Drag superstar Alyssa Edwards to dance into Tel Aviv for the new year

Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, better known as Alyssa Edwards, will be starting the new year by flying over to Israel from her home and dance studio in Texas with a weekend of performances in Tel Aviv.

By TAMAR URIEL-BEERI
Drag queen Alyssa Edwards attends RuPaul's DragCon 2017. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Drag queen Alyssa Edwards attends RuPaul's DragCon 2017.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson is better known as Alyssa Edwards, the drag dame of the south, in the US, and will be celebrating the new decade dancing across the Tel Aviv stage.
The drag queen and dance choreographer will be starting the new year by flying over to Israel from her home and dance studio in Texas with a weekend of performances in Tel Aviv as fans of the hit television show RuPaul's Drag Race flock to get their hands on tickets.
Edwards, who appeared on season five of RuPaul's Drag Race and on season two of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, told The Jerusalem Post that there's something particularly special about this upcoming trip. Edwards fans, as it were, were particularly surprised to hear of her performance, as she almost never performs solo shows. "This is something that's been talked about for the past two or three years," Edwards said. "We're starting the new year off right. We're going to be a little bit more selective with traveling, cause we're going to have a little bit more self-love and self-care days."
Edwards expressed every bit of excitement to perform as Israeli audiences express at her arrival, telling the Post that she cannot wait to share her artistry. "I'm going to start my new year off right," she said. "It's also my birthday month!"
Edwards hails from Texas, where the community is largely conservative, much like Israel, and perhaps more closed off to gay people. When asked about it, Edwards said that she became a shell when she realized she is gay. "I became very quiet, but my art became very loud, and I learned how to internally express myself through the art of movement," she said. "I also learned that it's all about respect and the way you carry yourself, the way you present yourself, and it will ultimately be the judgement in the end for how people treat you and how people respond to you."
Edwards opened up about coming out of the closet at 19 years of age and gave some thoughtful advice to Israeli people who may have trouble with the same sort of thing. "It will get better," she said. "There was a time when I was waiting for the world to change, and now, I'm actually a part of that movement. RuPaul's Drag Race is, as well. Allow that feeling to really drive your art and your artistry."
When speaking on the up-and-coming drag queen scene of Israel, the notoriously competitive queen gave some advice. "I teach my students everyday that winning isn't everything, but wanting to is," she explained. "I didn't win the crown on RuPaul's Drag Race, but ultimately, I'm winning a life, and that's important."
Edwards has a large background in competitions, both in drag and out. In drag, she competed in numerous drag queen pageants across the US and out of drag, she owns a renowned dance studio called Beyond Belief. Netflix released a reality television show based on Edwards' studio in 2018 called Dancing Queen.
"I am so very excited," Edwards confided in the Post. "I don't think excited is the word. I'm very happy that I'm having this opportunity."
Edwards concluded by using her legendary catch phrase, saying, "I'll be forever thankful and forever grateful, always and forever."

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Alyssa Edwards' shows will be held on January 3 and 4 at the Reading 3 club and are hosted by One Night Only Tel Aviv, an Israeli drag queen event planner.


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