Dancing The Coral Waltz
Photos by Dylan Ryu.
Alpha Andromeda stuns an enthusiastic audience of Santa Clara University students
Another drag show is in the books for Santa Clara University! Students from all sides of campus came together to celebrate and “experience the beauty found beneath the waves,” as per SCCAP’s Instagram post promoting their “Coral Waltz” themed event last Saturday. Walking into the room felt like diving straight into the Great Barrier Reef. Streamers and jellyfish decorations fluttered all across the Locatelli Student Center as the team began a slideshow about drag and its history. After the presentation, I walked over to retrieve my free meal: a plate of Jamaican jerk chicken, barbeque pork, rice and beans with some lemonade to wash it all down. Despite not fitting the overall under-the-sea theme, the food was fantastic and I made sure to indulge in a few free cookies as well afterward. Now, it was time for the fun to begin.
First to the stage was student performer Tami Ryndo sporting a bright red dress. “I don’t really know what the f*** I’m doing but my friend told me to try this out so now I’m here!” she exclaimed to a booming audience. Following up was another student performer, Princess Diamond. Stepping onto the stage in a mass of white feathers, Diamond shone bright as she did a lively routine to Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club. Princess Diamond really amped up the crowd involvement with her performance, not only bringing out a fan-favorite song, but going so far as laying down on the tables to really steal the audience's attention. Soon enough, members of the crowd were waving money in the air for the performers to collect.
As the student openers came to a close, I knew the performances were off to a strong start. Still, I couldn't help feeling that the location was not ideal for the occasion as a whole. For an event so intimate and energy-driven, I felt like the large floor plan of the Locatelli Center matched with the blaring fluorescent tube lighting really made for an awkward vibe. This event used to take place in the California Mission Room in Benson Memorial Center, which I found to have a much more fitting, ballroom feel. Regardless, once the professional drag queens were on deck, the crowd seemed too excited to notice or care.
Emcee and later headliner of the night Alpha Andromeda introduced two drag kings and two drag queens, each of which gave very unique and enthusiastic performances. Jasper Redwood was up first, beginning the set in a blonde farmer-wife get up before unveiling a much more goth look with purple hair. Following up were performances by King Slayher and Tala, wearing self-sown garments alongside creative and colorful makeup. Next up was Kalypso, who recently won the title at the 2024 GAPA runway competition in San Francisco. Lastly, Alpha Andromeda capped off the show with an unforgettable, unique performance where she would abruptly break into sarcastic and humorous ad reads for Better Help Therapy mid-song.
Overall, the drag show was quite a success for both the performers and SCCAP. The tables were full with a cheering and engaged audience who were excited to participate and sing along with every song. It’s great to see an art form that is sometimes plagued by judgement attract such a supportive and caring audience. Hopefully next time we can see it attract some better lighting too.
