the House now has more than 300 members worldwide.

In Europe, its growth is driven by several leaders who, based in Paris, are working to pass on, shape, and promote House music as well as ballroom culture. More than just an artistic collective, a house is a chosen family: a space for

creation, transmission, support, and empowerment. Renowned for its artistic excellence, its aesthetic, and the quality of its performances, the House of Gorgeous Gucci actively contributes to the global reach of ballroom culture on international stages.