Hello my darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, and this month, my magic tutu has whisked me off to August 2011. Fancy! Let's get straight into it, shall we?
2011: A Year of Draggy Delights!
Remember the time everyone was obsessed with that pop song with the catchy tune "We Found Love" and that dance craze? Yes! August 2011 was the height of all things "Call Me Maybe", but we're not here to talk about pop culture, darlings. We're here to talk about the glorious world of drag.
And boy, was drag hot that month! There was something for every taste! In New York City, there was a fierce Drag Race finale for the first season (how quaint, just one season then!) and the legendary RuPaul was busy filming Season 3, as I understand it, in Los Angeles.
But you know me, my darlings, I crave those "local scene" drag shows! The ones where you feel the magic of the small venue and the rawness of real talent. So, imagine my delight as I find myself whisked to the fabulous Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London. This fabulous space had, even then, a reputation for hosting groundbreaking shows and featuring pioneering drag artists. My tutu was ready to twirl amongst those London beauties. I tell you, the energy in the room was absolutely electric!
From Derbyshire to Drag:
You may be wondering, darlings, why I, a girl from Derbyshire with a heart of gold and a passion for sequins, have decided to dedicate my life to this crazy, fabulous time travel! Well, you know how it is. From a very young age, I'd dreamt of twirling around on a stage in my sparkly tutu, inspiring laughter, joy and a whole heap of love!
You know, when I started, "Drag Queen" was not the familiar word we know today. I can't recall seeing the word "Drag" even used to describe the queens themselves, in any publications (not even glossy mags) in my neck of the woods, even though there was an amazing drag scene in Derby, albeit not at a mainstream level, thank the universe for those underground scenes. But I just knew there was more, and I just had this gut feeling about the magic of drag - I knew it was just the beginning!
So I practiced, perfected my routine, bought up more and more tutus in shades of pink (who knew there could be so many!), started doing some small drag performances for charity - then the time-travel tutu just appeared. A bit like, well, magic!
From Drag Show to Time Machine:
Of course, time travel is tricky, my darlings. It's not all sequins and glitter. I have to juggle my finances. So what do you do when you are passionate about time-travelling but need money for, you know, tutus, travel, and sparkly accessories? Why, I use my incredible drag talents, obviously! I am the "Time Travelling Tutu Princess" - performing my glamorous acts and my fab, fab ballet routines! A big thank you to my Derbyshire fans, you've helped me reach new heights and it all comes from my performances! I've even opened up a drag school, teaching others to express their inner sparkly diva. And with the money I earn from performances, I can fund my amazing time travelling journeys!
Now, back to August 2011, you really couldn't not have a fabulous time during that month in the drag world, honestly!
Drag-tastic Discoveries of August 2011:
As you know, my loves, my tutu and I are always on the lookout for the best shows, so here’s what stood out in August 2011.
- "Drag Race: Season One" - New York City, New York: Imagine my surprise to see the Drag Race season one finale taking place! They are already so confident in their drag looks, their performances are incredible and there was so much to look forward to. This year was also a special year, because that was the first season that featured queens in a fierce ball challenge and... who didn't love a lip-syncing battle with queens fighting for the coveted "Miss Congeniality" title? We've come a long way since those days. You see, this whole reality drag series thing was all rather new, and everyone seemed surprised, at the time, by the levels of talent! Who could forget those fierce looks? And of course, the beautiful Raja, who brought home the crown! (Oh, to see what these queens have accomplished today... )
- London's Vauxhall Tavern: What can I say about this scene? My heart is just so happy about what’s happening there! Imagine, a "Drag Superheroes" night! It's the ultimate combination: superpowers and beautiful fabulous drag looks... just pure joy for any drag lover! I was surrounded by beautiful queens of all ages and I just couldn't stop twirling with my Tutu! It was the most colourful event, I have seen in a long time! (What could be better than a glitter-filled superhero in drag, tell me? That’s exactly why I am so proud to share my time travel experiences and hopefully inspire you all to express yourselves as you truly wish!)
- International Drag Scene: Spreading the Love: The world was experiencing some big events. I remember the excitement building for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - Drag was making its way across the UK, showing the world the powerful beauty of the drag scene, and inspiring young performers from Edinburgh all the way to Derry! And then in San Francisco - the biggest queer party, “Sinner,” a massive event filled with fabulousness. How I wish I could experience it today!
You see my darlings, my pink time-travelling tutu has truly taught me, in this very short span of history, how amazingly powerful drag can be! It truly is the great unifier of humanity: A joyful celebration of all that is fierce, sparkly, and a lot of fabulous, fabulous FUN!
Spread the Pink Tutu Love:
So there you have it, my darlings! Another amazing month in our drag-tastic history journey. Don’t forget to tell me what you think and your experiences of 2011! Do let me know what I have missed and I can't wait for my next time-travel adventure! Remember, let’s all share the joy of expression, celebrating drag everywhere, and get everyone wearing pink tutus, like I am! You go girl! You can be a queen, you are a queen! (Just wear pink... for extra fierce!). And always, don't forget to spread the love, especially on a Tuesday!
Catch you next month, lovelies! Stay safe and stylish.
Lots of love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
