Drag-Based Dance Movement Therapy: A Master's Thesis Extract

By Ryn Zucker

The following are excerpts from the Master’s thesis, Drag-Based DMT: Adapting Drag Performance for Queer Dance and Movement Therapy, by Ryn Goldsmith Zucker (July 2025), Master of Arts (Dance Movement Therapy), School of Therapeutic Sciences, SRH University Heidelberg, Germany.

Abstract 

In an attempt to address the lack of queer-informed therapeutic techniques and interventions in DMT, this qualitative thesis examines how drag performance can be adapted for a DMT session with queer clients. Prior research on the potential therapeutic benefits of drag performance, an interview with Leon Silvers—founder of Drag Therapy, and two more pre-research interviews with drag performers were used to design five sessions of drag-based DMT for queer clients. The weekly sessions were then facilitated for two separate groups, and a total of thirteen participants. Four movement-based prompts were explored in the sessions with the intention of developing drag personas based on inner aspects of participants, using 1. A costume piece, 2. A body part, 3. A sensation/feeling/quality, and 4. A song. The last session used visual art and performance to integrate previous characters. Post interviews of five participants were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to answer the research question: What is the subjective experience of participants in a drag-based DMT intervention? Results indicate seven themes: Session Atmosphere, Group Dynamics, Drag Elements, Structure and Facilitation of Sessions, Queer Identity, Challenges, and Benefits of Drag-based DMT. Some of the self-reported impacts of drag-based DMT include social support/connection, self-expression, self-acceptance, exploration and/or expression of gender/sexuality in a safe environment, emotional processing, and integration of aspects of the self, which align closely with both the supporting literature and pre-interviews. As one of the first known DMT methods originating directly from queer culture, drag-based DMT is a promising new tool by and for queer people.  

Keywords: Dance and Movement Therapy, drag, drag-based DMT, queer  

Excerpt from Introduction 

1.1 Purpose  

Despite laws passed affirming the rights of queer people in many parts of the world, prejudice—both social and systemic—is still rampant. According to Moagi et al. (2021), queer people “experience significant emotional distress and mental health challenges as a result of stigmatisation, victimisation, discrimination and barriers to accessing mental healthcare services” (p. 10). Meyer (2003) describes the concept of “minority stress,” in which people in stigmatized populations, such as queer people, experience social stress—leading to a variety of mental health issues. These issues may include depression, anxiety, isolation, somatization, or general hopelessness, among others (McConnell, 2015). Not only are queer people mentally and emotionally impacted in their everyday lives, but stigma also results in a lack of queer-affirmative and informed mental health care, due to prejudice and ignorance from mental health professionals (Moagi et al.). As Dance and Movement Therapy (DMT) is an emerging field, there is relatively little published on queer-affirmative practices in DMT. One survey reported that less than 1% of DMTs could give examples of interventions used specifcally for LGBTQI and GNC clients (Kawano, Cruz, and Tan, 2018).  

A qualitative study by Knutson (2018) suggests that drag performance can potentially be an effective form of therapy for queer clients, particularly given its history and origin as a safe, expressive space for the queer community. Drag Therapy is already an existing therapeutic modality, founded and practiced by Leon Silvers in the United States. The purpose of this program proposal is to find ways of adapting drag performance into interventions suitable for a DMT session with queer clients, which I have done by first interviewing two drag performers, as well as Leon Silvers, founder of Drag Therapy, and subsequently putting my findings into practice. I hope to answer two research questions in the course of this paper. The first relates to my pre-interviews: How do drag performers’ experiences of doing drag impact their queer identities? And the second, or main research question, is, What is the subjective experience of participants in a drag-based DMT intervention?  

1.2 What is Dance and Movement Therapy? 

According to the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), DMT is defined as “The psychotherapeutic use of dance, movement, body awareness, and embodied communication to foster healing and well-being for all individuals, families, and communities.” First practiced by Marian Chace in the 1940s, DMT’s first professional association was established by her colleagues in 1966, with Chace as president (Levy, 1988). Her technique was later summarized by her predecessors, Chaiklin and Schmais, as having four themes: “Body Action,” “Symbolism,” “Therapeutic Movement Relationship,” and “Rhythmic Activity” (Levy, 1988, p. 24). While Chace’s technique is still widely used in the field, other early practitioners developed their own methods, including Blanche Evan, Liljan Espenak, Mary Whitehouse, Trudi Schoop, Alma Hawkins, and more (Levy).  

