Willi Ninja

Willi Ninja demonstrating [[Vogue (dance)|vogue]] style of dance in the film ''[[Paris Is Burning (film)|Paris Is Burning]]'' (1990) William Roscoe Leake (April 12, 1961 – September 2, 2006), better known as Willi Ninja, was an American dancer and choreographer known for his appearance in the documentary film ''Paris Is Burning''.

Ninja specialized in voguing and was a fixture of ball culture at Harlem's drag balls who took inspiration from sources as far-flung as Fred Astaire and the world of haute couture to develop a style of dance and movement. He caught the attention of ''Paris Is Burning'' director Jennie Livingston. The film served as a springboard for Ninja. He parlayed his appearance into performances with a number of dance troupes and choreography gigs.

In 1989, Ninja starred in the music video for Malcolm McLaren's song "Deep in Vogue", which sampled the then-unfinished movie.

Ninja was a member of the LGBT community who died of AIDS complications in 2006. Provided by Wikipedia
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  1. 1
    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    Santa Monica, Calif. : Distributed by Lionsgate, 2005
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    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    Santa Monica, Calif. : Distributed by Lionsgate, 2005
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    Format: Video

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  3. 3
    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    [New York, New York] : Off White Productions, Inc., 1990
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    Format: Electronic Conference Proceeding Video
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  4. 4
    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    [New York, New York] : The Criterion Collection : Janus Films, 2020
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  5. 5
    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    [New York, New York] : The Criterion Collection : Janus Films, 2020
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    Format: Electronic Conference Proceeding Video
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  6. 6
    Paris is burning

    Paris is burning

    Santa Monica, Calif. : Lionsgate, 2012
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    Format: Video

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