Javier Ninja
Born
Javier Madrid

(1984-03-10) 10 March 1984 (age 39)
Queens (New York City), United States
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Vogue dancer and teacher
Known forVoguing

Javier Ninja (birth name Javier Madrid,[1] born 10 March 1984 in Queens[2] (New York City)) is an American vogue dancer[1][3] and teacher.[2][4][5] Madrid is a member of the Legendary House of Ninja founded by the late Willi Ninja[1] and has worn the House Dance International vogue "Champion of the year" for three consecutive years.[6] He is well known within the vogue dance world and has performed and taught in several countries including the U.S.[2][3][7]

Early life and education

Madrid was born in Queens, New York City.[2] He attended "The New Ballet School" (a tuition free ballet school for children from low income families, now called Ballet Tech founded by Eliot Feld[8]) when he was nine years old[2] and studied contemporary, modern and ballet, and discovered vogue when he was fifteen years old (in a nightclub).[1]

Like many underground voguers of his generation and the generation before him, he started going to nightclubs whilst he was underage.[1] He met the great Willi Ninja in 2002 who went on to become his mentor. Willi coached and guided him for five years until he was ready to "walk" a ball.[1][9]

Career

Madrid won the House Dance International's vogue "Champion of the year" three years in a row[6] (2007, 2008 and 2009[2]) and has become a permanent fixture of the ball scene since 2007 — entering many competition and judging.[2] He is a member of the Legendary House of Ninja,[10] a vogue house founded by the late Willi Ninja — his mentor, and the person who brought him to the House.[1] Madrid has performed solo pieces as well as group pieces with other members of the House in various countries as well as in the U.S.[3]

He performed in "Battle of Yestermorrow" by Iona Rozeal Brown (2011),[11][12] "Scott, Queen of Marys" - previously performed by his late mentor the great Willi Ninja ("the godfather of voguing"[13]) in 1994,[14] "Off Broadway" House of Ninja Production and "East is Red".[3]

Television appearances include America's Next Top Model[3] presented by Tyra Banks and his "House father" Benny Ninja.[2] In 2010, Madrid performed in the World competition "Juste DeBout" in Paris.[1] He has performed with Madonna in the 2012 Super Bowl,[1] appeared in Icona Pop's music video "All Night" (2013)[3] and in FKA twigs music video "Glass & Patron" (2015) starring alongside Benjamin Milan, Tamsier Joof Aviance and David Magnifique — the three voguers from London (England).[15]

Madrid also appeared in the flagging documentary "Flow Affair" directed by Wolfgang Busch.[16] As well as being a dancer, Madrid is also a vogue dance teacher and has taught in the US[4] and various other countries especially in Europe and the Far East.[2][7] He is a guest teacher at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City[3] and as of 2013, is the current "father" of the Legendary House of Ninja following Benny's involvement in the December 1, 2013 Metro-North train derailment.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dance Magazine - interview of "Javier Ninja" by Margaret Fuhrer [1] - retrieved 30 March 2015
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Javier Ninja's workshop and bio in Arkstar (December 3, 2010) [2] Archived 2015-04-04 at archive.today retrieved March 31, 2015
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Bio of Javier Madrid in Broadway Dance Center (New York City) [3] retrieved March 31, 2015
  4. ^ a b Line-up of "Advance NYC Street Lab" teachers (2012, archive) in Street Dance Magazine (Javier Ninja included in line-up) [4]
  5. ^ The New York Times : "Vying for Bragging Rights, Prancing Pros and Amateurs" (May 2, 2014) [5] - retrieved March 31, 2015
  6. ^ a b Javier Ninja in "Cori Olinghouse of Ninja" in The Brooklyrail by Patricia Milder - March 4th, 2011 [6] - retrieved March 30, 2015
  7. ^ a b iA Studios (London) publicity of Javier Ninja's workshop in "heyevent" : "Javier Ninja Vogue Workshop London!"[7] - retrieved March 31, 2015
  8. ^ Ballet Tech, New York City Public School for Dance :"History" of the school [8] - retrieved March 31, 2015
  9. ^ The Jambo Urban Festival : "Javier Ninja" [9] retrieved March 31, 2015
  10. ^ The Huffington Post : "Street, Club And LGBTQ Pride Collide In Harlem Dance Night, 'Counterculture"' - (May 22, 2014) [10] - retrieved March 31, 2015
  11. ^ Battle of Yestermorrow in "Repeat Performance: The Redoubtable RoseLee Goldberg’s Performa Festival is Back and Bigger Than Ever" by M.H. Miller of [11] in Observer - retrieved 30 March 2015
  12. ^ T: The New York Times Style Magazine : "RoseLee Goldberg Shares Her Favorite Moments From Performa" - June 14, 2011 [12] - retrieved March 31, 2015
  13. ^ Today : "Willi Ninja, godfather of ‘voguing,’ dies at 45" ( September 7, 2006) [13] retrieved March 31, 2015
  14. ^ The New Yorker : "Hello Again" (December 7, 2012) [14] retrieved March 31, 2015
  15. ^ "FKA twigs - Glass & Patron (Official Music Video YTMAs)". Javier Ninja credited as a dancer [15]
  16. ^ Review of "Flow Affair" in Edge Media Network : "New Film Documents History & Artistry of Flagging" - retrieved 30 March 2015
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