The Trans Woman Who Changed “Voguing” Forever

Leiomy Maldonado joins Megan Thee Stallion, Jameela Jamil, and Law Roach on HBO’s new competition show

Choreographer Leiomy Maldonado rehearses an upcoming dance scene in POSE at Silvercup Studios North in New York, NY on May 16, 2019. Photo: Chris Sorensen for The Washington Post/Getty Images

Leiomy Maldonado made history more than 10 years ago as the first trans woman to compete on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. The Bronx-born dancer, along with her troupe Vogue Evolution, reintroduced the world to voguing — the dance style that comes out of New York’s ballroom scene that many still believe Madonna discovered.

“Around that time, there were videos circulating of different artists having people try to vogue in their music videos,” Maldonado tells me over the phone. “For us, it was like, if we have this chance to go on TV and show the world where voguing comes from, and to let them know that it’s a real art form, a real dance form, why not?”

She looks back on the experience now bittersweetly, as do other members of her group, which included Dashaun Wesley, Devon Webster (aka Pony), Malechi Williams, and Jorel Rios (aka Prince). Despite being able to represent their culture and educate masses, they felt like their talent took second place to their identities as Black LGBTQ+ people. Maldonado even had to deal with transphobic comments from one of the show’s judges.