1.3 What is Drag? 

According to Merriam-Webster (n.d.), drag is, 

entertainment in which performers caricature or challenge gender 

stereotypes (as by dressing in clothing that is stereotypical of another gender, by 

using exaggeratedly gendered mannerisms, or by combining elements of 

stereotypically male and female dress) and often wear elaborate or outrageous 

costumes. 

In today’s drag scene, drag has outgrown not only binary gender categories, but at times, gender altogether—now including performance of animals, monsters, aliens, and post-human concepts (Prins & Zitzelsberger, 2023). There are many contradictory ideas about the exact origins of drag, since men have been dressing as women in various performative contexts (and vice versa) all around the world, likely since the beginning of time. However, the first person to call himself a “queen of drag” was William Dorsey Swann in the 1880s (Joseph, 2020, para. 1). A survivor of slavery, Swann was the “first American activist to lead a queer resistance group” (Joseph, 2020, para. 1). He held drag balls where men wore elegant dresses, for which he and many others were often arrested.  

Drag performances remain a space where many members of the queer community gather to express themselves and feel celebrated and accepted—away from a society that enforces gender norms, stigmas, and systemic violence (Bass, 2021). It is a form of art, expression, and resistance from and for the queer community, although it is also performed for and by non-queer individuals.  

1.3.1 Drag Therapy 

Drag Therapy, founded and practiced by Leon Silvers, is not solely for queer clients, nor does it focus specifically on the performance of gender. Silvers uses drag as a form of trauma therapy to allow clients to access, explore, and express many parts of themselves (Silvers, n.d.). It is a form of psychotherapy grounded in psychodynamic approaches, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and psychodrama, among other modalities. Using a variety of expressive arts therapies, drag therapy allows clients to explore themselves “through costume, mask making, storytelling, performance, makeup, verbal and nonverbal communication, scent, play, visualization, and more” (Silvers, n.d., para. 1). Silvers works with both individuals and groups. While this thesis draws from drag therapy, my focus is specifically on using dance and movement to support clients in accessing aspects of themselves and performing these aspects as characters, rather than the more verbal-centric nature of psychotherapy.  

Excerpt from Literature Review 

2.4 Drag as Therapeutic  

There have been a number of qualitative studies on the therapeutic potential of drag, as well as the benefits of using a queer art form to treat queer clients. Knutson (2018) conducted  a study titled, “The emotional and psychological experiences of drag performers: A qualitative study,” in which he interviewed twelve cisgender gay male drag queens between 22-54 years old in the midsouth USA. Five themes are identified by Knutson, including “motivation, effects, protective factors, stressors, and involvement” (2018, p. 32). Drag performers are found to potentially “benefit from social support, a creative outlet, and empowerment,” while simultaneously experiencing negative impacts including discrimination, performance anxiety, and loss of friendships (p. 32).  

Knutson explores self-reported benefits of drag queens including safety in the drag community, freedom, catharsis, expression of negative emotions, taking positive risks, personal growth, self-acceptance, a boost in positive feelings, improved quality of life, contributing positively to societal change, and caring less about others’ judgements. He suggests that, “although drag performances may not be plausible in a conventional therapy room, lipsyncing, dance/movement, listening to music, applying makeup, painting fingernails, and other activates may provide a benefit for clients who share similarities with individuals in our sample” (Knutson, 2018, p. 45). Knutson also posits that therapists can learn from the supporitve, expressive/artistic nature of drag communities to bridge differences amongst queer group members in therapy. He explains that “counselors may amplify the benefits of drag culture, while negating or challenging the problematic aspects” (Knutson, 2018, p. 47). The study is limiting in that it only includes drag queens: like most drag studies, drag kings, quings, and things are excluded, as are women and transgender drag queens. However, the implications for therapeutic use are promising, and the negative impacts cited can be easily avoided in the context of a closed therapy session.  

Sally E. Bass (2021) wrote a literature review master’s thesis entitled, “Drag participation as a mechanism for dealing with minority stress in LGBTQIA+ populations.” The concluding positive impacts of drag are almost identical  to Knutson’s: that drag provides “social support, a creative outlet, and a statement against the gender binary” (Bass, 2021, p. 3). Bass argues that merely creating a drag persona is art therapy, due to its combination of various creative outlets. She goes on to say that drag functions as a way to dramatize repressed feelings, externalize feelings through props and costumes, and explore identity leading to increased self-acceptance. Bass also explains that drag performers must have awareness of their physical bodies in order to perform, which she believes would in turn allow more comfortability with the body.  

