Today I was reminiscing about the nights of busting moves at the Midnight Shift, a fantastic gay bar in Sydney, where my good mate Mark works.
I loved to get my groove on there because I felt comfortable busting out some of my more dramatic moves to the sounds of Wham and Britney.
IÂ felt protected from the sleaze factor at the Shift with little risk of being hit on. I could just dance.
You know, getting hit on was such a problem for me darling, the bane of my existence. (haha)
Anyhoo, one night as I was feeling particularly dramatic pulling out my signature moves including the foetal position rising into the broken wings , a bow and arrow that transitioned into the card shuffle, I noticed a great looking guy approaching me, smiling.
pulling out a bow and arrow up on chair at friend's wedding, said friend Mark behind me
‘Wow, maybe I could get hit on here” I immediately thought.
“I love your moves!” he said.
I laughed, embarrassed but thrilled at once.
“I am a friend of Mark’s and we were wondering if you would be interested in helping us choreograph our upcoming drag show?’
I laughed again.
“Are you serious?!!”
Usually my dance moves lead to barrels of laughter by friends and odd looks by those passing by!
Suddenly it felt like my moves had found their niche!
I saw Mark approaching behind smiling also.
“I’m in!” I said.
In the cold sober light of the next day I bragged about my new gig to my mates and feared I would be unable to bring out my A-Game to 4 or 5 guys in the sunlight hours.
I had only performed my signature moves whilst drunk or privately for family and besties.
Could I take these moves to the stage?!
Mark assured me that in return for my choreography they would keep me in drinks at the bar.
Done deal.
So a few nights a week, upstairs at Oxford Streets’ Midnight Shift me and the boys put together a killer sequence to the Rogue Traders and Rhianna.
I let them use the broken wings and was secretly pumped about introducing this dazzling move to what would certainly be an appreciative crowd.
I fantasised about it catching on and the audience breaking out the ‘wings’ whenever they heard Rogue Traders or Rhianna in the future.
This choreography gig awoke a secret passion that had laid dormant for years.
When the night came the gorgeous boys transformed into very statuesque and intimdating women.
I felt like a proud mother as they were called to the stage to perform in the annual Drag Show competition.
The buzz in the crowd was electric and they broke those wings like nobody’s business.
I teared up a little at the end when Mark publically thanked me and then shuffled off the stage throwing in one last broken wing for my sake.
Oh the things I can tick off my life’s to-do list.
Love Mark to bits and I thank them for letting me fulfil a suppressed dream to choreagraph a dragshow.
Great mate Mark in the green and James doing "Natalie Bassingthwaite" to the right and me looking rather pale in comparison!
