Waacking Workshop with Kumari Suraj

Join us for this incredible free Waacking workshop with superstar Kumari Suraj. This workshop is open to all levels, from beginners to advanced.What to bring: water and any clothes and shoes that you feel comfortable to dance in. About the artistKumari Suraj is a non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist, creative power house and cultural architect whose work has shaped underground and mainstream creative worlds for over two decades. Working across performance, movement, music, multimedia, and cultural production, Kumari is widely recognised as a Waacking Icon, pioneer and modern blueprint of Waacking; a queer club style dance form born in the Black and Brown Disco clubs of 1970s Los Angeles. They are the founder of the world’s first queer dance festival dedicated to Waacking culture, LA’s Waack, Punk, Pose Festival (Waackfest), and a West Coast Ballroom Kiki Legend who played a foundational role in developing ballroom communities in both the Pacific Northwest and India. An artistic force and cultural game-changer, Kumari has influenced the entertainment industry and underground cult communities alike, shaping creative ecosystems from Hollywood to Bollywood and beyond. Their contributions have been featured on HBO Max’s Legendary, the main stage of UK Black Pride, The New York Times, and Vogue India, which named them one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Global Indians.” Of African American (from the islands), South Asian, Native American, and European heritage, Kumari’s practice is informed by a life lived across cultures, continents, and communities - and by a commitment to honouring cultural lineage while building new futures. Across all disciplines, Kumari’s work is known for bridging worlds - centering marginalised communities, stewarding culture with integrity, and shaping spaces where creativity, care, and power coexist.