A few weeks ago, my friends invited me to the FSU amateur drag show at the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC). The Pride Student Union (PSU), the largest LGBTQ+ organization on campus, prepared the show. I sat down in the theatre, shoveling popcorn into my mouth.
I had high expectations. As a freshman, I had no idea what to expect from the event. I’ve been a lifelong lover of drag. From the bedazzled bodices to the colorful wigs to the frenetic dances, I can’t help but admire the sheer artistry of it.
But drag is more than sprayed bouffant hairdos and bejeweled pumps; it’s a celebration of queerness. Drag creates a space for queer people to gather as their authentic selves—and that’s exactly what the ASLC queer drag show delivered.
The performance was road trip-themed, an homage to landmarks around the world. The Wish You Were Queer: A Country Drag Show was the first event PSU hosted in honor of LGBTQ+ history month, which they celebrate as Pride Month. The performance was a labor of love; many performers crafted their own routines and built their own accessories and props. Hosted by Annita Minette, a Florida State alum and professional drag queen, the performance featured both current students and recent alums.
An interview with dante dahlhaus
Hannah Burda, an FSU alum and drag king under the alias Dante Dahlhaus, spoke with me about the creative process behind their performance. Burda recently graduated from FSU with their bachelor’s in psychology.
Burda’s contribution to Wish You Were Queer consisted of two routines. His first performance referenced the Washington Space Needle. They dawned a space needle headpiece and danced to “E.T.” by Katy Perry. Their second number paid homage to the White House West Wing, choreographed to Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.”
Her Campus (HC): What originally got you into drag?
Hannah Burda (HB): I first heard about drag in 2020. I was attending Leon High School here in Tallahassee. A senior performed as a drag king in our talent show, and it was my first introduction to the concept. After that, it was kind of always in the back of my mind. I would create a playlist on Spotify and would always think about how certain songs would make good drag numbers
I think it was like 2022, when Ron DeSantis placed restrictions on performing drag in public, when I realized, ‘This is my last chance; I have to do it.’ I was always a theatre kid in high school. I was in every summer musica, and I would always think about how fun it would be to play a male role. Of course, high school theatre doesn’t really allow cross-dressing, so that desire definitely drew me to drag.
HC: What was the creative process behind your performance?
HB: I have very lengthy Spotify playlists dedicated to certain genres, so whenever I have a show coming up, I can easily find a fitting song. I really enjoy 2010s pop, so I try to incorporate it into a lot of my performances.
When I first found out the theme for Wish You Were Queer was states and monuments, I was stumped. I knew I wanted to do something easily recognizable, but also kind of weird. Originally, I was only going to perform the Space Needle routine, but after I heard the administration was knocking down the West Wing, I thought that would be a really funny routine.
For the costumes, I knew from the start I wanted a White House headpiece and wings as two separate arms. For the space needle, I knew I wanted it to be a hat. I ended up using foam I got at a 926 Bar and Grill clothing swap. I shaped the interior of the needle hat with foam, then wrapped it in cardboard.
For the White House headpiece, I used a Costco cereal box. I glued some foam inside so it wouldn’t move during the performance. Making the West and East Wing accessories was a lot more complicated. I actually cut out rectangles and bent them, and I tied a ribbon to the bottom interior so they wouldn’t fall.
My Dad actually helped me out. We spray-painted them all white and then touched up the edges. I glued on the windows and the American flag on top. After I was done, I thought to myself, ‘Something’s wrong; this doesn’t look like the White House.’ I realized it was missing the portico, so I added that on.
An Interview With Tide
Hayden Traynor, a sophomore at FSU, also performed in Wish You Were Queer. Traynor, swathed in a turquoise sequin slip dress, evoked the statue of Lady Liberty as he performed Beyoncé’s “Green Light.” Hayden, who goes by the drag name Tide, discussed his involvement in the drag show.
HC: What’s your name, and what got you into drag?
Hayden Traynor (HT): My name is Hayden Traynor, but my drag name is Tide. I wanted my drag name to be spooky but also glamorous, like the tide pulling you in or rising. I feel really connected to the ocean, so I wanted my name to reflect that.
I was first introduced to drag my first year. It was the professional drag show at FSU, and they were having one of those lip-syncing competitions. They were taking volunteers up, and I started waving my hang-up. I was sitting pretty far back, so the host couldn’t see me.
Eventually, the employees started pointing at me and waving their arms to get her attention. I didn’t know any of them; they just wanted to help. Eventually, the host called me up to the stage, and I got to perform. That definitely got me interested in drag.
HC: What was the creative process behind your performance?
HT: I had two performances. My first was to “Green Light” by Beyoncé. The second was a ballad, “Starling” by Sarah Kinsley.
I’m known to do flips and splits. Flashy performances tend to appeal more to younger drag audiences. Older audiences often emphasize the lip-sync fundamentals. Usually, I integrate my color guard flag and gymnastics more, but for this performance, I wanted to return to the fundamentals instead of just flashy tricks.
I chose “Green Light” because it’s a very dancey song while still having a lot of meaning. For my second number, I chose “Starling” to show that drag can still be a fantastic performance without choreography.
FSU boasts an incredibly diverse student body of a myriad of backgrounds and identities. Wish You Were Queer is one of many events for LGBTQ+ History Month, a tribute to the diversity of sexuality and gender across FSU. The Pride Student Union has existed since 1969 and stands as a testament to our queer student body’s enduring spirit.
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