Ralph Escamillan

Ralph Escamillan is a queer, Canadian-Filipinx performance artist, choreographer, teacher and community leader based in Vancouver, BC. Starting at age 14, Ralph first trained in breakdancing, then explored a multitude of other street dance styles such as popping, house, waacking and locking. As a young adult, his passion for dance expanded to include training in ballet, modern, and jazz. He is a 2015 graduate of contemporary training program Modus Operandi. Since 2014, he has been involved in the LGBTQ+ subculture known as the ballroom scene as 'Posh' Gvasalia Lanvin, opening his own Kiki House Gvasalia and the Xclusive House of Lanvin. In the commercial industry, he's worked with choreographers including AJ Aakomon, Luther Brown, Paul Becker, Tucker Barkely and Mandy Moore as well as artists Victoria Duffield and Zendaya Coleman, and was a guest dancer for Janet Jackson's "Unbreakable" tour in 2015. Ralph has worked and toured with Vancouver companies Company 605, Co. Erasga Dance, Kinesis Dance Somatheatro, Out Innerspace Theatre, Ballet BC, and apprenticed with Kidd Pivot in 2014. He is currently on contract with Wen Wei Dance, and Mascall Dance. With his company FAKEKNOT he creates work that strives to understand the complexities of identity using sound, costume, technology and the body. The founder of non-profit VanVogueJam, he shares his passion for Vogue/Ballroom culture at his weekly by-donation class and vogue balls in Vancouver, BC.