Film Lens
Strike a Pose is a documentary that profiles the dancers from Madonna's 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour. Directed by Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, the film follows the lives of six dancers—Kevin Stea, Carlton Wilborn, Luis Xtravaganza Camacho, Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza, Salim Gauwloos, and Oliver S Crumes III—over a span of 25 years. It addresses their careers in dance, acting, and the personal struggles they faced, including issues related to AIDS, drug use, and homelessness.
The film also touches on the life of Gabriel Trupin, one of the original dancers who passed away from AIDS complications in 1995, and his mother represents him in the film. The documentary includes discussions about the HIV-positive status of some dancers and their decision to keep this information private during the tour. The filmmakers chose not to include Madonna in the film, believing her presence would detract from the dancers' narratives and growth since the tour.
Why Watch
- •Meet the dancers behind Madonna's iconic tour
- •Find out about their lives 25 years later
- •See the impact of AIDS on the dance community
Did You Know
•Gabriel Trupin died from AIDS complications in 1995.
•Gauwloos publicly shared his HIV-positive status for the first time during filming.
•The film received the second place Panorama audience award at the 2016 Berlinale.
Perfect For
Madonna fansLGBTQ+ history enthusiastsDance performance lovers