AUGUST 7, 2026
Where Ballroom meets the Orchestra
OPUS 1 BALL — August 7, 2026
Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam
Event Rules: Please respect each other and help create a safer, inclusive, and welcoming environment for everyone. We do not tolerate aggression, assault, discrimination, exclusion, harassment, or physical/verbal violence of any kind, including but not limited to ableism, antisemitism, body shaming, bullying, intimidation, Islamophobia, racism, queerphobia, sexism, sexual misconduct, and transphobia. Anyone engaging in this behavior may be removed from the event.
The Cultures
Ballroom History
Ballroom history traces back to the late 19th century, when Langston Hughes described these gatherings as a “parade of the fairies.”
By the late 1960s, contemporary ballroom — also known as the house-structured ball scene — began to take shape. Created by Black trans women, it became a space for creativity, self-expression, and the reimagining of identity.
Within ballroom, distinct forms of expression emerged — from categories like Face and Realness to performance styles such as Vogue Fem — each rooted in precision, storytelling, and embodied confidence. Alongside these forms, ballroom has also shaped a rich cultural language, with terms like “shade,” “reading,” and “serving” entering broader popular culture.
From the masked balls of 19th-century Harlem to global recognition through Paris Is Burning and Pose, ballroom has evolved into a powerful global cultural movement that continues to influence fashion, music, language, and performance worldwide.
Ballroom Legacy
OPUS 1 Ball honors this legacy, bringing it to a new stage.
Western classical music spans over a millennium, evolving from early medieval liturgical chants to a wide range of contemporary and experimental forms.
It is often divided into key eras — Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern/Postmodern — each marked by shifts in harmony, structure, and systems of patronage.
The tradition moved from predominantly monophonic, church-based compositions to highly structured symphonies, operas, and chamber works, and eventually toward more abstract and boundary-pushing approaches to sound.
Throughout its development, classical music has produced distinct compositional forms and practices — from the fugue and concerto to the symphony and sonata — while also shaping a specialized musical language of notation, theory, and performance.
From sacred spaces and royal courts to concert halls such as Het Concertgebouw, the tradition continues to evolve, influencing and being reinterpreted across cultures, disciplines, and generations.
For the first time in the histories of Het Concertgebouw and Amsterdam Sinfonietta, this tradition opens itself to a new dialogue — one that reimagines who classical music is for, and what it can become.
The Setup
However the set up will be like a real ball. Like at a major ball, the 10’s will serve as the preliminaries. After the 10s are given by the judges, the ballwalker moves on.
16 ballwalkers from accross the globe will compete across four categories:
- Fem Queen Realness
- Vogue Fem
- Face
- Lip Sync Performance
Classical and contemporary music come together in a unique clash of styles and eras. Amsterdam Sinfonietta performs classical works such as the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler and the Pavane by Gabriel Fauré, alongside ballroom classics like The Ha Dance and Sexy like Sinia, as well as the ultimate LGBTQIA+ anthem, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. A DJ contributes to the vibrant atmosphere of the ball, while MC Zelda Fitzgerald elevates the ballwalkers to the next level with dazzling verbal acrobatics.
Get your tickets
This is more than a performance, it’s a one-night-only event with limited seating in one of the world’s most iconic concert halls. Demand is high and once tickets are gone, they’re gone.
Secure your place now and witness a historic moment:
Secure your place now and witness a historic moment:
Event Rules: Please respect each other and help create a safer, inclusive, and welcoming environment for everyone. We do not tolerate aggression, assault, discrimination, exclusion, harassment, or physical/verbal violence of any kind, including but not limited to ableism, antisemitism, body shaming, bullying, intimidation, Islamophobia, racism, queerphobia, sexism, sexual misconduct, and transphobia. Anyone engaging in this behavior may be removed from the event.
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