Nicole Soubosky (2021) wrote a similar thesis entitled, “Drag as a method of expressive arts therapy for LGBT+ individuals.” Her approach is to identify the most relevant topics that queer clients face: “community relations, societal rejection, identity expression, and self image,” and to explain how drag could address them (Soubosky, 2021, p. 2). Using factors of Expressive Therapy Continuum (ETC), Soubosky describes how drag could fill the gap left by traditional mental health approaches for queer clients. Similarly to Bass and Knutson, she marks drag as having postive impacts in terms of self-acceptance, overcoming shame, community support, a flow state, resistance/solidarity, empowerment, identity validation, confidence, a sense of purpose, and liberation. Soubosky cautions that the use of drag in a therapeutic context could be a form of cultural appropriation without knowledge and portrayal of its queer history.   

Excerpt from Methods 

3.4 Intervention Design 

In addition to the sources in the literature review, I used the ten themes from the pre-interviews to aid in designing my program proposal and the inerventions it contains. Some themes focus more on the interventions themselves, while others are useful in conceptualizing the setting or foundational principles of the sessions. Table 1 gives an overview of the themes, sub-themes, and codes from the interviews.  

Table 1

Pre-research Interview Themes

Excerpt from Results

The results section details the seven themes pulled from the post-interviews—interviews of five participants in the drag-based DMT sessions: Session Atmosphere, Group Dynamics, Drag Elements, Structure and Facilitation of Sessions, Queer Identity, Challenges, and Benefits from Drag-based DMT.

Table 2

Post-Study Interview Themes

Discussion

In the discussion, I compare drag-based DMT (based on the post-interviews) to other performance-based DMT practices; how it compares with previously reported potential therapeutic aspects of drag performance in the literature (in triangulation with the pre-interviews); and lastly, how it compares with pre-existing queer interventions in DMT and the gaps it fills. This structure loosely follows the literature review.

5.1 Drag-based DMT in the DMT Field

Drag-based DMT uses many common practices found in other DMT sessions, such as the witness/mover (Adler, 1992), mirroring, guided somatic exploration through movement, use of contrasting movement qualities based in Laban Movement Analysis (Hanan, 2013), and sensing of body parts, sensations and feelings (Levy, 1988). As drag is centred around performance, I will focus on comparing the therapeutic impacts and processes of various performance-based DMTs with the potential outcomes of drag-based DMT. As one of the original trailblazers in the DMT field, Trudi Schoop set the example of using choreographed performances in her sessions. One of her main goals was to support patients in expressing and integrating repressed parts of themselves: something that many post-interviewees reported experiencing in this study. She also sought to expand patients’ bodily awareness, which can be compared to the insights and observations my own participants shared about various body parts and their connection with specific qualities or emotions. Schoop’s focus on choreography, however, differs from drag-based DMT: at least in its current form. O’Rourke (2004) had a similar goal with her intervention using costumes and character work, however, the characters stemmed from Jungian archetypes, which may or may not always feel relevant to queer clients. Drag-based DMT offers a framework already based in the queer community, with unlimited possibilities for emerging characters. Janet Adler’s conception of the audience as witness that is employed by Victoria (2012) in her choreo-therapeutic model of “externalisation, transformation, and re-internalisation,” seems to have been quite effective in drag-based DMT: many participants shared that they felt validated, supported, and seen by the audience (p. 169). On the other hand, drag-based DMT brought something new: agency around being witnessed and witnessing, which was accomplished by making space for reluctant participants to perform with the audience’s backs turned or indicate that a certain topic was too triggering to witness. This is particularly relevant for a queer population, who are often alienated in public spaces and may have anxiety around being perceived (Meyer, 2003).

The increased self-esteem and positive self-image in regards to identity explored by Hess and Bottos (2004) appeared in the interviews as well, however, not with the same wording. Only one instance of a code labelled “self-image” surfaced in the data, however, many aspects of positive self-image were described in other ways—for example, a boost in confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and self-acceptance. More research could be done to measure the impacts of drag-based DMT specifically on self-image and/or body image.

