Article by Vrydon Paul Photo by Vrydon Paul
On Thursday, April 3, at 7 p.m., the Drag Troupe of St. Cloud State University hosted “Cirque du Drag,” the theme for their once-a-semester drag show. The performance shows off the moves they learned throughout the semester during their meetings.
Drag is a form of self-expression that plays on gender stereotypes.
The show was split into three acts, with around four dances representing each category. The artists danced to songs that matched their personalities, even bringing the dance into the crowd.
I caught up with the performer and president of the Drag Troupe Ryzen Shine, and talked about the circus theme.
“Each semester, we try to host one of these performances, and everybody gets a chance to vote on the themes,” said Shine. “We’ve always wanted to do a circus performance.”
Why drag show participants perform could be for many reasons, like getting a chance to express themselves without people knowing who they are, Shine said.
“It [drag] is a way to express myself in ways that I usually don’t. I can be very outgoing and crazy, which I’m not outside of the performance.”
Drag performers tend to choose different personalities while on stage, which can help them get all their anxieties about being on stage to disappear.
Shine said she gets the chance to adopt a different persona on stage, depending heavily on which kind of song she is doing, whether a more masculine or crazy one.
The Drag Troupe of St. Cloud State University offers students a chance to learn throughout the semester.
“The Drag Troupe is one of the very few openly queer clubs on campus that gives that community an inclusive place,” Shine said. “We give weekly lessons in the Atwood Ballroom, which can include boosting your confidence on stage, putting on stage makeup, and even craft nights.”
The Drag Troupe of St. Cloud State University is more than a drag performance group; it is an organization that helps promote LGBTQ+ voices.
Learn more about the Drag Troupe of St. Cloud State University on Huskies Connect.
https://huskiesconnect.stcloudstate.edu/organization/dragtroupeofscsu
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