Before we announce the winner of the 2016 Miss WERRRK.com Pageant, our team at the site are sitting down with all of the contestants to learn a little more about them and the pageant experience. Next up, Monroe’s interview with Elle Taylor…
First of all ,thank you so much for taking the time to interview! I would love to hear the back story on Miss Taylor! How did you come across this performance art and create your drag persona?
I’m excited for it and thank you for donating your time. I started when I was 15 back in Birmingham, Alabama in the comfort of my room and by the time I was 18, I was comfortable enough to go out and start performing in the Birmingham drag scene. That has brought me to many wonderful places that I’ve traveled to and lived. It’s the only job I’ve ever had. Being a female Illusionist is my life and I’m fortunate enough to have a career in this industry. As far as my drag persona goes, I was always called the mini model because I’m too short and too small to be an actual model. My name came from Elle Magazine. My performance style has varied over the years. I’ve always been a dancer. I’ve taken dance classes my entire life; ballet, contemporary, hip hop. Dance has always been my outlet but through the years I’ve picked up different, I guess tools of the trade, for lack of a better term, such as fire breathing, fire performances, aerial silk and lyra, sword-swallowing and contortionism. All of these things combined over the years have made me into the performer that I am today.
That’s amazing ! I am always so inspired by queens with a dancing background! Since we are on the topic, do you have a favorite genre of dance/or performance skill? If so, is it reflective in your performance style more than other genres/skills?
It’s hard to choose one genre of dance because all have their own ways of invoking an emotion. That is always my biggest thing when I perform. I want people to feel what I am feeling. If I had to choose the one that can best implicate my emotions and my feelings, it would be contemporary just for its free-flowing nature and style. But I would have to say other than contemporary, something that is just too funny for me to do and I enjoy is doing traditional burlesque.
Oh a twist in the story, I love that! I am ever in awe of Burlesque performers, I mean all that shimmying cannot be easy and don’t get me started on the perfectly timed clothing reveals! Do you think that all of these entertainment based art forms have inspired you to partake in the world of pageantry?
So I actually like doing pageants because of the fact that it allows me to travel and meet new people and also learned something about myself it’s very hard to criticize and judge yourself from a video or by wearing something and looking in the mirror I like to have the critiques of other people to know where I stand in my performance abilities and how things appear not only to me but other people granted traveling and everything doesn’t go along with this pageant but I enjoyed this pageant because it actually took me out of my comfort zone and made me do things other than my Norm I’m just going to work and doing a show every night
So it sounds like this pageant wasn’t your first rodeo then! I would love to hear about some of the other pageantry opportunities you have had, where they were since you mentioned loving the travel component as well as some of the people you have met!
Absolutely! So I’ve actually competed for every system in the drag world. I was second alternate at the Southernmost USofA, held here in Key West, as well as first alternate at Miss Florida Gay America. I was second alternate at Florida EOY that was held in Tampa. I am Miss Paradise Emeritus FI 2015 and I am now the owner and promoter for that pageant. I’ve also competed for Miss Utopia two years in a row and was first alternate. That was held in Houston Texas. I just recently competed for All American Goddess in Daytona Florida and was first alternate. This will be my first national pageant that I’ve gone to and competed for! I have also competed for USQ in Honolulu Hawaii.
Wow!!! I love your ambition for pageantry! It’s an incredible and unique experience each time you enter one. You have truly been everywhere!!! So with all of these amazing systems in your repertoire of competing, what sparked your interest in the Miss WERRRK pageant?
Something new fun and different I think it is an amazing opportunity for those who don’t have the funds for traveling as much as I have been able to it gives everyone a chance to show their creative Style
Well you definitely have shown out during this pageant and given all the contestants some tough competition! Tell us about your favorite category?!
Actually my favorite category was the theme presentation when I did the female version of Captain Hook that has a look that I have been wanting to do for a long time and just haven’t really had an opportunity to put it all together so I was very happy that I was able to do that
Your Captain Hook was EVERYTHING, and I loved that you added an element of dance to it! So what would you say your greatest challenge during the pageant would be?
I think all had their unique and challenging elements but I would have to say the greatest challenge was swimsuit dealing with the heat and wind.
You would never know! You definitely werrrked it !!!!
Awe thank you
With all of this said, what would be your biggest accomplishment throughout the pageant? I’m sure this is a tough one because you have competed so beautifully!
I would have say the biggest accomplishment was putting it all together and the time really committing to it and just having fun! I think enjoying the process is so key in pageantry! I feel like there are way too many horror stories out there of pageant contestants not genuinely enjoying the experience, I’m so glad your experience has been really exciting and positive!
I would love to ask you one more question just because I feel like no one should ever stop learning. What is the biggest piece of guidance/advice you could offer to up and coming drag entertainers?
To not follow the masses always be true to yourself and know that there are no rules to drag
THANK YOU so much for your time, you are sensational Miss Taylor! I can’t wait to watch your legacy continue!
Awe thank you so much!
Monroe Fitzgerald is our current reigning Miss Bio-WERRRK 2016.