Not all the performance-based DMT studies and literature in this paper’s literature review are directly relevant to drag-based DMT, as many are focused on arts-based research, recording/videoing, and public performance (Lack, 2006; Bacon, 2007; Allegranti, 2009; Karcher & Caldwell, 2014). Additionally, some specifically address schizophrenia, and therefore have diverging goals (Mørck et al., 2023; Thorrud, 2023). However, of these, Allegranti (2009) and Karcher and Caldwell (2014) have particular relevance due to their focus on the performance of sexuality and/or gender. Allegranti’s performance of deconstructing the hegemonic discourse around gender is similar to the innate origins and purpose of drag. Karcher and Caldwell’s somatic exploration and performance of Karcher’s trans identity draws parallels with some of the gender explorations undergone by this study’s participants—in much less depth given my time constraints. The lack of literature on performance-based DMT and its impacts provides an opportunity for more ground-breaking research in the field: of which drag-based DMT can hopefully be a part of.

5.2 Drag-based DMT versus Drag

The following sub-section analyzes the seven themes of the post-interviews in relation to the pre-interviews and relevant literature on potential therapeutic benefits of drag performance. Many similarities can be found, providing a strong case for the implications of drag-based DMT.

5.2.1 Session Atmosphere

In much of the literature on the therapeutic benefits of drag, performers describe a feeling of safety. Much of this safety stems from drag acting as a safe space for queer people specifically, which allows artists to feel understood and accepted (Bass, 2021; Soubosky, 2021; Knutson, 2018; Levitt et al., 2018). Levitt et al (2018) writes, “Mentors and peers helped participants learn techniques to enhance their performances and provided a safe space for exploration and celebration of their gender identity and expression” (p. 374). According to my pre-interviews, however, not all drag spaces feel safe for every type of performer—largely due to stereotypes about what drag is, and the exclusion of drag kings (and other types of non-queen drag). Cache mentioned that alternative, king-inclusive spaces feel much more supportive and open than the queen-spaces, which can be competitive and closed-minded. Denschk summarized the feeling of king-spaces well: “In king spaces, and in spaces where different types of drag are welcome, done by different types of gender, by people of different bodies, mostly we are just immense fans of each other and share in the joy of a common art that unites us.” Likely due to the therapeutic intention of this thesis, the king-inclusive spaces seem more aligned with the post-interview descriptions of this study’s sessions. Safety in this context seems to entail feeling comfortable and/or connected with the group and able to express oneself or to be vulnerable, especially around one’s queer identity. While safety is one of the most important elements to cultivate in any therapy session, queer people often do not feel safe in therapy, which makes interventions based off of queer safe spaces even more important (Bass, 2021). 

5.2.2 Group Dynamics

As mentioned in the methods section, the benefits of community relations and social support from performing drag are substantiated by Soubosky (2021), Bass (2021), and Knutson (2018)—as is the vital need for this support in queer populations, who often lack it in everyday contexts. This includes both the support and friendship of other drag performers in the drag community, as well as attunement with the audience, which creates an “unspoken dialogue” between them (Soubosky, 2021, p.22). Both of these elements were addressed in the pre and post interviews, as well as the relevant literature. Knutson and Koch (2019) also pointed out that a lack of connection or appreciation from the audience could have a negative impact on performers. Interestingly, the group members in this drag-based DMT study acted as both drag community and audience in the sessions. This perhaps created the feeling of being part of each other’s performances that Chaska described.

The feeling of encouragement and connection seem to be similar in both pre and post-interviews, however, in drag-based DMT, the encouragement is relegated to a specific, consensual structure (e.g. one-word feedback) to serve as a therapeutic container. Cheering from the audience was mentioned in both groups as well. I felt that it was important to retain this celebratory aspect of drag in the interventions, but to always ensure the performer was at choice about what kind of reactions were okay (since not all pre-interviewees enjoyed audience clapping after performances). The option to perform with the audience’s backs turned also gave more agency to participants in terms of how they were witnessed and validated. The biggest difference is that the therapeutic emphasis of this study was about connection and support rather than being rewarded for a ‘good’ performance versus a ‘bad’ one. For example, the group performance of Summertime Sadness in Group 2 wouldn’t have happened in an everyday drag performance. However, I still received feedback that there could have been more interaction between characters as a way to foster connection.

5.2.3 Drag Elements

The individual elements of drag, such as music, dancing, visual art etc., are, as Knutson and Koch (2019) point out, known to be therapeutic. As Bass (2021) articulates, “Drag embodies use of costume and object play. It is possible that through a drag ritual, one can turn negative feelings about oneself into an object, say, a shirt that may be torn away in a performance, symbolizing a shedding of those fears and barriers within” (p.30). These individual elements that allow performers to express their creativity are what Knutson (2018) recommends to be utilized in the therapy room.

