RuPaul’s Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards will have a show on Netflix this fall: Dancing Queen will follow Justin Johnson’s life in Texas. Because it’s set at his Beyond Belief Dance Company, where he works with kids, it bears a strong resemblance to Dance Moms, at least in the trailer.
Eight 45-minute episodes will premiere Oct. 5.
Alyssa Edwards on her new series Dancing Queen (Photo by Netflix)
The show is produced by World of Wonder, the production company that produces RuPaul’s Drag Race for VH1; RuPaul Charles and Justin Johnson are among the producers listed.
If this feels a bit like Déjà vu, that may be because WOW previously announced a reality show starring Alyssa Edwards back in February 2017. It was called Haus of Edwards, and it never materialized.
It was supposed to follow Justin and the “diva dancers” and “deeply involved moms” at his dance studio—and Laganja Estranja was supposed to star, too.
That show doesn’t seem to have ever aired, either on YouTube or WOW Presents, World of Wonder’s subscription service.
Netflix describes Dancing Queen this way:
“Dancing Queen is a hilarious and heartfelt docu-series set in the dancing, prancing, world of the multi-talented, multi-layered Justin Johnson—aka Drag Superstar Alyssa Edwards—as he juggles his dance life, drag life, family life, and love life. Filmed in Justin’s hometown of Mesquite, Texas, Dancing Queen goes behind the makeup and into the drag performer’s highly competitive Beyond Belief Dance Company as he prepares a young class for an intensely competitive season.”
This trailer makes it seem a lot like Dance Moms, with upset and crying mothers. Though Alyssa Edwards is not Abby Lee Miller, and there’s also an appearance by Shangela, so it’s already better than actual Dance Moms.
The queen you know. The stories you don't.
Watch #DragRace fan-favorite @AlyssaEdwards_1 in #DancingQueen, a brand new docuseries premiering October 5! pic.twitter.com/ohG4QQwtvQ
— See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) August 22, 2018
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