Queer Underground – Ballroom as a Safe Space

The SWR documentary “Queer Underground – Ballroom as a Safe Space” provides intimate insights into the lives, thoughts, and feelings of three young individuals who have found a refuge in the Mannheim ballroom community. Here they feel accepted, don’t have to hide and can forget the everyday life outside their “safe space,” where they face discrimination and racism. In this 45-minute film, the audience gets to know a world otherwise inaccessible to the general public and three young individuals from different cultures. They continue their journey despite obstacles and hurdles, pursuing their dream of high-level dancing. The SWR documentary “Queer Underground – Ballroom as a Safe Space” can be seen online in the ARD media library from July 27.

Insights into the ballroom scene and the lives of three young individuals

Three individuals, three life stories, and the shared dream of dancing: 17-year-old Lunar has dropped out of school and doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. In the ballroom, she overcomes her “deathly fear of coming out as a woman” and becomes an upcoming star, requested by the ballroom community all over Europe. The 23-year-old Costa is in search of great love, but he always had to hide when dating. His family and his Greek environment do not accept his homosexuality. 30-year-old Jamie founded the Mannheim scene and takes on the role of “mother or father” for the community. When a teenager is kicked out of his parents’ house after coming out, Jamie takes him in. In a performance, everyone publicly shows for the first time what usually only happens in the protected space.

Mannheim’s ballroom culture – a protected space for queer people

There are demanding dance battles on pompous runways, where people from the Mannheim ballroom community compete against each other in extravagant outfits and show what they’ve got. The verbally quick-witted and toughly fought “battles” are entertaining and emotional at the same time. The ballroom culture was previously known from the US, where it represented a niche in the queer community, but received increasing media attention. Since 2022, scenes have also emerged in southern Germany, including Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart – and Mannheim.

“Queer Underground – Ballroom as a Safe Space” in the ARD media library

Available from July 27, 2023.