Advertised to be the “biggest drag ball of Europe”, the forth annual Superball took place this past Saturday at Paradiso, one of the biggest gay clubs in Amsterdam. Ten teams of drag queens fought to snatch the crown in a series of breathtaking performances ranging from lip syncing to dancing and catwalking. Among the countries present were The Netherlands, France and Switzerland with the Greek House of Daglara taking first place in the coveted House of the Superball category.
All images courtesy of Bete Photography
The House of Daglara gave a bewitching, goosebump-raising performance in their signature drag style. The five drag queens combined alien-like make-up, fangs, horns and custom-made outfits with well executed choreography to bring home the crown. Mother of the house, Daglara, spoke to us about the team’s experience in Amsterdam:
Firstly could you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Nikolaos Tsironis, I am 30 and I studied fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. I’m a fashion designer, artist and performer based in Athens. As Daglara I get to fuse all these different identities into one project that encompasses all my interests.
Could you tell us a little bit about the history of the house?
The House of Daglara is Daglara, Chraja, Viscosity, Filothei and Darla Qubit. We are all performers and artists that we work together under the same roof, as resident drag queens of BeQueer Club, in Athens. The house has been formed organically over this past year and because of our common views on politics and aesthetics but we only made it official when we were presented with the opportunity to compete in Superball 2018.
How did you find the competition ?
Superball is the biggest event of it’s kind in Europe, where drag houses from across the continent come together to compete for the title House of Superball but, most importantly, to celebrate drag. Getting to meet so many diverse performers was very exhilarating. We felt very welcomed by the organisers and the audience who, dare I say, are very immersed and informed in the culture of drag. All in all, the experience is so intoxicating and intense that you only realise the magnitude of it afterwards. It’s hard to put down in words how it feels winning the competition. Being acknowledged for the hard work that we put into it and getting the seal of approval for our conviction that drag is indeed powerful and political means the world.
Could you describe your ideas for the performances?
Our performances and visuals were inspired by the idea of bacchic rites and the frenzy of channeling a bloodthirsty warrior goddess. Our “fili fidi” theme is essentially a contemporary interpretation of a snake priestess’ ritual mixed with the balkan folklore and uncompromised hypersexual femme energy.
What’s next for the house?
Winning the Superball propelled us to Europe’s center stage and blessed us with the huge privilege of mass visibility. We are planning to tour a lot and share our vision across Europe.
Check out the queens on Instagram:
