D.R.A.G. 101- Who Are You?

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Let us take a trip off the beaten track, this section is not included in the mini manual but I thought it may be helpful in relation to the Stage Performance post.
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It can take years to master the art and in this industry you will find there are a few basic types of performers, meeting and understanding these types may help you find your personal style:

The Pop Princess:
Looks perfect singing the popular top forty charts and emulating the movements of the professionals. This works and does make a lot of money, however in this case dance knowledge and choreography is extremely important and one of the hardest aspects to teach, you either have it or you learn it from professionals. I recommend that if you really want to look good you spend the money and pay a choreographer to teach you the basic moves and use these to built a repertoire of pop-like moves.

The Impersonator:
Spends hours watching old footage of the greats, mimicking movements and channeling characters. These are some of the greatest drag performers taking years of keen observation and dedication to master this art. If you wish to peruse this avenue keep in mind when researching its in the tiny human flaws, a smile, a squint, the way a mouth moves on a specific word, the little nuances and not overplaying the character that make a great impersonator. (i.e. Canadian performer Craig Russell)

The Comedian:
Generally found hosting, she is naturally witty and sharp tongued; she spends hours even weeks before a show writing material. Comedy is a majority of the entertainment drag queens provide however the comedian is and able to play off the audience quickly which is what keeps her in demand. If our not a size two you’re probably funny, most of the times this isn't enough. Start by writing personal experiences, build from feedback and don't be afraid to get it wrong.

The Realistic:
Naturally beautiful, she is perfectly real looking in most cases able to pass as female with little effort. Many believe they are but little can be said about the true enigma, these can be the highest paid performers. You either have it or you don’t, you cannot fake the realistic without surgery, and even then most people can tell.

The above, an observation of degrees and talents, are by no means a cut and dry segregation, you may not fit into any of these molds, most performers are some combination of the above but there are some that are just naturally great performers and do not fit into any category. The comedian however does touch on a very important aspect of Hosting. (this will be covered in detail by clicking the "Hosting" post label if available)

D.R.A.G. 101 - Verbal Illusion

The term ‘Lip sync’ is by now more than synonymous with the art of drag performance. However, as with all art, an artist must evolve beyond the standard to demonstrate true talent, humor and emotion to be taken seriously. Our job as drag queens of the world will be to take a look at your aptitude and apply your talents to the success of your performance we should be able to locate and demonstrate expression without the use of spoken word. There is no science to being on a stage; yet by using our best judgment to differentiate between what works and what doesn’t, we are better able to understand how the stage works to reflect our best assets. People ask why I call Drag "lip sync" Verbal Illusion? Think about it this way:

il·lu·sion (ĭ-lū'zhən) noun: a distortion of a sensory perception.

Verbal Illusion is the art of matching and conveying emotion and indignation, in your face and body, which will match the vocal lyrics and expression of the “original artist”. Each of the human senses can be deceived by illusions, but visual illusions are the visual and auditory illusions are most common. In Verbal Illusion I have combined both Auditory and Visual illusion. We do not perform lip sync, due to the stigma attached to its referral being loose and sloppy mime of actual events. A true Drag Queen is able to convey that an audio or sound clip is functioning fluidly through them and hence a visual and verbal illusion. No matter how long you rehearse or how many songs you can memorize, it’s the emotion you are able to convey behind the words which makes up the art of Verbal Illusion.