Legendary is a new ballroom or Voguing competition show premiering on HBO Max in May 2020. It may not be like any show we’ve seen before, but it’s safe to say we’re in to see some seriously talented houses perform.
With a judging panel including Jameela Jamil, Law Roach, Leiomy Maldonado, and Megan Thee Stallion, Legendary is bound to live up to its name. Combining all our favorite shows and movies from HBO, Warner Bros., and more, HBO Max is a brand new streaming platform in 2020. And with a brand new streaming service comes a fresh competition, too. Here to shake up the TV schedule, the “vanilla” TV shows we’re used to, can move over because Legendary and its eight competing houses are here to make history.
When it comes to how exactly the competition works, in short, the goal is to quite literally be legendary. There are eight houses (which are like different families) featured on the show will get to perform and the ones that make it will “make history” whereas the ones that go home will “be history” as explained in the show’s preview. According to Deadline, “Each house is made up of five performers and a leader – the house ‘parent.’ The teams rotate in a round-robin format, and each episode documents a themed ball from start to finish.“
A visual of the words “vogue, vogue, vogue” coming out of Madonna’s mouth may be something that comes to mind when thinking of the ballroom scene, but prior to 1990, voguing was well underway with events taking place and a whole history being formed. Originating in the 1920’s underground LGBTQ+ scene in New York, ballroom is something that has been around for decades. The artform incorporates many components including hand performance, floor performance, spins and dips, catwalk and duckwalk.
The official Legendary trailer gives us a sneak peek into what’s to come with participants stating: “You’re taking what people hate about you and you’re putting it in their faces, it’s empowering… more than dance, ballroom is performance, art and fashion.” Ballroom is also dubbed: “One of the greatest American art forms that has ever been created” in the Legendary trailer, check it out below:
The trailer features silver jumpsuits, zebra print cowboy hats, huge sunglasses, feathers, and huge ballgown. We can assume that viewers will be immersed in a world of pure expression when watching Legendary. What’s up for grabs for the winner? £100,000 prize money is on the table for the house that slays the most and comes out on top. The people who get to decide who wins and who loses are the four Legendary judges – Jameela Jamil, Law Roach, Leiomy Maldonado, and Megan Thee Stallion.
Megan Thee Stallion may be best recognized for telling the world she’s a “savage” and therefore we can see why she’d be selected to judge the competition – it takes one to know one. Law Roach is also on the judging panel and while some of us would describe his job as celebrity stylist, he says “Image Architect”, whatever the case, he can have that one because he’s styled everyone from Celine Dion to Ariana Grande. Presenter, actress and DJ Jameela Jamil also have a say in who stays and who goes. She was initially cast as the competition’s MC but after some serious backlash from Twitter users, her role was altered to judge. Dashaun Wesley AKA The King of Vogue is the competition’s MC and DJ MikeQ is also featured on the show.
Finally, Leiomy Maldonado fills the final spot on the judging panel. And if anyone has the grounds to judge, it’s her. Leiomy is known as the Wonder Woman of Vogue and is a dancer and choreographer. She choreographed the music video to Willow Smith’s 2010 song “Whip My Hair.”
From scouring the two-minute trailer, we can expect backflips, drops and a lot of use of the whole floor. The performers are moving like full-blown acrobats and to top it all off they’re doing it in heels. Ballroom has been around for years but now it’s here for the world to see and appreciate via a huge TV network. Not only are the dance moves iconic in themselves, but the judges’ outfits alone could have their own show. Megan Thee Stallion can be seen wearing pink diamantes from top to toe one week and a little red riding hood get-up the next.
The performers are ready to work, serve, and ultimately slay in this unscripted series of 10 episodes. If the preview is anything to go by, Legendary is certainly not a show to miss and with icons of the game featured on the show, it’s sure to do the art form justice.
Legendary premieres Wednesday, May 27th, 2020 on HBO Max.
