LGBT Ally Alliance hosted their semi-annual Drag Show on April 26.

Brad Freihoefer, coordinator for LGBT Student Services said drag shows are a celebration of gender and gender expression. It’s an opportunity for people to express gender in many different ways that they cannot do every day.

The show was in the Sun Room at the Memorial Union and began a little after 7 p.m. Tickets were $5 for LGBTA Alliance members and $7 dollars for the general public

T-shirts were sold for $10. They were gray, with white letters that said ‘Keep Calm and Be Proud’ with one rainbow arching over the words.

In the room, there was a stage against one wall, with a cat-walk jutting out from it.

Chardonnay Glass was the emcee, so she opened the show. She also introduced George Belitsos, chief executive officer for Youth and Shelter Services.

Belitsos thanked the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, ally alliance for donating some of their proceeds to Youth Shelter Services.

The show raised a total of $1,472. $1,000 goes toward the youth shelter, and $472 will go to Food at First.

Thirty-six T-shirts were sold, raising about $100 for the LGBTA Alliance. 

“I love it every year,” Freihoefer said. “It truly is an amazing experience, and I’m really glad the LGBTA Alliance coordinates it each year.”

Six “queens” and one “king” performed during the show. There was also a duo performed by Madame Cuntarina Vandekamp and Rawan. They danced and lip-synced to the song “S&M” by Rihanna.

Performers included professionals and students, for a total of 21 performances.

“Students who perform may not be able to do this anywhere else, so for them it’s a huge moment,” Freihoefer said.

A wide range of songs were performed. Popular songs included “Only Girl” by Rihanna, “Drunk in Love” by Beyonce, “Applause” by Lady Gaga, “Counting Stars” by One Republic, “Express” from Burlesque and “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Ray.

Glass danced to two songs, one of them being “Stay the Night” by Zedd. Her robot moves during the bridge got everyone cheering.

Glass said her favorite part of doing drag shows is getting the chance to do something different.

“You get to express yourself in a different kind of way,” Glass said.

Vandekamp also got cheers for her Bollywood routine. She has been performing for one year, and Saturday night was her seventh performance.

“I love making people happy through dance,” Cuntarina said. “It’s a very positive thing to do.”

She said she also loves the connections she makes with people during the show.

Jean-Pierre Taoutel, senior lecturer of world languages and cultures, has attended a few drag shows.

He said he had a good time, and his favorite part was “seeing the people around having fun.”

Glass ended the night by quoting the famous Drag Queen RuPaul.

“If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”