"Some preserve history. Others become it."
Few figures have shaped the legacy of ballroom as profoundly as Jeffrey Kiddie Liddah Rodeo LaBeija. In May 2025, he was officially deemed Icon for Leadership and Ballroom Historic Impact, a long-overdue honor for a pioneer whose 35+ year journey has bridged regions, generations, and cultural movements.

Jeffrey began walking balls in 1987, first in Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA, during an era when the ballroom scene was still finding its structure outside of New York City. With signature flair and discipline, he walked and won in categories like Schoolboy Realness, Old Way Performance, and Labels & Footwear, competing and taking grand prizes across both coasts during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.

But his most transformative legacy would emerge off the floor. In 1996, he became a Founding Father of the House of Rodeo, one of the first ballroom houses to anchor itself on the West Coast. This moment was a cornerstone in the expansion of ballroom culture, setting the tone for decades of community-building and cultural preservation west of the Hudson.

As Global Overall Overseer of the Royal House of LaBeija, the very first house in ballroom history, Jeffrey ushered in a new chapter of revitalization and protection. His visionary leadership helped guide LaBeija into the future while honoring its founding spirit. In 2021, he made history by securing the first-ever federal trademark for a ballroom house, protecting not just a name—but a legacy.

And in 2025, his leadership culminated in the unveiling of the Crystal LaBeija Monument at the Museum of the City of New York—the first public statue honoring a ballroom icon. What once lived in whispers and oral tradition now stands carved in stone, thanks in no small part to Jeffrey’s tireless vision.

His top defining moments include:
✨ Founding the House of Rodeo (1996), a milestone in West Coast ballroom history
✨ Winning Grand Prize in Schoolboy Realness at the 1997 West Coast Legends Ball
✨ Launching LaBeija Productions in 2019 to archive and amplify ballroom stories
✨ Securing the federal trademark for the Royal House of LaBeija (2021)
✨ Producing the Crystal LaBeija Monument Initiative (2025), forever altering how ballroom is recognized in public memory

Beyond the trophies and titles, Jeffrey has served as a mentor, producer, strategist, and protector of culture. From HIV advocacy and LGBTQ youth support to consulting on major media platforms like PBS, BET, and ABC, he has ensured that ballroom stories are told by us and for us—never diluted, never erased.

This honor, presented in New York City by Pioneer Junior LaBeija, Icon Chris LaBeija, Icon Duke Gorgeous Gucci, and Icon JJ Mizrahi, is not just recognition—it’s restoration. It is proof that consistency, humility, and vision do not go unnoticed, even if they often go unsung.

Jeffrey LaBeija, you are not just an Icon—you are an architect of our future.
Your work is not behind us. It surrounds us.
We walk through the legacy you built every single day. 👑