For Leon Silvers, costume is the most important aspect of Drag Therapy, and is what separates it from psychodrama and drama therapy in general. He feels that costumes are what allow the clients to go deeper into their issues. This is similar to how costumes were described by many post-interviewees. The gender-euphoric aspect of costumes that was described by Chaska is supported by Bass (2021) as well. Limitations of drag-based DMT in this vein include the lack of variety of costumes/props and the absence of makeup, which can be a defining characteristic of drag and an important step in becoming a character. The fact that participants often expressed not finding the costume piece they were looking for, or not feeling drawn toward any of the pieces exhibits this—whereas everyday drag performers often create their own costumes from scratch or purchase something fitting to their concept. Music and dancing were also described in the pre and post-interviews as beneficial elements either to the process of character development or for the well-being of the individual. While these elements were mentioned by Leon Silvers as having some relevance for Drag Therapy (at least with music), they did not seem to be the central focus. The differing opinions of the post-interviewees on the significance of various elements validated my decision to use a different element as a character prompt for each session.

5.2.4 Queer Identity

While I intentionally chose not to define drag in my interventions as an exploration of gender (in alignment with Drag Therapy), themes of gender and sexuality inevitably arose in a queer group. “Gender exploration” is one of the main potential therapeutic benefits of drag according to Bass (2021, p.7). This occurs partially through “challeng[ing] gender stereotypes” (Bass, 2021, p. 36). While this was true for some participants in my study, others chose to focus on other aspects of themselves that were not directly related to queerness. However, even among those interviewees, gratitude for the queer nature of the group was expressed: they often shared that being in a queer-only group allowed them to feel more comfortable expressing themselves. This leads me to believe that even issues seemingly not related to queerness are often inseparable from the queer identity of the individual. For example, having social anxiety that slowly dissipated over the course of the sessions. This was similarly prevelant in the pre-interviews when Denschk described how drag supported them in becoming more comfortable embodying and showing their fatness onstage: for them, fatness and gender are two interrelated facets of their intersectional identity. 

However, Leon Silvers expressed that Drag Therapy is not always a beneficial modality for queer people—particularly for gay men, who often have internalized shame around being labeled as effeminate. In the post-interviews, Jade also shared that it was hard for her to pick out costumes because of her discomfort with clothing, which can be typical for people experiencing gender dysphoria. Oppositely, drag performance may have no correlation with one’s own gender identity at all. In a qualitative study of twelve gay male cisgender drag queens, Knutson et al. (2020) found that drag queens rarely considered their own gender outside of performance. These results differ from a study cited in Bass (2021), where performers from drag king collective “Disposable Boy Toys" shared how drag “allowed them to rediscover their own gender identity and accept themselves as being transgender” (p.38). The differing perspectives of cisgender and transgender performers in the two studies is noteworthy. These diverging experiences of drag and gender should be taken into account when implementing drag-based DMT, so that assumptions are not made about clients’ needs and goals. However, the queer history of drag makes it particularly suitable for addressing the disparity of queer-informed therapeutic modalities (Bass, 2021; Soubosky, 2021; Knutson, 2018).

One benefit of drag that was seemingly not as present in the post-interviews, was the pre-interview theme “Impacts and Resistance against Patriarchal Violence.” This was surprising, as the supporting literature also mentioned benefits of political/gender resistance and/or combatting prejudice (Bass, 2021; Knutson, 2018). In reference to the literature and pre-interviews, I included a question referencing this resistance in the post-interviews, however, only some interviewees seemed to know what “resistance to (cis)heteronormativity” meant. Even after an explanation, some didn’t resonate with the idea of drag-based DMT being a kind of resistance, but rather a way of freely expressing themselves. It could be that the lack of understanding caused the answers to vary, or perhaps the closed setting of the sessions diminished the feeling of political action described in the pre-interviews. It can also be argued that, in a world of stigmatisation and politicized identity, queer expression is resistance whether the individuals expressing themselves see it that way or not, however, that is beyond the scope of this study. Regardless, at least one post-interviewee described the act of picking costume pieces as an act of resistance.

5.2.5 Structure and Facilitation of Sessions

Only two of the participants in this study had a background in drag, neither of which were interviewed. However, one interviewee commented that people with a performance background sometimes seemed to fully plan their performances in advance, which somehow seemed less authentic to the moment. While this isn’t to say that planning a performance doesn’t have equal value, it’s possible that drag artists are too used to a certain way of performing, or might feel even more pressure to showcase a ‘good’ performance with certain standards arising from an, at times, competitive artform. This has the potential to lower therapeutic impacts, although from my personal observations in my research diary, both drag performers who participated seemed to fully enjoy and benefit from the interventions.

