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“A landmark documentary...delineates how virtuosity becomes identity”
- Debra Cash, NPR/WBUR

Willi Ninja

Review (NPR/WBUR)

05/09/11

Other observers have been able to convey hip hop and house dance's enviable virtuosity. But it has took Sally's Sommer's patient commitment to delineate the way virtuosity becomes identity.

NPR/WBUR

Published: May 9, 2001

"Check Your Body at the Door - Rough Cut (54 minutes) Film"
Review by Debra Cash

Review (The New York Times)

02/03/11

This glorious coming together occurred on the opening day of “Body Madness,” the latest installment of Danspace Project’s Platform series (and the first to have Judy Hussie-Taylor, Danspace’s executive director, as the curator). It began Thursday night with “voix de ville,” an evening created by Cori Olinghouse and featuring “Elements of Vogue,” a too-short appearance by Archie Burnett and Javier Ninja. Both men are New York club royalty

THE NEW YORK TIMES
Dance

Published: February 4, 2011

"It's Vaudeville Without the Tomatoes"
By Claudia LaRocco

On the first day, the House of Ninja visited the house of worship. And the people in St. Mark’s Church saw that it was good.

June 16-17 1995

Dancers
June 16-17 1995
06/15/95

Willi Ninja performs with Doug Elkins Dance Company

May 5-6 1995

CYB Project & Film
Dancers
May 5-6 1995
05/01/95

National Students Association of Vienna presents "New York meets Vienna" Club Dance and Street Styles Performance and Party in Vienna, Austria.  Sally Sommer and dancers attend with DJ Lil' Louie Vega.

1995

CYB Project & Film
Dancers
1995
05/15/95

Falter (German Newspaper) 'Breakdance Zu Death Metal' features photo of Willi Ninja.

Winter 1994/1995

Winter 1994/1995
12/01/94

Photo Shoot for Dance Ink featuring Asia Moon, Archie Burnett, Barbara Tucker, Bravo LaFortune and Willi Ninja.

1994

CYB Project & Film
Dancers
1994
07/01/94

Willi Ninja featured in the Tallahasse Local Democrat newspaper.

1989

The Scene
Dancers
1989
01/01/89

Sally meets Willi Ninja at an event for PBS special "Everybody Dance Now."

Willi Ninja (William Leake, b.1961- d.2006), the Legendary Vogue dancer, helped focus attention on Vogueing when he was featured in Jennie Livingston’s documentary, Paris is Burning (1991).