Drag Queens Get Down, To Lift Each Other Up
*Article from Lexington Line Autumn/Winter 2024 Issue, pages 12-15
Check out the full issue here
Monday marks the beginning of the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work week. But for some, those hours are 9 p.m. to 5 a.m
This is the case for the likes of Ambroja Zwaan and the 14 other drag performers who compete to make a name for themselves at “Drag Wars: The Next Generation,” a weekly competition held at Pieces, a gay bar in Greenwich Village.
The competition—hosted every Monday at 10 p.m. by Shequida Hall—features 15 up and-coming drag performers who each have five minutes to showcase their abilities. Hall started her drag career in 1990, and she has grown from managing clubs to performing internationally, working both onstage and off.
Despite where her career has taken her, starting wasn’t easy.
“There were not that many drag queens. And the drag queens that were there never gave up their gigs,” she recalls. “Older queens were very mean to me and not very welcoming.”
As soon as she was given the opportunity, Hall wanted to provide new queens with a space to get their names out in the drag scene.
“I wouldn’t want a new performer to not have the opportunity to show,” she says, “because all you have to do is show people what you can do. Then people can start being like, ‘Oh, I liked her.’”
Eight years later, the show continues to be a success, with a full house and a full roster of queens every Monday.
Competitors change from week to week, with debut performances and returners coming to win the loudest applause and a $200 prize.
Hall likes to separate her own biases from the competition and decides each week’s winner by “whoever the audience was entertained by most.”
“It’s a business,” she explains. “If you can bring in a crowd, and the crowd loves what you are doing, then you are going to be good for the business of that bar or you’re going to be good for the business in general.”
Some have argued that gauging the winner by applause is not fair, as some queens will have friends and family there, skewing the voting in one queen's favor.
“Okay, she has a fan base. That’s what every bar needs to see. If I’m going to book you, I need to know that you can bring in people,” Hall says.
Zwaan is one of the newest queens to enter the competition, having started in June of this year, and has already secured four wins.
Because Hall gives this space for newer queens such as Zwaan to perform, a safe and supportive environment has emerged.
“I’ve been able to garner respect and make friends with the queens who are there consistently,” Zwaan shares. “It’s always a pretty safe space.”
Her typical routine at Drag Wars consists of 2000s and 2010s dance-pop, showcasing her dancing abilities while also highlighting her style and personality. Her song choices make her feel “hot and sexy and confident because Ambroja, as a character, presents as very sexualized, but isn't afraid to be a little goofy.”
Every queen, she says, brings something different to the show.
“Not every drag artist performs the exact same. But luckily, it is a supportive enough space that all types of art are welcomed there,” she says. “It’s fun to see people express themselves in different ways—I like to watch everyone perform so I can become well rounded in the culture.”
While Drag Wars gives new and up-and coming queens a space to perform, learn, and grow as performers, the competition is also a place for these queens to network.
“It's actually about getting people booked in New York and starting their careers,” Hall explains. “Whether you win or lose, there’s always someone in the audience watching. You don’t need to win for some club owner, bar owner, or manager to be like, ‘Oh, I liked her. I want to book her.’ So if you’re stank and nasty and an evil competitor, people see that.”
Performers at Drag Wars frequently become popular and get bookings elsewhere. Hall says it is fulfilling to see many queens who once competed at Drag Wars become iconic contestants in the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise.
Some queens include Season 10 winner Aquaria, Season 13 and All Stars 8 finalist Kandy Muse, Season 14’s Jasmine Kennedy, Season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, and Canada vs. the World Season 2 winner Lemon.
Capitalizing on her kindness, congeniality, dancing abilities, and looks, Zwaan has found opportunities outside of Drag Wars.
“I’ve been able to find so much support and success with not only the people who go to Pieces, but people who go to all of the neighboring bars,” she explains.
Getting started in the drag scene can be daunting. Zwaan advises anyone who is looking to start a career in drag to start with the basics
“Find someone who you find visually appealing and copy what they're doing, and figure out what works and what doesn't work for you aesthetically,” she says. “If you feel connected to it, it's going to inspire you in some way.”
“Don't be afraid to put yourself out there,” she continues. “Don't be afraid to talk to people. Don't be afraid to network. And don't be afraid to ask questions. Chances are, unless people are bitter and insecure, they're going to want to help you.”