William Roscoe Leake(April 12, 1961 – September 2, 2006), better known asWilli Ninja,was an American dancer andchoreographerknown for his appearance in the documentary filmParis Is Burning.[1]
Willi Ninja | |
|---|---|
 Willi Ninja demonstratingvoguestyle of dance in the filmParis Is Burning(1990) | |
| Born | William Roscoe Leake April 12, 1961 |
| Died | September 2, 2006(aged 45) New York City,U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
Ninja specialized invoguingand was a fixture ofball cultureatHarlem's drag balls who took inspiration from sources as far-flung asFred Astaireand the world ofhaute coutureto develop a style of dance and movement. He caught the attention ofParis Is BurningdirectorJennie Livingston.The film served as a springboard for Ninja. He parlayed his appearance into performances with a number of dance troupes and choreography gigs.[1][2]
In 1989, Ninja starred in the music video forMalcolm McLaren's song "Deep in Vogue",which sampled the then-unfinished movie.[1]
Ninja was a member of theLGBTcommunity who died of AIDS complications in 2006.
Early life
editBorn atLong Island Jewish Medical CenterinNew Hyde Park, New York,Willi was a self-taught dancer and was perfecting his voguing style by his twenties. Willi was born to a black mother and was of mixed racial ancestry, claiming to have Irish, Cherokee, and Asian ancestors.[3]It was from fellow voguers inWashington Square Parkthat Jennie Livingston first heard his name. While he did not create the form, he worked at refining it with clean, sharp movements to "an amazing level". His influences includedKemetic hieroglyphics,youngMichael Jackson,Fred Astaire,Olympicgymnasts, and Asian culture.
Career
editHe participated in Harlem's drag balls with "children" from his House of Ninja. Like other ball houses, the House of Ninja was a combination of extended social family and dance troupe, with Ninja as its Mother. He taught his children late into the night on the oldChristopher Street pierand at the underground clubs.[4]
Ninja was a featured dancer in many music videos includingMalcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue"and" I Can't Get No Sleep "byMasters At WorkfeaturingIndia.In 1994, he released his single "Hot" (another Masters At Work production) onNervous Records.Ninja's later career included runway modeling forJean-Paul Gaultier,performing with dance companies underKarole Armitage,and providing instruction toParis Hiltonon perfecting her walk. He opened a modeling agency, Elements of Ninja, in 2004, and made an appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live!.Ninja was also prominently featured in the 1990 documentaryParis is Burningand the 2006 documentary releaseHow Do I Look,directed byWolfgang Busch.
Ninja also danced in two ofJanet Jackson's videos from her albumRhythm Nation 1814,one of which was "Alright",whose remix featured late rap starHeavy Dand cameo appearances byCab Calloway,Cyd Charisse,andThe Nicholas Brothers.He also was featured in "Escapade".
Ninja worked hard to care for his mother, Esther Leake, who hadParkinson'sand used a wheelchair. Her trips with Ninja to the ballet and theApollowere inspiration for his later endeavors in dance.[2]
House of Ninja
edit
Ninja started the House of Ninja in 1982, despite not having been part of a house previously or winning three grand prizes, which was generally seen as a requirement to start a house.[1]The name Ninja came from the house's Asian and martial arts influences, coupled with the fact that people in the ballroom scene did not know who they were. The House of Ninja had a reputation for being multiracial. Except for the Latino House of Xtravaganza, most houses at the time were African-American.[5]
In film
editNinja starred in a handful of films and television series. On August 8, 1991, he was a guest onThe Joan Rivers Show[6]alongside some of hisParis Is Burningcast members, such asDorian CoreyandPepper LaBeija.Jennie Livingstonalso starred. In the episode, the cast talked about the docufilm and encouraged audience members to "walk" as if a participant at aDrag Ball.In the same year, Ninja starred in theMarlon Riggs9-minute shortAnthemas a dancer. Ninja also appeared posthumously in 2012 documentary,Check Your Body at the Door.
Death and legacy
editNinja died ofAIDS-related heart failure inNew York Cityon September 2, 2006.[7]
Since his death, he has been a figure in art and music DJs. Ninja is also a figure in LGBTQ studies, gender studies, and performance studies for his nonconforming and transgressive gender expression as an artist.[8][9]
Ninja was honored in aGoogle Doodleon June 9, 2023.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdRegnault, Chantal; Lawrence, Tim (2011).Voguing: Voguing and the House Ballroom Scene of New York City 1989-92.London: Soul Jazz Books. p. 5.ISBN978-0-9554817-6-5.
- ^abTricia, Romano (5 September 2006)."Eulogies for Fabulousness".The Village Voice.Archived fromthe originalon 19 July 2010.Retrieved5 September2006.
- ^Dale, Daniel (2023-06-09)."Who is Willi Ninja and In How Many Movies He Had Worked?".venturejolt.Retrieved2023-06-10.
- ^"Willi Ninja".Google Arts & Culture.Retrieved2023-06-10.
- ^Nimje, Sonika (2023-06-09)."All you need to know about the 'Godfather of Voguing', Willi Ninja".business-standard.Retrieved2023-06-10.
- ^Episode dated 8 August 1991,retrieved2019-12-01
- ^Ogunnaike, Lola (6 September 2006)."Willi Ninja, 45, Self-Created Star Who Made Vogueing Into an Art, Dies".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 29 April 2023.Retrieved9 June2023.
- ^Limnander, Armand (18 February 2009)."Is Beyoncé the New Willi Ninja?".T.RetrievedFebruary 18,2009.
- ^Allaire, Christian."Strictly ballroom: The vampy, campy voguing scene is having a revival".National Post.RetrievedFebruary 8,2014.
- ^"Willi Ninja Google Doodle".Google.June 16, 2023.RetrievedJune 16,2023.
