Halloween landing on a Monday is never fun… but this year, we had a ball! The OTA x TENz Halloween Edition at Brooklyn’s 3 Dollar Bill drew more than 900 attendees, including Ballroom’s Legends, Statements, and Stars, for a packed night of costumes, categories, and fierce competition.
Photos by Lafotographeuse Studio
The night kicked off with a TENz curated pre-show hosted by Madame 007, with performances by RuPaul’s Drag Race star Aja (House of LaBeija), Two Potato & Escuelita veteran Jasmin Van Wales, and DJ set by Dick Appointment’s Kenni Javon.
Highlights included the coveted Best Halloween Costume, which awarded a $500 grand prize, and the popular Sexy Halloween Costume competition.
The categories for the evening demanded commitment, requiring all contestants to arrive in full costume, with powerhouse commentator Kevin JZ recently known for their as the voice of the RENAISSANCE tour, and Byrell The Great pumping the beats.
Specialized categories like Hand Performance, Commentator vs Commentator, First Time in Drag, Face and Performance – With a Prop ensured that every element of the ballroom culture was represented with a spooky twist.
Speaking on the unique convergence, Aja reflected on why the night felt so special: “Halloween isn’t just a holiday; it’s the one night a year where the drag and ballroom worlds collide naturally.
Everyone’s in costume, everyone’s competing, and the fantasy we create year-round finally spills onto the streets and onto the floor. It’s pure, beautiful chaos.” The OTA x TENZ Halloween Edition truly shut it down, leaving ball-goers already anticipating next year’s legendary return.
