Flagger Nation

Flagger Nation
They’re here; they’re queer (mostly) but how do I become one?
By Dan Tyler © July, 2008

I first encountered flagging during Boston Gay Pride, Summer 2000.
The intersection of Clarendon and Chandler streets in the heart of Boston’s gay-ghetto, between Back Bay and the South End was roped off for the street festival, and a bunch of muscle-boys had taken over the stage, twirling and fanning brightly-colored silk scarves in the most fascinating patterns and waves; rippling musically in the gentle wind, and entrancing a certain green-behind-the-ears, newly out-of-the-closet kid from Montana—me.
I sidled up to the stage and shyly asked one of the guys if I could try out what he was doing with a pair of purple-sequined flags, and he hopped down to my level and tried to show me how to hold the 3’ x 4’ pieces of fabric. I could tell there were some fashion of weights sewn into the hems along two of the edges, which he told me were meant to help the flags flare when I whirled them through the air.
I enthusiastically emulated the other flaggers, but my flags promptly tangled themselves into a knot.
He—Junior patiently showed me how to shake out the knot and urged me to try again.
I crisscrossed my arms frantically and nearly took out my boyfriend’s eye with the weighted tip of one of the flags.
After a few more disastrous attempts, I conceded flagging was not nearly as easy as it looked and returned them to their owner, much to the relief, I am sure, of any passersby.
For the most part, the crowds below a balcony or stage packed with flaggers are fixated on the UV-reactive glowing fabric twirled above their heads like a cloud of benevolent nuclear radiation. It is hypnotic, entrancing, and for those onlookers in an “altered state,” gazing into the swirl of colors can be something akin to a holy (or mind-altering, at least) experience and is part of what makes a circuit party so special.
Who are these strange folk—mostly men—usually not cut into the mold of the typical circuit boy?
Alternately loved or hated, at least they are recognized as an integral part of the collective gay identity; just like leather daddies, drag queens, and bears all represent a certain subculture within the wider society of gaydom at large.
San Diego DJ Dan DeLeón derides flaggers as “Embodying the worst the circuit has to offer.”
Conversely, special stages and platforms are erected at New York City’s Pier Dance, and flaggers historically dominate the infamous Black Party.
The history of flagging itself is debatable, but the leaders of most contemporary flagger troupes agree that its present incarnation can be traced to the first modern dancer, an American lesbian named Mary Louise Fuller—later dubbed “Loie”, who almost single-handedly changed the modern theater with her inventions and techniques—mostly involving the manipulation of huge pieces of silk (*sometimes as large as one hundred yards of fabric!) and bouncing psychedelic imagery off it with her ground-breaking invention: the electric film projector. (Thomas Edison created the first projectors, but lit the films from behind using candles).
The flaggers smacking you in the head with their weighted strips of tie-dyed silk have been around at least as long as the first circuit parties, which began in the early 1970s on New York’s Fire Island and in San Francisco’s Trocadero.
Not unlike Free Masons and other secret societies, I liken them to Anne Rice’s vampires, who establish a clandestine territory ruled by a leader with a coven of followers.
Thus, San Francisco bows to Xavier Caylor, New York City to George Jagatic, Eric Mitchell in Palm Springs, Rodger Belk in Long Beach, Derek Fowler in San Diego, Marco Roberts in Houston, Phillip Bryan in Dallas, and yours truly in Louisville.
They are a secretive lot, maintaining an entire set of unwritten laws, traditions, and hierarchies.
At least until now.
This Independence Day weekend marked the Fifth Annual Flagger’s Conference, organized by Phillip Bryan and an eleven-man committee plus dozens of volunteers.
The first conference brought together flaggers mostly from Texas only, however, according to Phillip, “This year’s conference brought more than 70 participants from all over the United States and Canada.”
That’s not too surprising because in addition to initiating the first conference in Dallas, he has also steadily performed with Kristine W and led crews of flaggers at circuit events from the White Party in Palm Springs to the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. His most impressive achievement so far was organizing and choreographing a troupe of flaggers for the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. Everything and anything you ever wanted to know about making flags can be found on Phillip’s website www.flaggercentral.com which includes a forum for flaggers to exchange ideas ask questions, and network.
Similarly, Marco Roberts and his Houston Flyboys have been showcased at Southern Decadence, Bunnies on the Bayou, and numerous Pride parades across the country. For Flagger Weekend V, they drove to Dallas to perform on Saturday and then headed to San Antonio the next day for that city’s Pride festival. He admits his energy is waning, however, “Even though we get paid, and we performed ten times this year, we’re lucky to break even at the end of the day.”
Clearly, flagging and the teaching of it, is a labor of love. San Franciscan, Xavier Caylor teaches flagging classes at Gold’s Gym, saying, “I want to give flagging to the community. It’s something we’ve owned for 130 years (referring to Loie Fuller). It’s meditative, spiritual, and mind expanding—not to mention a great aerobic workout.”
He teaches to “demystify flagging” but “It’s also about getting lost in the music.” Xavier is also a moderator on Yahoo’s Group Spintribe, which hosts a forum similar to Flaggercentral, and continually brings flaggers together at the AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park to commemorate absent friends.
Classically trained dancers like George Jagatic (NYC) and Robin Olive (L.A.) are leading flagging into the 21st century by incorporating the art with their choreography. Jagatic’s company Axis-Danz has been largely successful marketing flagging to corporate events like the opening of the new Chase-Manhattan Bank headquarters and performing at MTV’s Music Video Awards. (Jagatic is no stranger to music videos himself, having performed in Mariah Carey’s video for her single Loverboy.)
Robin Olive and her troupe Placid Fluidity are not far behind, performing regularly at L.A. über-club, Circus and the Gibson Theatre at Universal Studios City Walk.
She can also be seen twirling crimson flags in the hit gay-themed film, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.
Indeed, flagging is swiftly becoming a viable and potentially lucrative dance technique with performances in the Hollywood blockbusters, Interview With the Vampire; Moulin Rouge; Vanity Fair; and Hedwig & the Angry Inch.
Ultimately though, New York transplant David Gosbin—now living in Palm Springs—speaks for most of us, “Some people at the club come up to me and ask if I’m trying to grab attention or what. I tell them no, just the opposite, I don’t care if anyone else is watching or not,” to which I might add, “Flagging is the music made visual; it’s how the DJ plays me.”
Dan Tyler majored in ethnographic research at UCLA, has flagged for nine years, and is also the director of a soon-to-be-released documentary titled FLAGGERS! Dan can be reached at danieltyler@mac.com