Oral History of Icon Enrique Allure St. Laurent

Abstract

Icon Enrique Allure St. Laurent talks about his biological family’s participation in ballroom, his introduction to Baltimore’s ballroom scene at a club called Odell’s, and his experience walking the runway category. He describes the history of the meat rack, a cruising and hangout area in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon district, and the history of the house of Allure. He reflects on the ways ballroom allowed him to create a new identity and family of choice, how LGBTQ people of color are celebrated via ballroom, and the importance of community engagement. This oral history was recorded as part of the Peabody Ballroom Experience, a public humanities collaboration between Johns Hopkins University and the performance-based culture known as ballroom.