The KnightSpot was beating to its own drum Friday night when Pride Alliance held its 13th annual drag ball.
Attendees were dressed to impress in their decadent garb and makeup, ready to experience drag in all its glory - Geneseo style. Drag queens from Muthers and Tilt, clubs in Rochester, entertained the 110 students in attendance.
After the first performance by the drag queen Difty Dubois to Fall Out Boy's "I Don't Care," Samantha Bagan, another professional drag queen, summed up Dubois's act by saying, "You can put a man in the dress but you can't take the man out of her."
Instantly, students were having a great time, watching the performers and even getting pulled up on stage to participate in some promiscuous dancing with the drag queens.
The turnout this year was exceptional, especially compared to last. "This is absolutely a success," said senior Nick Devin, a public relations e-board member for Pride Alliance. "Everyone seems like they're really enjoying themselves so far and that's what we're all about."
Student groups also performed to songs like "It's Gonna Be Me" by N'Sync and "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch" by The Temptations.
Junior Kai Davies emphasized that the student groups made the drag ball exceptional. "The performances were my favorite as we had lots of amateur, student performers that really went all out," said Davies. "The crowd really enjoyed it as well."
Sophomore Dan Hart, who also goes by the stage name Danis Joplingis, said he had a great time performing in the name of entertainment. "I performed 'Cry Baby' by Janis Joplin. It was awesome," said Hart. "I donated all of my tip money, $17, to Relay for Life so that was a pretty awesome part of performing. Also, I really like being on stage in general and dressing as a hippie woman just makes it that much better."
Besides the Drag Ball, Pride Alliance also entertains students yearly with their Second Chance Prom. Devin described the prom as a chance for people who might not have had an opportunity to go to their first prom in high school with someone they actually would have wanted to go with. "It's not just for [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender] people - anyone's welcome."
Pride Alliance is also planning on lobbying in Albany for Equality and Justice Day on April 28.
"Things are winding down for us," Davies said. "But we are looking forward to putting on our first Pride Night next year, as well as hosting performers and dances in the fall."