On April 13, 2019, ballroom artists staged an epic ball competition at the George Peabody Library. Each performance category was based on books and manuscripts from the Library’s historic collection. The event, which drew guests and performers from as far away as New York and Paris, was the culmination of months of collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries, the Peabody BFA Dance Program, the Johns Hopkins Film and Media Studies MA program, and an Advisory Board made up of Icons and Legends in Baltimore’s ballroom scene.

On May 21, 2022, the second ballroom competition was held. Ballroom artists competed in an invite-only showcase at the George Peabody Library. Artists performed in categories designed specifically for the event, each based on rare books and manuscripts from the George Peabody Library’s historic collection. Because of Johns Hopkins University capacity limits during the COVID-19 pandemic, the planning committee organized an invite-only showcase, inviting 32 performers from the East Coast to compete in six categories, each inspired by books and manuscripts related to black literature, arts, and history.