In a city full of talent and competitiveness people are always going to want to change their scenery in order to feel comfortable and stronger in whatever they do best. Miamians are capable of leaving their city behind in order to be that someone who they yearn to be, but they always come back. If Miamians were willing to leave their own city, wouldn’t they be willing to leave a club, a fraternity, an extra curricular activity, or a hobby? If that someone is in the ballroom scene wouldn’t they be willing to leave their house for any minor problem they could have worked out? If they felt they were given more life in another house wouldn’t that type of person want to switch houses? How loyal are people to their house? Does loyalty effect how a house develops and succeeds on the runway? All of these questions pop up into your head when you are a parent in a house, because of course you do not want anyone from your house leaving to another house. However, there are pros as well as cons on the issue of people going from house to house. How much does the act of house hopping affect the houses and the scene in general?

“Some parents let anyone and everyone in their house, so long as they bring a trophy home and their house grows bigger….it is up to you to know what kind of people you are letting in your house….” Oso Infiniti

It is difficult to see the problem for what it is. People switch houses because they are unhappy in their current house, because of a personal problem that was eventually going to hit the fan, or have actually hit the fan already. People switch houses because all of their friends are in the House of XYZ, because they do not like how their house is governed, because they receive more life in another house, or because other parents promise a glorious “opportunity” in their house, or because they are promised a higher position in another house. People leave their house for various reasons, some reasons more scandalous than others.

Parents who I call Chi-Snats (Children Snatchers) have a lot to do with Those Who Hop. House hoppers can be easily influenced, especially when they are in search of that something we call L.I.F.E. If they do not receive it in House A, they will go to House B where the Chi-Snat has promised that L.I.F.E! I respect those parents who bring someone into this scene, and help him or her become a star/statement from scratch. If a parent takes a house hopper how do you know how loyal that person can be in your house? As house parents we need to be sure of the people we let in our houses. I have witnessed instances where people tell all the leaders of a house “I am taking time off from the scene because I need to concentrate on school and work…” and right after they HOP in their cars and go on their way to The House of ABC’s meeting. Loyal? As a parent I believe that if a house hopper comes to you and asks you to be in your house a parent should most definitely contact that person’s former house parents and ask for reference, if the individual is not known well to you. The reason they left their former house should most definitely influence the decision on weather that child should join your house, not the amount of trophies. Does that child cause drama within their peers? Does that queen sleep around with EVERYBODY? Does that house queen steel from others? Does that house queen like to run his or her mouth about confidential issues that should stay within your house meetings and/or members?

Does the child get messy at the club and chug about 15 drinks at The Coliseum? Does that person try to bring people down with him/her? WHY DID THE QUEEN GET CHOPPED? Some parents let anyone and everyone in their house, so long as they bring a trophy home and their house grows bigger. Some people, especially the Chi-Snats, do not understand how important it is up to you to know what kind of people you are letting in your house. One small drama can separate a tight family that is successful on the runway, and its sad to see that happen. It is also sad to see parents trying to snatch children from other houses. If it doesn’t belong to you, then do not touch it. Bring NEW people into the scene; In the long run that will make your house unique and intriguing when you have kids who no one knows slaying at balls. Everyone will soon flock to your house and will want to get to know your kids. Who is that BQ eating the BQ Face category at every ball? Who’s that sickening child eating Bizarre? Who? Who? Who? Those comments sound better than “Oh that’s Queen X from the House of ABC. He was a Blahnik in 2003, an Infiniti in 2002, a Revlon in 2001, and a Prestige in 2000.”

This issue gets more complicated or humorous as some may say, when you have a parent leave a house to join ANOTHER HOUSE. I have seen this happen in many instances, not only in my house and in my Miami but throughout the entire nation as well. Not only does this pertain to children, but to parents as well: if they leave your house, let them leave. If they want to leave and you are fond of that person you should let him or her go when they want to leave. If they return then it was meant to be. If they never return then you know that he/she was never a true member of your house, especially if one of the parents left to be a child in another house. Now, how do we expect the children to refrain from being house hoppers and to be loyal to our houses when we have mothers, fathers, acting-mothers, and acting-fathers leaving to other houses as well and/or being Chi-Snats! How can we stop this epidemic from happening when the leaders of the scene are the ones creating the nasty trend?

When someone who enters the scene sees this happen, they think of the scene as a joke. Your life should never revolve around the ballroom scene. It is a hobby, but it is definitely not a joke!

The effect of house hopping has its positive ends, believe it or not. If it were not for house hoppers the scene would not be as large as it is now. People leave their houses, form new ones, then recruit other new and up & coming members. That new house may become very successful and have an impact on the scene in that particular city. Others leave to another house where they may actually shine more or can get better moral support rather than training for a specific category. It is amusing when someone leaves your house and you battle him or her on the runway, especially when you beat him or her. It makes the game of the scene a lot more entertaining when you know you will be coming for a former house brother/sister. Don’t instances like these make you think “DAMN I ATE…AND I’M STILL HUNGRY!” However, sometimes when it is a dear friend, the feeling of uncomfortable ness may rise but you can soon get over it! If your dear friend is the same with you after you are in different houses, then you know that the person was a REAL friend. If they stop calling… girl, you know what’s up!

Apparently the House-hopping Moral Scale signalizes that the cons weight A LOT more than the pros. Those Who Hop can leave scars behind for mothers and fathers who TRULY care, for those leaders who really put their all into their house. For those parents who hurt when their kids hop: you need to realize that for a ballroom scene in this world: kids will come, and kids will go. Love the ones that hold on to you, hold on to them tight. Parents, you also need to know that as soon as you let go, a child will let go as well.

Why hold on to a house when the parent isn’t holding tight as well? People leave houses for those reasons too! BUT, if you are a true member of your house, you will bring the problems of your house to the surface; confront your house parents just like you confront your real parents. If you feel a parent is not doing something that they should be doing, let them know. Never hold anything inside. If you leave your house than evidently it was not worth it for you to try to fix the particular problem. It is important though, to understand that House Hoppers are insecure of themselves. If there’s a problem in your house, then try to fix it even if you are just a child. Maybe your actions in a problem solving case can make YOU an up & coming parent. If you don’t take action then you are most likely insecure of your house, your peers, and even yourself. House Hoppers want a title sooner than they’ve earned it. They want to walk Grand Marches and what not, rather than work like others in the ballroom scene have.