We chat to Darren Suarez about creating a Liverpool legacy as Vogue Ball turns 18

It’s glamorous, it’s flamboyant, it’s outrageous … and it’s back.

The annual House of Suarez Vogue Ball is less than a week away, and as Heroes and Villains get ready to do battle and bedazzle on the Liverpool runway this year, no-one is looking forward to it more than founding father and mother of the House, Darren Suarez.

“It’s been going 18 years now and it’s an integral part of Liverpool’s autumn calendar,” says Darren. “It’s being hosted by master of ceremonies, the iconic Ricki Beadle-Blair, who always captivates an audience and spreads the love.

“And every year there’s a different theme which, this year, is Heroes and Villains. That’s going to be led by artists taking their own interpretations of those heroes, from people who are thinking Marvel to people who are thinking Cruella de Vil; you’ve got Scooby Doo and Elastagirl – and you’ve even got the Powerpuff Girls.

Ricki Beadle-Blair. Credit: House of Suarez

“We have literally got a whole comic book of heroes and villains taking over the runway.”

Darren, 50, adds: “People often ask me what’s my favourite ball, but I haven’t got one. I think the event is led by the artists’ investment and because the dancers, the lip synchers, the drag artists, always give 110%, and the best of themselves, no one ball can ever be any better.”

House of Suarez is an anti-racist, inclusive and diverse organisation which aims to celebrate and further vogue and ballroom culture, and recognise it as an art form.

Darren founded the Vogue Ball event, Liverpool is Burning, as part of the Homotopia LGBTQ+ programme for European Capital of Culture in 2008, and since then the HoS Vogue Ball has got bigger and bigger while spawning and inspiring other cultural events (Darren created a Eurovision-themed party, the Euro Ball last year).

“It’s an important event, and for me it’s been really special and beautiful to watch especially, those people who have been involved from the start and then set up their own inclusive events.

“House of Suarez and the Vogue ball have been the back bone of people going away and doing their own thing, and that’s been a real blessing to me.

“The Vogue Ball changes to reflect the community and as times and the community changes, whatever that community is, I’m proud that there’s a platform where people can come and perform and feel safe.

“They leave energised and inspired – and I think the audience leaves inspired too.”

He adds: “The Vogue Ball has helped me to co-ordinate larger external events, like being heavily involved in Eurovision, and it’s allowed me to pursue, and give, other job opportunities to people who have started on that runway.

“So there’s a legacy with it, and I’m proud of that. It’s overwhelming at times.”

The main Vogue Ball event features local, regional, national and international Houses of performers competing in categories including Fantasy, Solo, Group Choreography, Lip Sync Performance and Sex Siren.

Ballroom culture started in the 60’s and 70’s in New York’s Black and Latinx, LGBTQ+ communities, and was popularised by the documentary film ‘Paris is Burning’, and Madonna’s hit single, Vogue.

Darren says: “Finding and understanding vogue helped me get through coming out when I was 15 back in the 80s and it empowered me and gave me confidence to find my pathway, which was dance.

“I was very fortunate. It was fate.”

And the Vogue Ball’s have given Darren, who’s also a teacher at LIPA, a purpose – not least when times have been tough.

“I lost both my parents last year and it was the ball that kept me going and kept my feet on the ground.

“It reminded me of the people that were in my life and really appreciated what I was doing, and that gave me purpose.

“It’s still a journey, but it’s things like the ball and opportunities that arise from it, that help. Being an orphan as it were, I look at the ball being my family now more than ever, and the support I get from both my LIPA family and my Vogue family, I couldn’t fault.

“It’s more important to me now than ever.

“So many years down the line after discovering vogue, I can see my path. It’s been hard work but it’s felt natural, and now it’s good to look back and see what I’ve achieved and what I’m giving back to the community.”