Garland Gravely Founded Roanoke Ballroom House in 2019

The House of Expression provides a chosen family structure and ballroom culture for the Roanoke LGBTQ community.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Dancing

Bold vector editorial illustration of stage curtains and polished floor, evoking the performance culture of an LGBTQ ballroom house. — Garland Gravely founded the House of Expression in 2019, providing a vital community structure for the LGBTQ population in Roanoke. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Garland Gravely established the House of Expression in 2019 to bring ballroom culture to southwest Virginia. The organization serves as a chosen family for LGBTQ individuals who may be estranged from their biological families.

Why it matters

Ballroom houses function as essential support systems, offering shelter and community structure to their members. By founding this house, Gravely aimed to expand access to a culture defined by performance styles like vogueing, catwalk, and the duck walk.

Garland Gravely, 57, founded the House of Expression in 2019. The house members participated in a recent Richmond ball featuring 56 competition categories and a total of $60,000 in cash prizes.

The players

Garland Gravely

The 57-year-old founder of the House of Expression established the organization to foster ballroom culture in southwest Virginia.

Amia Baltazar

A 29-year-old member of the House of Expression who moved to Roanoke in early 2021 and joined the group after meeting Gravely.

The details

Members of the House of Expression utilize stylized dance techniques including vogueing, catwalk, and duck walk. The group recently traveled to Richmond in June 2026, where eight members attended a major ball held at the Main Street train station.

The Park club opened in Roanoke in the 1970s.
Gravely moved to Boston in 1987.
Gravely returned to Roanoke in 2004.
The House of Expression was founded in 2019.
House members attended a ball in Richmond in June 2026.

Culture Shift

The emergence of the House of Expression mirrors the historical evolution of Harlem ballroom culture by transplanting these community structures to southwest Virginia. This development highlights a broader trend of LGBTQ individuals building chosen families and local artistic subcultures outside of major metropolitan hubs.

The House of Expression offers residents of Roanoke a unique avenue for artistic expression and community engagement through ballroom performance. Prospective members can seek support through these chosen family networks while participating in local and regional dance events.

The takeaway

Ballroom houses provide vital social stability and artistic outlets for LGBTQ individuals in smaller communities. Those interested in the culture can explore how these organizations preserve performance traditions like vogueing.