By Imari Rede
Drag is gender performance at its finest.
Riverside City College’s Gender and Sexualities Awareness club presented their Spring Annual Drag Show on April 26 in the cafeteria and it was nothing less than a party.
The show started about 20 minutes late but the audience waited patiently because queens are the ones that control the time, not the other way around.
Five performers, Mia Berlyn, BJ Hardy, Rhea Della Vera, Anorah Misty and Syren Halston took to the stage with vibrant dance numbers and their own unique looks.
Berlyn hosted and opened the show. The crowd went wild while she effortlessly landed flips and swirled her hips with bodacious dance moves.
RCC’s own drag king, BJ Hardy, wore a suit and flew the crowd to the moon with his Frank Sinatra inspired performance. “This was definitely the biggest crowd I’ve ever performed for,” Hardy said.
The second half showcased the president of the GSA’s first drag performance ever. Misty, also known as Will Harris turned heads to Kesha’s song, “Woman.”
“It was so nerve racking but exhilarating,” said Misty. Her psychedelic rainbow maxi dress and blue hair made a statement as she was there to “advocate for LGBT rights in the community.”
This show was special to the GSA because two of their members walked the stage.
“It’s a good experience and there’s usually a good crowd. I’ve seen it the past two years,” said Joseph Contaoi, a member of RCC’s GSA.