WORKS & PROCESS at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington’s Masterz at Work Dance Family
*Photo by Erick Munari

August 21 – Pop-Up Performance by Jeff Koons’s Puppy
August 22 and 23 – Museum Auditorium Performance

New York City’s Masterz At Work Dance Family fuses street dance, street jazz, ballroom, vogue, and hip-hop. Founded and led by black trans femme choreographer Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington—a legend in the ballroom community— the company will perform two Works & Process commissioned works that celebrate a more inclusive, fair, representative, and colorful world.

LGTBIQ+ ballroom competitions started in the 1970s, in New York City, as a safe haven for Black and Brown young people; many participants in Ball culture also belong to groups known as "Houses,", which serve as families for their members.

Choreography: Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington in collaboration with the dancers
Music: DJ Byrell the Great
Lighting: Zack Lobel
Dancers: Aaliyah Berry, Lamell “Jay Parel” Clemons, Jai’Quin Coleman, DeAndre Cousley, Luis “ChaCha” Estevez, Courtney Janelle, Guya Marie, Armani Moore, Dashaun “DayDay” Peals, AiyR “Kay” Pitchford, and Brian Starke

Works & Process Producer: Caroline Cronson. Works & Process Executive Director: Duke Dang
These performances are funded by the Ford Foundation.
The works performed were created in Works & Process residencies at Bethany Arts Community, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park and Pocantico Center, supported in part by Doris Duke Foundation and Mellon Foundation.