The show’s most exuberant moments take place at balls, where members of houses, or chosen families, dress up and walk (compete) for trophies in categories like Royalty, Military and Executive Realness. To be real is to pass for a member of the wealthy, white, heterosexual society from which contestants are excluded — to look as if they could walk right in.

It’s this subculture that gave rise to vogueing, a now thoroughly popularized and globally practiced dance form. Drawing its early inspiration from fashion models — and its name from the magazine — the style emerged as a kind of pantomimic combat performed at balls. As the vogueing pioneer Willi Ninja, the founder of the House of Ninja, says in “Paris Is Burning,” “Vogueing is like a safe form of throwing shade.”

“Pose” has been heralded for its largely L.G.B.T. cast, crew and creative team, which includes five transgender actors in central roles. Also to be celebrated: the number of actors and dancers from the current ballroom scene. Danielle Polanco, who choreographed the ball and pier segments with Leiomy Maldonado (also known as the Wonder Woman of Vogue), said they made a point of hiring dancers acquainted with that world.

“All we need is real, authentic ballroom — generic doesn’t fit with this show,” said Ms. Polanco, formerly a mother of the House of Ninja. “We need people who really respect the culture, because if you don’t respect it, you can’t play it, you know?” To remain true to the period, she said, she turned to ballroom veterans like Hector Xtravaganza, Freddie Pendavis and Sol Williams, who were on set as consultants.