CUSTOMARY FOLKLORE

The Ritual of Performance

The Drag scene is centered around the ritual of the show. Drag is done almost exclusively as a performance and is reliant on an audience-performer interaction.

The ritual is framed in physical contexts by the venue, usually a bar or club. The two most common times for a show are a late morning brunch or an evening show. A growing locale for drag performances is the drag queen storytime, held commonly in public libraries for children.

There is usually a stage or open floor space reserved for performers who may step out of this prescribed location and meander through the crowd.

In the context of time, drag show hosts and emcees run the show, framing the beginning and ending of each performance and the show at large. A DJ will frame the individual numbers with music that the performer often lip-syncs to. Drag artists may also dance or sing live.

Another form of customary folklore in the drag scene is the tradition of special dances, taken from Ballroom Vogue. It is made up of give core elements: hand/arm movement, floor performance, catwalk, duckwalk, and dips (commonly known as death drops)

Audience participation is crucial to the ritual, with tipping and cheering customary for each number. Some audiences only tip the numbers they enjoy, while others are more generous and find it customary to tip each song regardless of personal opinion of the individual performance.

CUSTOMARY FOLKLORE

In the context of time, drag show hosts and emcees run the show, framing the beginning and ending of each performance and the show at large. A DJ will frame the individual numbers with music that the performer often lip-syncs to. Drag artists may also dance or sing live.

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Another form of customary folklore in the drag scene is the tradition of special dances, taken from Ballroom Vogue. It is made up of give core elements: hand/arm movement, floor performance, catwalk, duckwalk, and dips (commonly known as death drops)

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Audience participation is crucial to the ritual, with tipping and cheering customary for each number. Some audiences only tip the numbers they enjoy, while others are more generous and find it customary to tip each song regardless of personal opinion of the individual performance.