The same could be said of the DMT students who participated: since they are studying similar techniques, they could be overly analytical about the process, or have higher self-expectations. For example, the DMT student who felt self-conscious in the first session because she was taking up physical space stretching in the middle of the room while other non-DMT students stood anxiously to the side. On the other hand, it sometimes seemed from my perspective that the DMT students got even more out of the sessions because they were already accostomed and open to the inner work and vulnerability that DMT requires. They were also better able to articulate beneficial impacts that the study had on them.

In terms of the structure of drag-based DMT, Gaia shared that the interventions felt very accessible, as supposed to everyday drag, which requires much more prep time, specific artistic skills, and confidence to perform in a public setting. On the other hand, DMT isn’t currently a very accessible therapeutic modality, given the refusal of politicians and the primary healthcare market to cover it. The last sub-theme in “Structure and Facilitation of Sessions,” “feedback,” will be discussed in the Limitations section.

5.2.6 Challenges

The primary challenge for participants seemed to be anxiety around performing—sometimes also related to being in a group, picking costumes/music, or verbally sharing. Performance anxiety is something shared with everyday drag—perhaps even more intensely, since the performances are in public spaces without the safety mechanisms of a small therapy session. Denschk shared that they are most nervous before performances where there are people or performers they respect in the audience. Something of note is that social support, one of the positive impacts of drag, is known to decrease overall levels of anxiety (Bass, 2021). The anxiety felt by participants seemed mostly to decrease during or after performances, replaced by feelings of accomplishment, relief, insight, or happiness. This leads me to believe that performance anxiety is perhaps a somewhat necessary and temporary aspect of the therapeutic benefit of performance, rather than a serious issue or diagnosis: a suspician that is confirmed by Knutson (2018). Other negative impacts reported by Knutson, such as discrimination and loss of self, were not present in my interviews.

5.2.7 Benefits from Drag-based DMT

In comparing the pre and post-interviews, the benefits of drag and drag-based DMT include quite similar categories, which are supported by the relevant literature. While not all codes and categories match up in the same themes or wording, nine out of ten sub-themes of “Benefits from Drag-based DMT” can be found somewhere in the pre-interviews as well—the only exception being “liberating.” According to the supporting literature, drag offers benefits such as creative expression, positive self-image, identity expression (particularly in terms of gender), a way to grapple with difficult feelings and emotional support, enjoyment/fun, confidence/empowerment, liberation, reduced shame, and self-acceptance (Bass, 2021; Soubosky, 2021; Knutson, 2018; Levitt et al., 2018). These are all aspects addressed in the interviews, with the caveat of positive self-image mentioned earlier. Some benefits mentioned in the post-interviews that are either absent or barely mentioned in the literature include the activation of resources such as strength, a clearer head/greater ability to cope with problems, feeling unblocked, having more energy, and fulfillment of one’s own needs. Bass (2021) posits that the exaggerated expression practiced in drag supports emotional expression and self-acceptance. Interestingly, this is one of the benefits of DMT as well (Levy, 1988). Another similarity between the benefits of drag and DMT is expressed by Bass:

Drag, as opposed to other forms of art, particularly requires its subject to have a

certain awareness of their physical body and how it takes up space. The act of experimenting with one’s surroundings and one’s body in space allows for an individual to become more aware of, and potentially more comfortable with, their body (p.30).

Levitt et al. (2018) compares drag to psychodrama, in that it allows performers to explore “different aspects of their lives,” “eventually leading to insights about themselves” (p.380).

Contrastingly, there is some literature suggestion that drag queens have higher levels of depression than non-drag performers (Knutson & Koch, 2019). However, Knutson and Koch postulate that it could be due to people seeking validation and status who suffer from the disappointment of failure or rejection when their dreams don’t pan out in a competitive environment. This wouldn’t have much bearing on a therapy session, where clients are supported and celebrated in an intentional environment, no matter how “successful” their performance is. It is also noteworthy that Knutson and Koch’s study was done only with drag queens, who, according to Denschk and Cache, oftentimes function in a more competitive, judgemental, and exclusive environment than other types of drag spaces.

