Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1481988
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2022 | maconmagazine.com 53 et's go, girls! Time to make magic happen," Christion Walker bellowed from the Grand Opera House orchestra pit. Onstage, about a dozen performers began swaying and moving to the musical Pippin. It was an eclectic group in terms of age, looks, and fashion choices for this casual rehearsal. Everyone was a little bit different – except that clad on each of their feet were bedazzled platform heels or shined-up dress loafers. It was a hint of the magic Walker hoped to inspire during the show. Walker goes between reprimanding the team and dancing exuberantly in a single swoop during this rehearsal. Their authority is sharp and graceful, commanding the room in a way that is a signature of the attention-grabbing nature of drag performance. In Central Georgia, The Tribe Macon has become ubiquitous over the past few years, storming stages around the region and putting on many "firsts" for an openly LGBTQ+ performance group. Breaking barriers wasn't the plan for Walker, who performs under Christina Leòn and serves as the ensemble's show director and regular host. "I never wanted to be a performer. I started doing drag because of Yutoya, actually," Walker said. That would be Yutoya Avazé Leòn, the stage persona for Stevie Smith, who was always a natural: "When I was in daycare, before preschool really, I kept having this reoccurring dream of me on a stage in a big, black fuzzy outfit. I just remember having long hair, singing, and this is before I ever did any kind of shows." Growing up, Smith honed their skills in the theatrical world, becoming an accomplished singer and actor. GENERATIONS OF GLITZ It was watching the smash hit RuPaul's Drag Race that sparked the inspiration for Smith to pursue being a drag queen: "It was my way to learn a lot about gay culture." The origins of drag performance are tied up in a long history in a number of LGBTQ+ subcultures and often represent the expression of liberation for those who feel othered as not only gender and sexual minorities, but also as occupying intersectional senses of personal identity. The first recognized performer, William Dorsey Swann, was a formerly enslaved Black man who described himself as "the queen of drag" and held drag balls in Washington, D.C. in the 1880s where men wore elaborate silk dresses. Drag balls were an open secret in the 19th century, as they were commonly known but still had to be kept on the down-low due to the illicit nature of homosexuality in many countries. The over-the-top costumes and makeup of drag queens and kings today hail in direct lineage to these original balls, which mimicked the elegant, high-fashion balls that occurred during the Victorian era in heterosexual society. This legacy continues into the big and outlandish drag outfits, hair, and makeup of today, since these looks are originally based on 19th century black-tie occasions. Swann also called his entourage the House of Swann, a tradition that persists in drag and LGBTQ+ culture to identify a network of mentors and proteges in a relationship of a chosen family. Creating a new family is especially important in the LGBTQ+ community, where many people have been ostracized from their family of origin because of their sexuality and gender expression. Smith identified their drag mother as Melody Devine of Austin, Texas, who first put them onstage. Before The Tribe, Yutoya and Christina performed as The Leòn Sisters in recognition of their family bond. As for their foremother in Macon, both sisters identified legendary local queen Tangerine Summers (see Hero feature on pg. 92) as the person who opened the door for drag acceptance in Macon in the 1980s and beyond – and who personally helped their careers. "Tangerine did the march. Tangerine fought the good fight for girls like us. I just picked up the torch," Walker said. "I just want to keep us here." To that end, The Tribe Macon is ensuring longevity through teaching a family of their own. Their drag "babies" can get their start by competing for prizes in Newbie Nights, and several close to the team are called The Tribe Next Gen, indicating their up-and-comer status. Nick Hamilton, who performs as Nicole Rosé, came to drag through the encouragement of The Tribe. Hamilton was "crazy scared" to perform, but after winning a Newbie Night, Hamilton was hooked on "having other people celebrate expressing who I am and enjoying being myself." Hamilton believes the education passed between generations is vital: "They have created such a platform for other new, local queens to rise and create their own story." L FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Sadé Vidalle channels Tina Turner, members of the Tribe wait for the show to begin (Domi Nate, Mr. Fahren Heit, Red Heart Hype, and Kyber Kat).