DEVELOPING STORY -- Willi Ninja, a legendary figure in the ballroom community and a star of the groundbreaking 1990 film "Paris Is Burning," has passed away. He was 45 years old. "As a friend and someone who loved him very much for all he has given us, I am really sad to write that Willi passed away this morning," Emanuel Xavier wrote on his myspace blog today.

We learned in July that Willi was hospitalized and near death. Xavier reports that when he saw Willi last Monday, he had a very high fever. "He listened and held my hand as I read the poem 'Legendary' to him from the Latex Ball program since he couldn't be at the event," Xavier reported. "We spoke over the phone on Thursday and I promised to visit him after the camping trip I never took this weekend. At least I got to tell him how much I loved him before hanging up."

"Willi had created quite a name for himself," Jasmyne Cannick wrote in a blog tribute. He will always be remembered by me as one of a kind, fierce, and fabulous." Makeupbeat.com called him "the godfather of vogueing."

Willi's presence in Paris Is Burning helped introduce students to "notions of sexuality that they had no idea ever existed," according to one blog "It's always sad when pioneers pass away," according to the Terrence Says blog. "We all come here to leave a mark on the world and Willie Ninja certainly left his," said Terrence. "Words will never convey what a great loss this is to not only the ballroom community but to his many house members past and present and his family and friends,"

Bless him.

And what a wonderful name he had.

Before Madonna came out with VOGUE. Willi was in a video called DEEP IN VOGUE by Malcolm McClaren. Great song!

INTRODUCING LOURDES & WILLIE NINJA
This has got to be a special tribute to the houses of New York
Le Beija, Extravaganza, Magnifique, St. Laurent, Omni, Ebony, Dupree.
In my black tights just throwing shade
Doing this dance that some queen made
I remember the first time I saw it,
Told my brother to put me up on it,
It wasnt easy no 1, 2, 3
Took a long time to learn to feel free
But here I am Vogueing pretty
In some club deep in this city
Deep in Vogue, Deep in Vogue
Imagine runway modelling, in freeze frame
At the ball thats what they call Vogueing
Vogueing is a challenge dance
Instead of fighting you take it out on the dance floor
10!, 10!, 10!, 10!, 10!, 10!, are there anymore!
Sometimes on a legendary night
Like the closing of the ԧarage
When the crowd is calling down the spirits
Listen, and you will hear all the houses that walked there before*
Deep in Vogue, Deep in Vogue
The House of Extravaganza the House of Dupree
Who the hell are they?
Theyre nobody, except when theyre in that little ballroom

M
[Edited 9/5/06 8:57am]

Oh, man! What a loss. Willi was awesome!

It's so sad to see the old guard all die out. Pepper Labeija, many of the Extravaganzas and renowned "children" from other houses and now Willi.

I know it may be passé, but I still think vogueing is incredible! If there was a more concerted effort in the ballroom culture to keep the form visible and genuine -- not just seasonally exploited -- I think it could reach a level of longterm respectability alongside other dance forms.
[Edited 9/5/06 17:35pm]

OMFG Nooooo, when i danced at the Underground Network at Sound Factory bar,Willi was always there cheering us on and hanging around Louie Vega's Booth. us, the Braid Sisters,Don welch, and Ms Tucker are deeply saddened by this. Rip Willi.

Finess said:

Hey boy, you know how jealous I am of you not only because you knew Willi but because you were there during the golden age of House music.

My friend Leslie also knew Willi.


M

MIGUELGOMEZ said:[quote]

Finess said:

Hey boy, you know how jealous I am of you not only because you knew Willi but because you were there during the golden age of House music.

My friend Leslie also knew Willi.


M[/quote

shit, my old hotmail account that i had for 10 years was blowing up OMG willi's gone i would suggest all us kids get to gether and watch "Paris is Burning", shit i wanna do a house mix in tribute for willi, but "yousendit" links are not allowed as per what his face..
[Edited 9/5/06 11:40am]

OH NO!! I can't believe this...beautiful Willi... I hope you didn't suffer and you kept your dignity to the end.