5.3 Drag-based DMT as a Queer Therapeutic Practice

The results of Kawano, Cruz, and Tan’s (2018) survey—that less than 1% of DMTs could give examples of queer-specific interventions, and the general lack of awareness of (cis)heteronormativity— shows the high necessity for more queer-informed modalities and techniques in the DMT field. The potential positive impacts of DMT for queer populations have already been theorized by Napoli (2021), including self-expression, interpersonal connection in a world that can be quite isolating for queer people, and healing from shame, trauma, and oppression: all of which were addressed to some degree in the post-interviews. Jackman (2022) predicts similar goals for nonbinary and transgender clients in DMT, such as coping with minority stress, gender-affirmation and positive body image, and integrating new movements into clients’ self-concept. Many of these themes were also hinted at or implied by this study’s participants. Much more research would need to be done in order to show consistency of impact over a more extensive time-frame and with more participants, however the results are already promising.

Of the currently existing interventions and studies focusing on queer clients in DMT, drag-based DMT is the only one I could find offering a modality originating directly from the queer community. Acarón and Wren (2019) worked with the internal and external self in terms of queer identity, using arts-based and some costume-like techniques to explore the boundary of the skin. They reclaimed the story of the Selkie—turning it into a queer symbol for the sessions. Hanan (2013) too made use of queer reappropriation—in this case of a technique with a history of enforcing the gender binary: Laban Movement Analysis (Jackman, 2022). She used this originally gender-normative tool to empower queer people in finding their own unique gender embodiment and supporting a positive body image. While reclaiming stories and techniques is a wonderful and effective way of designing queer interventions, there is nothing like modalities stemming directly from the history and culture of a community itself to help clients feel safe, supported, and seen (Knutson, 2018).

Schenmankewitz’s (2023) use of embodiment, choreography, performance, and witnessing in her work with feminist and queer sexualities in some ways seems the closest to drag-based DMT. However, her explicit focus on sexuality differs from the broad approach of this study. In future studies, it would be interesting to examine the effectiveness of drag-based DMT soley for the purpose of embodying sexuality and gender.

Conclusion

This thesis examines how drag performance can be adapted for a DMT session with queer clients, first, through interviews with drag artists and founder of Drag Therapy, Leon Silvers, which were utilized in the design and facilitation of five sessions of drag-based DMT with two separate groups of queer participants. Four main prompts were used to develop various characters/personas over the course of the sessions, based on aspects of each individual participant: costume, body part, feeling/sensation/quality, and music, which were then performed at the end of each session. The interviews of five participants in these sessions were recorded and used to analyze the subjective impacts and experiences of drag-based DMT. Seven themes emerged from the post-interviews, including Session Atmosphere, Group Dynamics, Drag Elements, Structure and Facilitation of Sessions, Queer Identity, Challenges, and Benefits of Drag-based DMT. These themes aligned somewhat closely (in different groupings) with both the pre-interviews and supporting literature, which suggest that drag performance has potential therapeutic impacts including social support/connection, self-expression, self-acceptance, exploration and/or expression of gender/sexuality in a safe environment, emotional processing, and integration of aspects of the self (Bass, 2021; Soubosky, 2021; Knutson, 2018). Impacts on self-image and body-image were somewhat promising, but lacked supporting data. Some positive impacts were also reported that were largely absent in the literature, including strength, increased ability to cope with problems, feeling unblocked and increased energy.

While drag-based DMT accomplishes similar therapeutic goals as other performance based and/or queer DMT techniques, it is the only known example of a queer-informed DMT practice stemming directly from the history and culture of the queer community. It uses key DMT practices, such as witness/mover, mirroring, guided somatic exploration through movement, use of contrasting movement qualities based in Laban Movement Analysis, and sensing of body parts, sensations and feelings, while bringing in mixed-media such as costumes and drawing. It retains important elements of drag, such as costumes, music, audience cheering/support, embodying a persona, and performance, while adapting drag for a therapy session: prioritising consent and agency around ways of witnessing and being witnessed, an emphasis on consensual self-expression (rather than aesthetic judgements of good, bad, or what drag is supposed to be), and a safe container (such as ground rules, optional one-word reflections, warm-up and closure).

