In a world where bleakness must constantly be kept at bay, there are thankfully beacons of light so strong they momentarily halt the crueler realities of civilization.
Young Leonid Mizrahi is one such ray of hope.
Los Angeles-based voguer and dance instructor Deshaun Wesley recently taught an unlikely group of youngsters in Russia some vogue technique, and, well, we’ll let this video of the results speak for itself.
Putin’s got nothing on this kid:
How about we take this to the next level?
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My class in Russia. Kids Voguing down and letting it on outGirl Nicol Safronova boy Leonid Mizrahi And yes. Their…
Posted by Dashaun Wesley on Thursday, January 7, 2016
Hussain-TheCanadian
Now that’s what I call “from Russia with love”!!
Masc Pride
If you’ve never seen a “mentally challenged” person dance before, it looks EXACTLY like voguing. Totally serious. Says so much about this silly dance that should’ve been left in 1990.
JerseyMike
LMAO!! Putin will have the Russian Federation checking into this!!
Kangol
WERK! These children are serving!
SteveDenver
WARSAW IS BURNING!
They’re both wonderful, but Leonid’s transitions are smooth and connected and the positions of his head make for extra fierceness. Those back-kicks are limber and a great flourish.
Harlem Ball Realness!
Tracy Pope
@Masc Pride: It’s a lot older than 1990. Also, for being “Masc Pride” that was an awfully catty comment.
money718
@Masc Pride: Relax dude, good grief. Although I think the dance is dumb too.
Hope this kid is being protected.
Ogre Magi
Oh I hope that kid has an ok life.Russia is a horrible place for anyone even suspected of being gay
Stache
Very well done.
NoCagada
@Masc Pride: And, what, Miss Butchie…You did a study on the “mantally challenged” and dancing and then compared it to people Vogueing?? How many thousands did you study and for how long? Maybe a five year study? For somebody who has such a masculinity problem, you sure are snide…they go quite well together.
Scribe38
@Masc Pride: Before I even went to the comment section I knew your punk ass was going to be hating as unusual. Takes real “masculine man” to attack kids dancing.
Masc Pride
Awww, I love all my fans.
@Scribe38: Hey victim! Where did I say anything about kids or any specific individual?
Kieran
Russia’s got TALENT.
Bigboaster
Captain is not an LA based choreographer, he is based in NYC
Bigboaster
@Bigboaster: Dashaun. Not captain, damn auto correct
Bigboaster
@Masc Pride: there is lot if skill required in voguing and a simp like you would never understand the creativity and diversity of vogue
bottom250
I am so in tears watching this my lovelies. It reminds me of me when I was his age. I hope he will be ok while growing up in Russia. I fear for him.
1EqualityUSA
It reminds me of an old joke. What do you call a Russian orchestra after it visits the United Staes? A string quartet.
Philigree
@Masc Pride: i don’t have to look at vogue to get a better understanding of the mentally challenged, girl. people like you already exist. now why don’t you hold hands with your soul sister, brian, and go frolic in a ditch somewhere before you two give us cooties.
JessPH
Weeeerq
bottom250
@Masc Pride: Sweetheart you are just very mean. Honey, you should empower your fellow gay men not put them down.
Masc Pride
@Tracy Pope: Sorry, don’t know the whole history behind voguing. And I’d like to keep it that way, so please don’t bother to reply back with any info on it. You’re entitled to your perception of me.
@Bigboaster: Thank God! Do you still vogue around like a Night at the Roxbury extra?
@Philigree: Exactly. You have to look at the mentally challenged to get a better understanding of the vogue.
@bottom250: Need a Kleenex? Talking about a dance is not putting anyone down. If only you were as literate as you are sensitive…
ereiamj.h.
Three words … Fab U Lous!
Scribe38
@Masc Pride: Of all the beautiful gay souls lost to gay bashing, suicide, and homophobic regimes we get left with you; the dude who would toss other gay men off the roof if it would save his own ass.
Masc Pride
Vogue it off, Scribe, vogue it off.
Franklin
I am loving his death drops! To think that something like this that started in the black gay balls of New York has now spread world wide. It’s amazing.
@Masc Pride: Should have been left in the 90’s huh? It’s been around way longer than that, but then again, I forgot the rule is stuff doesn’t exist until white people discover it.
EquesNiger
I have strongly ambivalent feelings about this.
It’s clear the guy is having a blast expressing himself, and has a real talent in movement.
However, whether he is eventually LGBT identifying or not, Russia isn’t a place to flaunt this stuff, as others have pointed out.
Frankly, it would be more than a bit irresponsible for Dashaun to teach the kid this without understanding the context, and without adding some subsequent flavor where necessary, which I am hoping occurred for the kid’s sake.
Yeah, Russia needs to change its attitude – but that’s a cross for the mature community there to bear.