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Outlook: The schoolgirl fraudster who found redemption in ballroom

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Shannon Balenciaga poses in a glamour shot in front of a desert background

07/09/2021 GMT

The schoolgirl fraudster who found redemption in ballroom

BBC World Service - Outlook, The schoolgirl fraudster who found redemption in ballroom

Shannon Balenciaga discovered the underground ball scene in prison – and became a legend

Shannon Balenciaga is a legend in the underground ballroom scene. She discovered this world in jail after she was caught running a multi-million dollar fraud scheme as a teenager.

Shannon Balenciaga was a fashion-obsessed teen who found herself in prison after cooking up a multi-million dollar fraud scheme. Living behind bars at such a young age, she thought her life was over. But then she discovered ballroom, an underground scene that first emerged in New York City when gay and trans people of colour, fed up of being marginalised in pageants, created their own. They formed alternative families, or ‘houses,’ and competed against each other in balls. Now, as head of the House of Balenciaga, Shannon is a legend in ballroom culture where she mentors a new generation of performers. 

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Picture: Shannon Balenciaga
Credit: Carieo Crenshaw

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