The research questions, ‘How do drag performers’ experiences of doing drag impact their queer identities?’ (for the pre-interviews) and, ‘What is the subjective experience of participants in a drag-based DMT intervention?’ (for the post-interviews) were clearly answered. The answer to the first question was, ‘not very much,’ as the impacts of drag were surprisingly much broader and less directly relevant to the interviewees’ own gender expressions, which led me to switch to a much wider focus in the interventions. As for the second question, drag-based DMT was generally described by post-interviewees as having a safe atmosphere; fostering a sense of group cohesion, connection, and support amongst participants; allowing experimentation with various drag elements which helped connect to various parts of the self; producing short-term feelings of anxiety before performing; supporting the exploration or safe expression of queer identity; activating inner resources such as confidence, self-insight, and self-acceptance; and having (at least temporary) lasting impacts. While interviewees seemed to enjoy the overall structure of the sessions, feedback was given to improve activities, facilitation, and structure.

6.1 Limitations and Future Implications

The limitations of this study include personal bias on multiple fronts, a small sample size, limited number of sessions, a lack of supporting literature in the field, scheduling issues resulting in a change of location for one session and/or the session ending early, and a lack of investigation of other intersectionalities of queer identity, including race, age, ability, body size, existing mental health conditions, and economic status. The biggest limitation, bias, resulted from my own status as a queer drag king in the community, and the personal relationships I have with two of the pre-interviewees as friends and colleagues. This may have influenced their responses and my interpretations. On the other hand, it is possible they shared more with me because of our pre-existing connection. Similarly, I was biased in sharing the roles of therapist and interviewer, which may have affected my post-interviews. On the other hand, the post-interviewees may also have shared more personal experiences due to our existing relationship of trust. The potential strength of being a queer drag king, however, lies in my expertise and knowledge of the community, hopefully allowing me to create a safer space for participants.

Were more studies on drag-based DMT to be conducted in the future, there are aspects that could be changed/adapted, as well as many more interventions and conditions to try out. Based on the feedback given by interviewees, a wider assortment of costumes and props would be helpful, as well as more time for developing characters and de-roling. Some participants shared that because of the lack of extensive verbal exchange in the sessions, it wasn’t possible to address problems in the same way talk therapy might offer, which in part is due to the nature of DMT. On the other hand, participants acknowledged that this allowed more space for expressing/processing current emotions and states. There was also feedback that interaction between characters would have been nice, which is already done in Drag Therapy. This would provide even more connection in the group, however, could prove difficult with some populations, such as social anxiety. More structure should be provided in the warmup for clients who are not accustomed to moving or performing spontaneously. Additionally, clearer rules and/or discussions around trigger warnings and appropriate topics should be employed.

Drag-based DMT seems to work best with populations requiring low support/structure and capable of self-regulation and a certain amount of creative independence, although it may be possible to adapt or heavily modify for high support/structure populations as well. While this modality was developed specifically for working with queer clients, it can easily be used for non-queer individuals or groups—as is the case with Drag Therapy. However, thought should be given to the appropriation of queer culture, and the context and history of this art form should be acknowledged (Soubosky, 2021). The dangers of cultural, ethnic, and racial appropriation could also be given more attention than was done in this study (Upadhyay, 2019). Further studies on drag-based DMT should be conducted, paying more careful attention to intersecting queer identities, and with differing populations and goals. For example, there are studies suggesting drag performance may help with substance use disorders (Knutson, 2018).

There are many more potential interventions and frameworks that could be employed in drag-based DMT, both with more or less structure. A support group with prompts specifically focusing on gender and sexuality, for example, which was my original plan. More use of group choreographies or partnered performances could also be employed—which was only attempted once during the sessions. It would also be interesting to try sessions that were not centred around a final performance, but rather around interaction and improvisation between characters. More extensive use of set choreography could also be experimented with, rather than somatic improvisation. Participants could also try sticking with one persona over the course of many weeks, rather than changing every time.

As one of the first queer-informed modality in DMT originating from the history and culture of the queer community itself, drag-based DMT has exciting implications for the field, and sets a precedent for more queer-informed practices to come. It is my wish that drag-based DMT continues to grow and adapt, working towards a world where queer people everywhere not only have easier access to queer-informed therapy services, but feel safe, supported, and free.

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Bio: Ryn (they/them) has a Master’s degree in Dance and Movement Therapy from SRH Heidelberg, and performs as drag king Hugo Risqué (they/he) — subverting gender norms and queering morality. Ryn also has a double bachelors degree in Theater Arts and Gender Studies from Whitman College, and was thrilled to bring all of their degrees and interests together in this thesis project. They enjoy making art, writing, engaging in somatic practices, and being their weird, queer, introverted self. Follow Hugo Risqué on Instagram: @hugorisque