Leiomy Maldonado

Leiomy Maldonado (born April 28, 1987 ), known as the "Wonder Woman of Vogue", is a transgender Puerto Rican-American dancer, instructor, model, activist, and ballroom dancer. She is the founder of the House of Amazon and is credited with developing a more athletic and dramatic style of voguing in early 2000s New York, including her signature hair flip move, "The Leiomy Lolly". She has said that a mentor there introduced her by giving her a VHS tape: I went home and I put that tape in and I was immediately intrigued by everything about voguing, everything I saw; the energy, the battling, and just the different personalities that you see through every girl that was on the VHS tape. Maldonado cites Ballroom icons Yolanda Jourdan and Alloura Jourdan Zion as her main influences behind her vogue.

Career Television She is the first-ever openly transgender woman to appear on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew Season 4 in 2009, where her crew made it to the top five. After appearing on TV, Maldonado's signature hair flip move, "The Leiomy Lolly", was adopted by musicians and celebrities, such as Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears. While the moves she has created have become known worldwide, credit has not always been given to her as the originator.

Maldonado was the choreographer for the ballroom scenes in Pose and appeared in the show as the character Florida Ferocity.

Maldonado was one of the judges on the HBO Max show Legendary, a dance competition inspired by the world of ballroom. Ten houses competed against each other in weekly vogue battles, with a different theme for each episode. Maldonado appeared as a judge alongside actor Jameela Jamil, celebrity stylist Law Roach, and rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

Music videos Maldonado appeared in Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" music video, doing her signature move. which paid tribute to the 1991 documentary Paris is Burning, and the video of Russian pop singer Philipp Kirkorov "Цвет настроения синий" (Mood colour is blue).

Modeling Maldonado was the star of the Nike "#BeTrue" advertisement, in support of Pride Month 2017; she is only the second transgender athlete to be featured in a Nike video advertisement. She also starred in Black Opal's beauty campaign as their first trans model.

Maldonado has also walked the runway in New York Fashion Week

Stage Maldonado made her Broadway debut as Macavity in CATS: The Jellicle Ball, the 2026 revival of Cats.

Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 2009 America's Best Dance Crew Herself Season 4: Member of Vogue Evolution, 5th place (5 episodes) 2018 My House Herself Guest (1 episode) 2018–2019 Pose Florida Ferocity Recurring role (7 episodes); also Choreographer for show 2020–2022 Legendary Herself Judge