Description
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 and had AIDS, which he died of in 2006.
