Queens and Queers
Written by Elijah Ilkay and Rosie Curwood
In the late 60s and early 70s, Black and Latinx gay, trans, and queer people made “Houseballs,” a place that allowed these queens to express themselves freely. House balls and drag intersect as both celebrate gender performance and self-expression; without Ballroom, drag wouldn't be here today.
Ballroom culture shaped the way drag is performed today. Without the many Black, Latinx, trans, and gay people, LGBTQ culture would forever be changed. As the article “Van Vogue Jam” explains, in ballroom culture, people would lip-sync, perform, and model in multiple categories, or “walk.” There would be judges who would rate their performance on a scale of 1-10, judging them on appearance and whether they fit the category.
The drag show at IAA took place at the Phoenix Theater on March 8 at 7:30 p.m., a well-known performance venue on campus. Interlochen students showed off their performing and lip-syncing skills in drag.
Rueby Wood, a senior Musical Theater major, said, “My favorite part of the drag show is all the work of making a number come to life; I also loved getting out of drag! Drag has been a form of expression. and is a form of higher expression, I loved to prance around for a night!” He then commented, “My favorite drag queens include Trixie Mattel, Katya, Bianca del Rio, Alyssa Edwards, and Naomi Smalls!”
Ajaie Ells, a senior Musical Theater major, said, “My favorite part of the drag show is the transformation. Being able to let go of who I am and express a hyper-feminine exaggeration of gender roles. Drag means what I just said, in a way of making fun of the fact that gender is a performance in this society. But I feel like it has to be purposeful when it comes to drag. Like you're purposefully going in the opposite direction of what you’ve been groomed to express for most of your life.”
When asked about his favorite drag queen, Ells said, “I mean, it has to be RuPaul, he's opened so many doors for people's current drag queens. We wouldn't have this drag following and love in the US if not for her and Divine—she has charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.”
By celebrating our school’s drag show, we do not only honor the performers and everyone that helped out with the show, but most importantly we honor the legacy of ballroom culture and all of the Black and Latinx trans and queer people that fought for us to be here today. Embracing your uniqueness is what keeps this vibrant community alive.