| Vocab | Definition |
|---|---|
| The Ball | An event where competitors face off against their rival houses for money and glory. |
| Battle | When a performer challenges another in and out of the ball. |
| Butch Queen | A gay man. Performance categories with this description are usually for cis-gendered gay men only. |
| Butch Queen in Drag | A gay man who's presenting a female illusion. This description is used for categories in balls for men who dress in drag. |
| Category | Categories are created based on various themes, skills, and techniques. Some are open to all performers to compete in, depending on the type of ball. (Kiki balls are known to sometimes have open categories). |
| Chants | Clever rhymes and raps used to hype up a performance. Some of the most legendary MCs use a unique mix of references and word play over a house beat to create the soundtrack for the battle. |
| Chopped | To be eliminated in a ball as a contestant. Judges will often say "Thank you, but that's a chop". |
| Clocked | To be called out or have emphasis put on something you're wearing or doing (ie. "I'm glad you clocked Tasha for that hair. It looked terrible"). |
| Effect | A prop or set of items that maximizes the impact of your visual performance. These vary depending on your aesthetic or the category you're walking. |
| Femme Queen | A trans woman. Categories with this description are for trans women only. |
| Legendary Children | Up-and-coming ballroom community members. |
| Live | Immense joy or excitment (ie. "I am living for this performance!") |
| Open To All (OTA) | A category that is not restricted by gender or body. These can however still have requirements such as costume, props, or a theme. |
| Ovah | A version of the word "over", usually used in a positive way to describe excellence. |